A BURNLEY supporters’ club has labelled police measures for the weekend’s Blackburn Rovers-Clarets derby as ‘draconian’.

Burnley fans attending the Sunday lunchtime match at Ewood Park have been told they must travel to the game by coach from Turf Moor, even if they live in Blackburn.

That means some fans face a 60-mile round trip for a game that they could have walked to.

And there has been further anger that fans have to be at the Turf Moor ready to set off by 9.30am for a 1pm kick off.

Peter Pike, chairman of the Clarets Trust, said he believed supporters’ groups should have been more involved in the arrangements for the game.

He said: “Is it not unreasonable that on future occasions the police should not only involve the clubs, but bodies like the Clarets Trust and other well respected supporters clubs before finalising details?

“These arrangements are seen by many as draconian and an infringement on civil liberties.

“To assemble nearly 3,000 fans so early and get them to the ground so long before the kick off really is very questionable and is not a factor that will lessen pressures and problems.”

The trust said it had been involved in discussions with the club and its points had been taken on board, but the main decisions had already been made.

Mr Pike said: “We do not know what intelligence or information the police have in relation to this match but it is clear that Burnley FC were faced by a strong policy format already, in the main, determined by police.

“The trust agrees with the police and the club that the number one priority is to ensure the maximum safety of all those attending, and indeed of all the residents in Burnley and Blackburn.”

The trust said it accepted that a ‘minority’ of people would be out to cause trouble on the day, and that they should be dealt with by the courts in a ‘strong and appropriate way’.”