Blackpool Derby

The Clarets face their first home League game since we played WBA in the openner on the 11th August. The home match of course against QPR on the 25th August was postponed due to the tragic death of QPR player, Ray Jones but since that time we have been on tne road and defeated Colchester 3-2.

Last Saturday of course, was a break for the Euro 2008 International matches but the gaffer made sure the lads were match fit by playing virtually the first team in a midweek reserve match away to Wrexham on Monday night. The 'reserves' came away with a 3-1 win and now find themselves top of the Pontins League.

So back to normality today and who do we face? Yes,its our first derby of the season as new boys, Blackpool bring their hordes of Satsuma-eating seasiders and donkey lashers to the Turf!

Its a long time since we played Blackpool at home in a League match, in fact almost eight years ago on the 14th November 1999. The brief details of that match are provided below but this was the season we were promoted from the third tier of English football whilst Blackpool plummeted in the other direction.

The team selection could be straight forward and the gaffer might do a 'Steve McClaren' and start with the same 16 that were involved in the last game and away win against the U's.

Kyle Lafferty we know is suspended for the final game of his three-match ban. Besart Berisha has picked up that awful season-long cruciate injury and young Jay Rodriguez is also believed to be injured.

Kiraly played a full 90 minutes in last Monday's reserve match so could be in Steve Cotterill's plans although the Beast had a very good game against Colchester and would not deserve to be dropped.

In the reserve match, Ade Akinbiyi also started up front with Andy Gray, with Blake on the bench so it will be interesting to see if that strike pair starts today.Graham Alexander looks set to play again possibly in midfield again.

'Every game we play is a big game. I haven't sampled a match against Blackpool as Burnley manager yet, but if it's anything like the other derby games, I imagine it will be excellent,' insisted Cotterill.

'I think that it's a bigger game than I thought it was going to be. Fans and history make it a bigger game. We need to be at our best and our supporters will need to be too. Otherwise it will be like an away game if they have lots of fans here.

'Blackpool have started very well like most of the sides do that come up. It will be a tough game, they've gone away and had some great results. We've just to make sure we play to our maximum and play with great desire, determination and energy .We know that if we perform like we did at Colchester then we have a great chance of winning.'

Lafferty out with suspension in the third of his three match ban. Besart Berisha out with a cruciate injury for the rest of the season. Gabor Kiraly could return after playing 90 minutes in a midweek reserve match.

Alan Mahon had an excellent match against Colchester and scored an impressive goal. Lets hope his form continues in a midfield which is not our strongest area at the moment.

Claus Jorgensen is injured although new signing Phil Marsh is expected to play after recovering from a thigh strain.

Kaspars Gorkss was this week on international duty with Latvia and has returned unscathed.Expect the same line up that recently beat Hull.

New signing from Manchester United, Phil Marsh

As mentioned above in the League this was on the 2nd November 1999, a Sunday match in which we came away with a 1-0 victory thanks to a Mellon goal. The last time we played Blackpool at Turf Moor though was in a League Cup match on 10th September 2002, a game in which we came away with an emphatic 3-0 victory.

3-1 Clarets as we peel and squash the Satsumas!

Sheffield Wednesday away on Tuesady night, 18th September @ 7:45pm KO

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