IT IS difficult to imagine who would have been suffering most following Alan Moore's inability to convert a simple, last-gasp chance to keep the Clarets in the FA Cup.

The player himself, maybe - wracked with guilt and remorse as he replayed the incident countless times in his mind's eye?

Or maybe the supporters, who got up with the larks to make a 12-hour round trip and part with the better part of £50, only to witness their FA Cup dream wither and die in a South London field.

But it's more likely that the pain was felt most keenly by two particular individuals -- Barry Kilby and Dave Edmundson.

Ever since the Board went public with regard to just how much trouble the club was in, the pair have worked tirelessly attempting to turn things around and get the club back on an even keel.

Had Alan Moore put the ball in the net, a replay was all but guaranteed and with it some much-needed income.

Of course, had the Clarets secured a replay there was no guarantee they would have progressed to the last eight.

However, one can only imagine how the chairman and the chief executive felt when Millwall were handed a home tie against Tranmere Rovers in yesterday's quarter-final draw.

Still, what is done is done and the club must continue to look forward. And despite losing out on both cup glory and much-needed revenue following Saturday's defeat, yesterday brought some good news for Burnley supporters everywhere when Edmundson announced that the club has sufficient funds to remain in business until the end of this season.

It would appear that money garnered from the FA Cup run coupled with cash raised by such initiatives as the 500 Mile Club, the recent Legends dinner and the up and coming evening with Sir Alex Ferguson, has guaranteed the Clarets survival until the close season.

After that, the club will be heavily reliant on income generated from season ticket sales.

Last time out, for reasons well documented elsewhere, Burnley lost 2,500 sales in that area, leaving the Clarets with just 8,500 season ticket holders.

Should that figure remain static or, heaven forbid, drop any lower, the repercussions do not bear thinking about.

Of course, the best way to increase the number of season ticket holders is for the first team to win football matches.

To that end, let's hope the memory of that 6-1 defeat at Ipswich earlier this season, spurs the Clarets on to victory when the Tractor Boys pitch up at the weekend.