OUR Christmas plans are on hold until after Saturday - then it's all eyes on the gaffer.

As I'm sure everyone is aware, this time of year is only special for footballers in that the games come thick and fast.

In the past, while you've been ripping the wrapping paper off your presents on the big day itself, we've been down at the training ground to keep the body ticking over ahead of Boxing Day.

It's something you have to get used to as part and parcel of being a player - and it's something I've done ever since I came into the game.

I remember the worst Christmas Day ever coming at Crystal Palace as a kid.

The local lads always had to come in with the first team and two of us consoled ourselves that at least we were in for a treat by being allowed to train with the first team.

Unfortunately, it wasn't until we arrived we found out the harsh reality - the manager wanted us to stand in the bushes that surrounded the training ground to retrieve all the dodgy shots!

It's been a long time coming, but at last things took a turn for the better last year. The gaffer left it to all the players to decide whether we came in for a session on Christmas Day or not.

No prizes for guessing we chose not to, but that meant we had his words ringing in our ears about how we had better run around like headless chickens and win every tackle and header against Wolves the following day, or else!

Thankfully, we managed to put on a good show to win 2-0 and justify our decision. The consequences of defeat didn't bear thinking about!

And the gaffer can be a little superstitious, so we're secretly hoping for a repeat this year ahead of the trip to Crewe.

That will be my last game before suspension after picking up five bookings, so I can now put all my energies into the games at Deepdale and then Gresty Road.

And this week, it's all been about preparing for Preston and keeping up our good recent run against them.

Losing is a horrible feeling, made worse when it's against a local side in front of thousands of your own supporters.

Luckily, it's the North End fans who have had that feeling over the past few years, other than last season's 3-1 defeat at Deepdale.

We'd love nothing more than to sign off for Christmas with another three points to get back to winning ways after last week.

I've gone easy on Paul Weller following his own goal. He's still a bit down about it, although it was a cracking little header.

What we need now is the little fella to pop up at the right end and cancel it out. If he does, who knows, I might even buy him a present!

In the meantime, this is my last column until the New Year, so I'd just like to wish all Burnley fans everywhere a very merry Christmas.