I HAD a terrible day on Saturday. I was supposed to go to Bradford. And I did. NO, I know it isn't particularly funny.

But then neither was the embarrassment which masqueraded as a Burnley performance during the final 15 minutes at the Bradford and Bingley stadium.

And embarrassment truly is the bon mot on this occasion. Embarrassment that Burnley were unable to put nine men to the sword.

Embarrassment at the attitude of players and manager alike. And embarrassment at the unreserved yet undeserved contempt with which the Clarets treated their opponents.

The closing 15 minutes raised a number of questions amongst the thousands of supporters who had undertaken the short trip.

Such as, since when has showboating been the accepted way to finish off a side over whom you hold only the most slender of leads?

Good teams, professional teams do not showboat against disadvantaged opponents. They move in for the kill. Witness Manchester United's ruthless and relentless pummelling of Maccabi Haifi last week.

Also, since when have Burnley been good enough to coast their way to victory? As Nicky Law so correctly observed,

"Burnley let us back into the game. They tried to keep the ball at the back and were not capable of doing it." Spot on.

Time and again during that fateful spell, Burnley fans urged their team forward to get what could have been a decisive third goal. Instead, we were treated to the back four show; West to Davis to Cox to Briscoe and all the way back. Until Davis, possibly hypnotised by the repetitive movement, gifted possession to Bradford.

City fans must have felt better than ever when they equalised. For 15 minutes, our style of play had sent out the message, "We don't need to score another as you are not good enough to trouble us."

Apart from being arrogant and wrong, it broke one of sport's unwritten yet generally accepted rules -- always respect your opponent. Quite why no such respect was shown was baffling.

Equally baffling were the manager's post-match comments. After conceding that he was disappointed and that we needed to be more professional (then why weren't we, Stan)? He played down the whole sorry episode, preferring to concentrate on the fact we were now six games unbeaten.

Well, I spoke to a number of Burnley supporters and none of them were extolling the virtues of being unbeaten in half a dozen outings.

The relationship between players and supporters has been badly damaged by last weekend's fiasco.

How long it will take to heal, only time will tell. One thing is for certain -- Burnley FC owes those supporters who forked out for a ticket last Saturday. They must begin repayment with a victory over Wimbledon this weekend.