I HAD always been largely indifferent towards Gary Pallister; nice enough bloke, nothing to dislike about him really.

That was until Sunday evening, when the former Manchester United centre half was drawing the away teams in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Because when "Pally" pulled our name out of the hat (or rather that bizarre like contraption) to follow that of Cheltenham Town, I have to admit he plummeted in my estimation.

It would have been nice to have a crack at the Leicesters or Evertons remaining in the competition.

Or alternatively the prospect of drawing a big club (or failing that Blackburn Rovers) and making a bob or two along the way would have appealed.

Even the cliched "anyone as long as we are at home" would have done.

Instead, we have the draw from hell.

Like Saturday's encounter with the commendable Canvey Island, the Clarets find themselves in a no-win situation. Triumph, and Burnley will merely have fulfilled expectations.

Lose however, and we can look forward to national humiliation in print and on screen.

Not that one imagines that Cheltenham are too thrilled with the draw.

No doubt their supporters would have liked Whaddon Road to host the likes of Arsenal or Newcastle.

Instead they find themselves in a similar situation to when Burnley drew Portsmouth in the Worthington Cup a few seasons ago -- not glamorous enough to get excited about, but good enough to knock us out.

Still, at least we are in the fourth round. And the Clarets are to be congratulated for the professionalism displayed on Saturday. It was always the hope that superior fitness and organisation would ultimately win the day, and so it proved.

One significant plus to emerge from Saturday was Ian Moore's hat trick -- the only one of third round weekend. Not only would it have silenced his detractors who bemoan his lack of goals (despite the manager's continued insistence that Moore was never bought purely to score goals), it will also have boosted the forward's confidence, the one thing strikers need more than other players.

And so to Wimbledon -- a team against whom Burnley have an excellent recent record (three wins out of three).

Combine that with the fact that our last three league visits to Selhurst Park have garnered nine points and there is every reason to travel to the capital in good heart.

Finally, a belated Happy New Year to you all. Here's to a successful 2002 for the Clarets.