THE increases by Burnley FC were substantial in a town that is rapidly going downhill in terms of houses, jobs and population.

The people they need to attract are leaving the town to look for work elsewhere. I know of 30 who used to visit Turf Moor last year, but have had to move away to find work.

The price to watch a match at Burnley is disproportionate to the area. Burnley always was a working class town and still is. The chattering classes that have been attracted to football, especially in the Premiership, don't exist in Burnley and, therefore, the attendances are quite good considering the wages that prevail in the town.

To take your children onto Turf Moor is a very costly experience. Cups of tea and coffee at prices over £1, pies just below £2, cups of meat extract at £1.10 and, surely the prize winner, a hotdog at £2.10.

Add all that, plus the price of bus fares or petrol, parking, and maybe a pint -- over £2 -- and the price of opera tickets start to look quite cheap.

The crowds still manage to do their best even under the difficult conditions of not being allowed to take flags, banners, whistles, etc into the ground.

I have even seen people turned away with flasks and who could forget the famous instance of someone being refused admission because he was carrying a rival pie.

The stewards stop people standing up all the time and anyone caught with a banner is asked to remove it or risk being thrown out of the ground.

All of these things contribute to the lack of crowds and atmosphere inside the ground, as did the club's insistence last year on making fans pay an exorbitant price for coaches with their tickets.

KAYNE HOWARTH, Perth Street, Burnley.