Clarets fans are threatening to turn their backs on the opening fixture of the season at Sheffield Wednesday following its switch to a Sunday night kick-off.

Burnley's First Division curtain-raiser has been moved to a 6.15pm start on Sunday, August 12 for live screening by ITV Digital.

And while the Clarets are still certain to take a sizeable following to Hillsborough, there are fears that a number of fans will give the game a miss because of the inconvenience of going to Sheffield on a Sunday night for a game that will be televised.

"When the fixtures came out I thought it was ideal and that Burnley would probably have six or seven-thousand fans there. But now I think you could probably cut that in half.

"It's the first game but I think this will have an effect on the people who go," said Paul Smith of Boundary Clarets.

He added: "I think it's scandalous. It just proves again that money talks and supporters are being walked over.

"We are going to have to set off at half-past three on a Sunday afternoon for a football game. It's never been heard of in the Nationwide League. I'm just waiting for us to have to go to Gillingham on a Thursday night."

Phil Miller, chairman of Accrington Clarets, fears that his supporters' club will now run just two rather than three coaches to what is normally one of the most eagerly awaited fixtures of the season.

He said: "It's the opening game and a lot of people want to make the effort but some fans are not bothering going. Some people booked on coaches don't want to be getting back from Sheffield at half-past ten on Sunday night.

"Imagine if it had been Portsmouth or Gillingham. It's absolutely crazy but unfortunately it seems to be the thing for ITV Sport. "I know the majority will still go but there's a minority, and it's not a small one, that won't."

Miller admits that it's Catch-22 situation given that Burnley have benefitted to the tune of £3 million from the new television deal, which has seen ITV Sport win the rights for Nationwide League action with their live games scheduled for the currently vacant Thursday and Sunday night slots.

But he added: "Unfortunately we have to face the consequences and not everyone is happy.

"When people get season-tickets they want to watch on a Saturday and that's being taken away from us."

Shaun Borman, of the Burnley Supporters Club, said: "I'm getting a lot of feedback from people who were orginally going and that aren't now. I'll be going but before I would have taken my lad and I won't now.

"There's no consultation with the supporters. The club will benefit in one sense, financially, but the travelling away supporters won't benefit.

"There's a lot of disgruntlement about it. People used to enjoy being on Sky every so often and taping the game but it's got to the stage where you might as well watch it at home or go down to the pub and that's stopping vital away support, especially at places like Sheffield Wednesday where the home support is vociferous. But it's more the inconvenience."

The Clarets say they sympathise with supporters who will find it harder to get to re-arranged fixtures.

However, with television income making up roughly a third of Burnley's projected turnover the club believes it's price worth paying in the quest for Premiership football. Chief executive Andrew Watson said: "We understand that this fixture causes inconvenience to some supporters.

"However television is now part of football. In fairness, if it wasn't for the television money, Burnley Football Club would not have the wage bill and quality of manager and players that it currently has. Therefore, we would probably not be in the top thirty clubs in English football.

"The television company concerned will pay almost £3m to Burnley Football Club next year. Therefore they are very welcome at this club.

"Being selected twice for live television against two top name clubs in the first couple of weeks in the season says a lot about how the club has developed."

Concern has also been expressed by supporters over potential crowd trouble now that the televised home game against Manchester City on August Bank Holiday will kick-off At 7.15.

And a further two of Burnley's games have been moved, although not for television coverage.

Watford will now visit Turf Moor on Friday, October 5 (kick-off 7.45) to avoid a clash with England's international against Greece the following day and the trip to Birmingham City has been put back a day to Wednesday, September 19 (kick-off 7.45).