Clarets wideman Graham Branch insists the Burnley fans will also need to be at their best to help inspire Stan Ternent's men to derby victory at Ewood Park.

Burnley are set to take some 5,000 supporters to Blackburn for Sunday's televised showdown.

And Branch has called on the travelling army to do their bit to upset the form book.

He said: "It means so much to the fans. Like Graeme Souness said before the last game he didn't realise how passionate the fans were about this game and neither did I.

"It's going to be a difficult game but it will be a marvellous feeling to play in it and the fans have their part to play.

"When we beat Fulham the atmosphere was unbelievable. The fans got behind us and spurred us on to win the game. When you get an atmosphere like that it's brilliant to play in."

Branch looks set to line up on the left-hand side of the Clarets' defence, although manager Ternent hasn't completely ruled out a comeback for Lee Briscoe.

Briscoe is again sidelined with hamstring trouble but has been booked in to see a specialist in the hope that he can find a cure.

Ternent said: "He's got this hamstring which we feel is back-related. It's the second or third one he's had but there has nothing showed up on his hamstring on the scan.

"We've got to go and see the specialist and he'll sort it out for us. It could be predesposed to hamstring injuries with this sciatic nerve in the back. I wouldn't discount him completely."

Burnley go to Ewood looking for their first derby success of the season but despite the 2-0 defeat to promotion-chasing Blackburn in December, Branch believes the Clarets can reverse the trend.

He added: "It happened over Christmas when we had that terrible patch. We took our time to get over that but of the local teams we have played against -- bar Preston -- we have had chances to win."

And having recently won at Watford the attacking full-back believes Burnley shouldn't be worried about their away form.

"The lads have worked hard and hopefully we can put things right," he said.

"If we can sort ourselves out, play with a bit more confidence and cut out the silly mistakes we can play against the best in the league.

"We showed against Fulham that if we are our game we are a very good side."

Meanwhile, season-ticket prices at Turf Moor are set to go up by 17.5 per cent for next season.

Match-day admissions are also going up with fixtures being graded for the first time. Category 'A' games will cost £2 more at the gate, while 'B' games will see fans having to pay £1 more than this season.

However, the Clarets, who say the increases are to bring the club more in line with First Division prices, are freezing their season-ticket prices for juniors at just £35, having sold 3,700 junior passes this term.

Chief executive Andrew Watson said: "We set the 2000/01 season prices while in Division Two with the promise of retaining the prices whether in Division One or Two.

"From the surveys of other clubs we are bottom of the table when it comes to Division One season-ticket prices. These clubs, particularly our more local neighbours, are obviously charging the right price for Division One and we need to get nearer to that level if we want to have the finances to give ourselves a chance of competing at the top end of the table.

"Despite the increase for 2001/02 these prices are still cheaper than the vast majority of our Division One rivals' 2000/01 prices."