BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent has hit back at suggestions that his side is the dirtiest in Division One.

The latest copy of the Nationwide Fair Play League for the First Division has Burnley propping up the table.

Before last weekend's fixtures the Clarets had accrued 17.4 points per game based on a formula of one point for a foul, two for a yellow card and five for a red.

However, Ternent sets little store by the statistics and defended his team's disciplinary record.

"We aren't a dirty team. This isn't all about yellow cards. It just means we tackle a lot, and that's what I want," he said.

And Ternent's argument is born out by a closer inspection of the facts.

Burnley had committed more fouls than any other side bar Tranmere ahead of their win over Nottingham Forest last Saturday, when, incidentally, they conceded just three free-kicks in the whole game.

But their number of cautions bears favourably with most other clubs.

After the weekend's fixtures, when Blackburn, Bolton and Tranmere had players booked, at least nine clubs in Division One have collected more yellow cards.

And only four clubs have a better red-card record than Burnley, for whom only Lee Briscoe has been sent off this season for his two bookable offences at Fulham.

Just two players have chalked up five yellow cards and apart from Briscoe's one-match ban for that dismissal the Clarets will suffer their first suspensions of the campaign for Saturday's derby clash at Preston, when Kevin Ball and Graham Branch are ruled out.