A fan's-eye view from Turf Moor, with Stephen Cummings
ALL 2,092 Scunthorpe tickets gone in less than two hours. Queueing for 90 minutes to renew season tickets. A major announcement to be made tomorrow evening. And a giant screen at Turf Moor next Saturday, to beam back pictures of what will hopefully be the Clarets' promotion party.
Not much happening at the moment is there?
The most frustrating aspect of the past few days has been the lack of tickets for the thousands wishing to travel to Glanford Park on Saturday. The ground's capacity is 9,183. I shouldn't imagine Scunthorpe's average attendance is any higher than 4,000. Following their relegation last weekend you can chop at least 500 home fans off that figure.
In effect, we have a scenario in which Burnley's biggest game for five years would take place in a half-empty stadium. Add to that the fact that the television audience at Turf Moor will exceed that at the game itself and the situation is not simply frustrating any more. It's downright ludicrous. One only hopes that the rumours about 400 forged tickets currently doing the rounds are unfounded, as this would only lend a potentially dangerous angle to an already farcical situation.
Moving on to a happier subject, interest is quietly building ahead of the club's major announcement scheduled for tomorrow evening. The club has already denied rumours that the statement will contain news of ground redevelopments, shirt sponsors or becoming a plc. So what is it then?
A popular suggestion on Saturday afternoon was for the club to announce it was going to put a roof on the Jimmy McIlroy stand which actually prevents paying punters from getting a soaking in even the slightest shower. Whatever, with Messrs Kilby and Ingleby at the helm one would imagine the announcement will be a positive and go-ahead move. We shall see.
And so we face another few days of tension. Tonight promises to be a particularly nervy affair as Cardiff can do us and themselves a favour by grabbing a point or three at Gillingham. I don't imagine I will be alone in tuning into Radio Wales to catch their commentary.
Then to the big one on Saturday -- the club's most eagerly anticipated fixture in years. I only hope that by this time next week this column is celebrating the Clarets' return to Division One. If not might I suggest the club issue complimentary Valium with every play-off ticket. I feel sure they would go even faster than the Scunthorpe ticket.
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