TURF MOOR will hold its biggest crowd since the ground was turned into an all-seater stadium six years ago for Saturday's visit of local rivals Preston North End.

The promotion showdown is also likely to generate record receipts for the club, surpassing the £150,000 paid for the visit of Liverpool in the FA Cup in January, 1995 and the gate for Ian Wright's debut against Wigan in the last home game.

Second-placed Preston have sold their full allocation of 4,000 tickets for the away end and with all home areas also selling out, the club has confirmed a capacity crowd of 22,250.

The club claims it's the first time in Burnley's history that a match has been sold out so far in advance of the game and the crowd, enticed by the arrival of Ian Wright and the Clarets' promotion prospects, will be the biggest since 20,551 watched the Liverpool cup-tie five years ago.

The previous biggest attendance, when terracing was still in place at Turf Moor, was the 22,228 who watched a League Cup semi-final against Liverpool in February, 1983.

Burnley's game against Gillingham at Priestfield Stadium a fortnight tonight is all-ticket for Clarets fans.

Burnley have been allocated 1,100 tickets which are now available to season-ticket holders on production of voucher Q and any remaining tickets will go on general sale on March 9.

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