A fan's-eye view from Turf Moor, with Stephen Cummings

FOR a lot of Burnley supporters there were two options for what to do on Boxing Day. You could either go to Gigg Lane for what was sure to be a pulsating derby, with the return of Stan and a number of former Bury players adding extra interest.

Or you could stay at home and wait for the inevitably arrival of an interminable number of relatives, who would eat and drink you out of house and home, overstay their welcome and stretch your seasonal goodwill to breaking point.

So really there was only ever one choice. But then again that was counting without being 4-0 down before half time, having had your star defender sent off and slumping to your heaviest League defeat of the season thus far.

So as Bury scored their fourth in the teeming rain and the home fans treated us to a festival chorus of "Can we play you every week" many Clarets may have begun warming to the idea of a visit from the in-laws.

Suddenly, the thoughts of having to endure a Christmas kiss from your mustachioed Auntie Norah, or being forced to listen politely to the inane, insane, Glenfiddich-fuelled ranting of your Uncle Humphrey, somehow didn't seem quite so bad after all.

Perhaps not the ideal way to spend Boxing Day then. But remove the spine of any team and you will have problems. Mitchell Thomas, Paul Cook and Andy Payton have been as impressive as they have been influential.

To lose one of the trio would have been a blow, losing the lot was devastating. However, as Ternent is fond of remarking "From all bad comes a bit of good." Boxing Day's bit of good came in the form of the reintroduction to first team action of Tom Cowan. Despite having been out of the picture for some time, Cowan produced his usual performance of total commitment coupled with not a little ability. He should start against Oxford.

And so to this afternoon and Burnley's final game of this millennium.

It is wholly appropriate that the championship winning side of 1959/60 should be paraded prior to kick off. McIlroy and Company represent the last time that Burnley could claim to be the greatest side in the land. This afternoon we are due to be lucky enough to be in the presence of greatness. The pleasure will be entirely ours.

All the best for the New Year.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.