BURNLEY will need to end their Adams Park hoodoo if they are to get their new season off to a winning start.

The Nationwide League's fixture computer has sent the Clarets to Wycombe Wanderers on the first day of the 1999/2000 campaign which kicks off on Saturday, August 7.

Burnley's four previous trips to Wycombe have ended in defeat, the latest coming in February when Lenny Johnrose and Ally Pickering were sent off as the Clarets lost 2-0 to trigger off a run of four straight defeats which plunged them into relegation trouble.

However, an 11-game unbeaten run to beat the drop has sparked optimism around Burnley and with season-ticket sales up, the Clarets can expect a big gate for the first home game of the season against Chesterfield on Saturday, August 14.

The Clarets face a Christmas programme against relegated First Division sides Bury and Oxford United, with Burnley boss Stan Ternent returning to Gigg Lane on Boxing Day and then Oxford visiting Turf Moor on December 28 - the last home game of the millennium.

Burnley's first game of the new century will be away to Notts County on January 3 and they finish the season at newly-promoted Scunthorpe.

The derby games against Preston will be played at Deepdale on September 11 and at Turf Moor on March 4.

Off the field, Burnley's rights issue has just gone through the £4 million barrier thanks to a clutch of fans who have supported their club with hard cash. The two-for-one issue initially raised around £3.8 million when the January deadline passed for existing shareholders to increase their holding.

Chairman Barry Kilby made up £3 million of that and the bulk of the remainder came from Ray Ingleby's £500,000 investment in return for a seat on the board and £200,000 from Burnley businessman John Turkington, who increased his holding by 1,000 shares.

Board member Clive Holt has also invested in a further £120,000 worth of shares and the balance has come from small investors who have taken the opportunity to gain a stake in their club at £200 a share.

"People have been nicely putting in their £200 and £400," said Kilby. "I think we'll have to hold the AGM on the pitch!"

Major injections of cash were what Burnley needed to turn the club around but the chairman has always stressed that he welcomed all levels of investment to allow supporters to feel some extra involvement in the Clarets.

"I will still be encouraging and getting people to invest," added Kilby, although he admitted that there are no more major players currently waiting in the wings. "If somebody comes along that's fine, but realistically I can't see an injection of capital, we've got to start genertaing that ourselves," he added.

Burnley's pursuit of midfielder Paul Cook could be held up if Stockport County manager Gary Megson loses his job, which was tipped to happen at a board meeting today.

Cook finished last season on loan with the Clarets and Megson was prepared to sell the Stockport schemer to Burnley on a permanent basis. It remains to be seen if there would be any change under new management at Edgeley Park.

Jimmy McIlroy will be a regular at Burnley matches again next season after the club, which yesterday re-named the East Stand in his honour, presented him with two season tickets for the directors' area at Turf Moor.

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