WHEN Kevin Keegan remarked in an interview last week that England was "the most important thing," one can only assume he was talking from the perspective of either player or manager.

Because to the overwhelming majority of traditional football supporters, the fortunes of the England team are not massively important.

I'm not suggesting the results of the national side are unimportant. It's just that to most fans, the fortunes of their clubs have a much higher priority than those of England. Take this weekend for example. England entertain Poland at Wembley in a game they must win if they harbour any serious hopes of qualifying for the European Championships next year.

Meanwhile, 24 hours later, the Clarets entertain Macclesfield Town in a game they must win if they harbour any serious hopes of being in Division Two come the end of this season.

Both are big games. Both are important games. But for me only one of these games truly matters. If England's Euro 2000 dreams come apart at the seams on Saturday, I'll be disappointed. After all, such tournaments are always more enjoyable if your national team is in the running. However, my disappointment at England's failure would pale into insignificance compared to how gutted I would feel should the Clarets come undone (perish the thought) against fellow relegation strugglers, Macclesfield. Club will always mean more than country. And there are good reasons for this.

Not least, I grew up with Burnley Football Club. It's always been there - a constant since the age of seven when my dad first took me on. In almost a quarter of a century of Clarets watching, I've had it all shades: from the top half of the old Division One, to 92nd place in the league, and all stops in between. It would take forever to chronicle the extreme emotional highs and lows I've experienced in this period. By contrast, the England experience leaves me cold. The national side always was, and indeed remains distant and somehow remote and unapproachable. I suppose what it boils down to is emotional resonance. With England, something exciting happens two or three times every two years at best. With Burnley, I'm on an emotional see-saw for nine months of the year.

Alternatively, look at it like this. I'll watch England on Saturday. I'll be hoping they win. But all the while I'll be worrying about an even bigger game 24 hours later.

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