HE'S big, he's bad and he's aiming to deepen Burnley's depression by making a comeback for Northampton Town at Turf Moor tomorrow, writes PETER WHITE.

John Gayle is the name and terrorising opposing defences is the game of the 15-stone hitman, who stands an imposing six feet three inches in his stockinged feet.

And it's probably the last name that Burnley fans want to hear at the moment.

Hammered 4-1 by Grimsby in a second-half rout at Blundell Park on Saturday, then humiliated by Third Division Rotherham at Turf Moor on Tuesday night, Burnley must feel as though they have just climbed out of a car crash.

And there's a 10-ton truck careering round the corner hell bent on another collision in the guise of Gayle.

Not that Burnley need any introduction to the sort of threat that the striker, currently serving his eighth League club, can pose - especially when it is harnessed to the style which Northampton's kindest critics have called 'direct'.

For he spent several months at Turf Moor after being signed by then manager Jimmy Mullen from Premiership side Coventry City for £75,000.

Life in Burnley didn't always go smoothly, the striker starting only seven League games and making seven more appearances as a substitute for the first team.

But there's no doubt that he can make his presence felt on the pitch, even if his goalscoring record is nothing to write home about.

Northampton boss Ian Atkins snapped up Gayle from Stoke City - the club he joined on leaving Turf Moor - and he believes he is getting the best out of him this season.

The striker has missed the last two games with a groin strain but is expected to be ready for a return tomorrow to boost Northampton's promotion chances. Atkins says: "I don't think he was at his best last season but we have benefited this year from the fact that John has had a full summer's training.

"He is now back to A1 fitness.

"People have to realise he's not Maradona.

"But he's a big lad who's very awkward to play against and his physical presence causes opposition defenders a lot of problems.

"That's why he's here."

Northampton do have other attributes, as their excellent record so far this season suggests - not least in a rock-solid defence which has only conceded 13 League goals in 19 games.

But the directness of their play would seem perfectly suited to allow Gayle to cause mayhem in the opposition box.

One regular observer of the promotion hopefuls said: "It's fair enough to say they play a direct game. The first aim is to get the ball forward quickly to two or three big lads up front.

"They then hold up the ball and try to bring the midfield players into play. Even though it looks pretty awful when things aren't going well, they aren't just a team who lump it forward at every opportunity."

The proof of their effectiveness can be seen from the fact that former Bristol City striker David Seal has been able to feed off the consternation Gayle causes to make himself leading scorer with nine strikes on goal so far.

And the team in general has done well following promotion from Division Three, via the play-offs at the end of last season.

Gayle, who scored in the semi-finals against Cardiff, was in the team which beat Swansea 1-0 at Wembley with a late goal from John Frain in front of a crowd of almost 47,000.

Other Northampton players to note are Northern Ireland international defender Colin Hill, signed recently from Leicester, and midfielder Roy Hunter, picked up from West Brom a couple of seasons ago.

Hunter has been Northampton's most consistent player this season, while Hill made his debut in last Saturday's narrow home defeat by leaders Watford.

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