GERRY Harrison ended up in a Belfast hospital following Burnley's final pre-season fixture in Northern Ireland.

A second half substitute for Richard Huxford, Harrison was only on the field for 12 minutes before a heavy tackle saw the utility man carried off the field with a badly gashed knee.

Now Harrison could be struggling to make the start of the new Second Division campaign at Watford on August 9.

Worried player-manager Chris Waddle said: "Gerry has got a bad cut on his knee which needed quite a few stitches.

"It will probably be a week or two before he is right again and it is going to be a bit painful.

"Hopefully he will be ready for the start of the season."

Waddle was without three first team squad members at Glentoran. Midfielder Mark Ford missed the game after a bout of food poisoning while Michael Wiliams (ankle) and striker Paul Barnes (calf) were both rested.

"There is no way Mark could have played. I didn't want to take any risks with Michael or Paul," added Waddle.

"If it had been a league game then Paul would have played. Paul Barnes did very well on the tour and he looks sharp.

"But he had a little niggle with his calf after the Glenavon game so it was wise to rest him." Nigel Gleghorn is hoping to resume training this week after missing the tour to Northern Ireland.

Boundary Clarets stage their annual general meeting at the The George the Fourth pub at Burnley tonight (8pm).

Chris Waddle and Glenn Roeder will be special guests at a Boundary Clarets charity night next Monday (August 4), limited to 300 with tickets £2 each. All pay on the door (8pm).

Tickets are open sale for Thursday's clash with Gremio (7.45pm) and Saturday's fixture against Manchester City. Senior Citizens and under-16 MUST buy concessionary tickets in advance.

Burnley players will run out to a flash new signature tune on Thursday. Player-manager Chris Waddle has requested that the Van Halen song "Jump" be played before every home game.

Waddle ran out to the Van Halen track when he was playing in France at Marseilles.

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