FURIOUS Adrian Heath has called for a clampdown after the Burnley bench was subjected to a Bloomfield Road hate mob attack.

The Turf Moor manager claimed stewards and police did nothing as fans spat and abused Heath, assistant Clive Middlemass, picture top right, and three Burnley substitutes during last night's 3-1 Lancashire derby defeat at Bloomfield Road.

Heath said: "Sat on the bench we were subjected to all sorts all night.

"There were people spitting and abusing us for the whole 90 minutes.

"I'm not prepared to put up with that when there is a policeman standing there watching.

"I said to him 'Are you going to sort this out?' That was all I did.

"If that had been a player behaving like the people behind me there would have been an outrage.

"There would have been an FA inquiry or the police would be questioning him. It's stupid.

"There comes a time when you've had enough. It's all right people saying 'Let's have stewards in and not the police', but most of them want to watch the match.

"I can understand it. But that doesn't solve any potential security problems."

At the final whistle at least one fan tried to get onto the perimeter track to confront the worried Burnley party.

And Blackpool officials were forced to make a tannoy appeal during the match as home fans staged a mini-pitch invasion following two of the Blackpool goals. Heath added: "Obviously this is something that Blackpool will have to sort out because it is a potentially explosive situation.

"If there had been somebody more volatile on the bench, it could have been a very nasty situation."

Heath added he would not be making an official complaint, but warned: "If this situation is not sorted out, there'll be further repercussions."

Heath tasted defeat for the first time as Burnley manager and slammed the two defensive mistakes which led to Blackpool's second half goals.

He said: "They were terrible goals to concede. They were schoolboy errors.

"If we continue to concede goals like that we will never do anything.

"It's something we have to put right. The two errors were unforgivable.

"On a brighter note though, there were one or two good points to come out of the game. A neutral would not have known who was the top of the league side for an hour.

"We played some good football and Gerry Harrison in defence and my captain Steve Thompson were inspirational."

Adrian Heath confirmed today that he had looked at Tranmere winger John Morrissey. The winger is on a week-to-week contract and available for transfer.

Giant defencer Peter Swan is in line for a reserve team run-out in tonight's Pontins League fixture against Rotherham at Millmoor.

Swan, troubled by ankle injury for nearly a fortnight, could be in line for a recall for this Saturday's clash with Swindon Town at Turf Moor if he negotiates the fixture.

Burnley have announced there will be a minutes' silence for former Burnley manager and player Alan Brown this Saturday. Mr Brown, who died aged 81, was one of Burnley's most distinguished captains during the old First Division days.

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