I HAVE more riding on tonight's game than just my love of Burnley.

I've had a wager with some friends about who would finish top of the Championship and I went for Birmingham, so I've got an added interest in events at the Stadium of Light and I'm hoping the Clarets can do me a double favour and help win me £50.

I really think we can get something from Sunderland. We need to go up there and, without being too extravagant, give it a good bash. It will be a hard game, but it's one of Steve Cotterill's old clubs - as well as Steven Caldwell and Andy Gray - and they'll all be wanting to do well.

It doesn't look like James O'Connor will make it after taking a clattering against West Brom on Monday.

But they have a bit of cover in midfield and maybe Chris McCann will get the nod there.

He scored a terrific goal to beat the Baggies. He did everything right - although I reckon I'd have put it in the top corner without it hitting my shoulder! But I've known Chris, and Kyle Lafferty, since they first arrived at Burnley, and they both have big futures at the club.

Back to tonight, I'll be taking my seat early at the social club, and I think Sky Sports will be witnessing another good Burnley performance.

It looked as if we were going to get thrashed after about eight minutes when we were on television on Monday night, but the lads knuckled down and I think it was the right result.

Eric Djemba-Djemba had a decent game again and Andy Gray looked more sprightly.

The keeper committed himself and he clipped it over him, which is a sign of a decent goalscorer.

l IT'S been a sad few weeks for football, with the loss of our own Brian Miller, and then the sudden death of Alan Ball this week.

I didn't really know Alan personally, but I played against him a few times and I just remember him as a bubbly character.

When you talk about the 60s teams, you could probably name at least one character in every one of them. Bally was in that bracket and we miss people like that in the modern game.