Ade Akinbiyi sold to Sheffield United, Steve Cotterill "almost in tears" and despite the Clarets recruiting Leeds man Michael Ricketts it's fair to say it's been a bad few days for the claret and blue faithful.

But can any Clarets supporter put their hand on their heart and say they didn't see this coming? Gareth Taylor, Robbie Blake, Richard Chaplow and now Ade Akinbiyi - all major assets, all sold.

Being a Burnley fan is akin to inhabiting a claret and blue version of "Groundhog Day", with the same depressing scenario playing itself out every season.

And unless significant reinforcements arrive before midnight, season 2005/06 is set to echo 2004/05; a good first half of the season followed by a write-off.

One cannot imagine Steve Cotterill is, as Stan Ternent might have couched it, anything less than "naffed off" with the situation.

His seems an impossible job. Twice he has got the team into a promising position.

Twice the rug has been pulled from beneath him.

The immediate worry among Burnley supporters is that the board of Leicester City Football Club might be tempted to test just how naffed off Cotterill is by offering him the post of first team manager.

Before joining Burnley, Cotterill spent some time at the Walkers Stadium working under the Foxes then manager Mickey Adams as a coach.

As well as being familiar with his talents, the Leicester board cannot fail to have been impressed by what Cotterill has achieved since arriving at Turf Moor.

That was reflected yesterday when they made an official approach to Burnley to talk to Cotterill.

Leicester are a bigger club than Burnley, with bigger attendances, more cash and no surprise, this one a bigger squad.

Disturbingly, there has been no news on how negotiations are going with regard to the manager's contract extension talks.

But I would imagine it's reasonable to assume that the sale of the club's best player is not really the kind of thing which is likely to have Cotterill beating a path to Barry Kilby's door, desperate to sign up for three more years of the same.

Indeed, while the overwhelming majority of Burnley supporters are keen for Cotterill to stay, it's difficult to see on what basis Barry Kilby can sell the idea of an extended contract. Attendances aren't great, the club's losing £1million a year and you have to sell your best players to survive.

Just sign on the dotted line, Steve...