I know what rivalry is like and let's have a bit of banter

Last updated : 17 October 2009 By Tony Scholes
It will be a first East Lancashire derby for both of them although both have been involved in games against each others clubs previously whilst at Bolton.

Home boss Sam Allardyce has said: "People outside the game ask me 'how do you motivate the players for a derby match?' and I have a wry smile. It is about demotivating not motivating, it is keeping them calm and making sure they make a calm, calculated, tactical and technical approach to it.

"Their emotions will come and ride very, very high when they get in the tunnel. They will feel and have to cut through the atmosphere when they run out of that tunnel and they will have to deal with that when it comes around.

"But a calm approach for me is the most important one. Everybody knows what is expected of them, everybody knows their job as an individual and as a team and they have to remain focussed on making sure that within that atmosphere that they do that job to the best of their ability."

Owen Coyle believes his players are ready for the game, a side that has become used to big games in the last year or so. "We are all looking forward to it," he said.

"The fans have waited a long time and with the international break it seems to have taken an eternity to come round but when it does, I think you will see two teams going all out to win the match.

"When you look at the big derbies in Manchester or wherever they are played twice a year. This one has been a long time in the offing and now it's come about we want to make sure we acquit ourselves in the right manner in terms of football and equally the way we carry ourselves as a football club.

"Sunday presents an opportunity, derby or not, to earn points on our travels and that's what we are looking to do. Any place would be a perfect place to get our first away win.

"As it is a derby it might add a little bit more in terms of bragging rights for fans but my focus and concentration is just winning matches and when Sunday comes about that's what we will be looking to do."

Coyle had words for the Burnley fans ahead of the game. He said: "My message is let's make it a real good entertaining afternoon with both teams going all out committed to win the game and make sure we support our teams in the right manner and conduct ourselves in the right manner, particularly for Burnley Football Club.

"From growing up in Glasgow I know what rivalry is like and let's have a bit of banter. Enjoy the rivalry, which is great and a big part of football, but I think we know where the line is and let's make sure nobody steps beyond it because we don't want to lose sight of all the quality both clubs have.

"Let's rejoice in that and conduct ourselves in the right way and I think we an all enjoy the derby in that matter. I want the fans to be as vocal as they always are. They have helped us enormously to get where we are. We never underplay that fact and they will give us that again on Sunday.

"We know others will be glued to the television and we want to represent ourselves in the right manner and show that we are a decent team and try and win points because that's our aim, to get a positive result from the match."

He added: "In my tenure here we have had a lot of big occasions, but I think we've learned to play the games and not the occasion and that's what we have to do again.

"I think it's fair to say the game will start at a frantic place and I can imagine the atmosphere already in the stadium. People will be singing their hearts out but it's important you don't get lost in all that and you remember you are here to play football and put your foot on the ball and pass and move it.

"I will try and impart that to my players and hopefully we will go and show Burnley in a really good light."

Owen went on to say: "That elusive first away win is not far away. For me it's around the corner and Sunday gives us an opportunity to try and get it, although we have to be at our best because Blackburn are an established Premier League side and as much as they are rivals we have to give credit where credit is due.

"We have created opportunities in each and every game and probably in every match, and I include Stoke in that, had the first real chance in each match and not taken it. If we had who knows what would have happened in the matches.

"As everyone knows we scored a very good goal at Tottenham (which was disallowed) through Fletcher and he followed that up against Birmingham. We have players that can score goals. That's a thing I will never worry about because we have match winners in our team.

"The important thing is we deliver that when we cross the white line and I know, having trained with them all week, that they are desperate to go out and wear that Burnley shirt with immense pride and try and give the Burnley fans something to shout about."