We all know by now what's happened in the intervening years but, as our manager Sean Dyche, says we can't keep looking in the rear view mirror; we can look forward and right now that's a damn good thing to do with the way this season has been going.
This afternoon I sat down to watch Jeff Stelling for the afternoon and I swear I was more nervous than I'll probably be tomorrow. I suppose I'd expected that the three teams directly behind us were all going to win. QPR got an early goal and did just that but it was the goals from Barnsley and Millwall early in the second half that had me full of nerves until the final scores were confirmed.
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| Sam Vokes says it will be the best week of his life if he scores the winner |
It's a big game tomorrow, it really is. There are so many Burnley fans not as fortunate enough as I am; there are so many Burnley fans going to Ewood on the idiotic bus convoy who have never seen us beat them.
I know how it feels. I want every Claret to know how it feels. I want every Rovers fan to know how it feels for Burnley to get one over on their closest rivals, but right now we really do have some very big fish to fry between now and the end of the season. Every point is vital and none more so than those that came our way at home in the last two games.
Sam Vokes has had a fantastic week. He scored for Wales on Wednesday, won yet another Clarets Mad Player of the Month Award and capped that by being named the Championship Player of the Month, that news being confirmed yesterday morning.
He's being greedy and said: "I think it would be the best week of my career if I scored the winner in the derby at the weekend. He's already scored in against them, in last season's home draw.
He added: "It shows me how much it means to the fans that they are still talking about my goal. It was fantastic for me personally and it would be really nice to get another one on Sunday.
"Some of the games recently have ended up as draws when we've felt like we have been on top, and I think we can take a lot from that. I think there is definitely a bit of extra motivation with those previous meetings and we always want to go there and win.
"There's been an extra buzz this week leading up to the game. You can feel it in the changing room that all the lads are looking forward to it."
It would be fantastic if Sam could cap this week with the winner, but I'm not fussed. I'd be equally happy if Danny Ings scored the winner, or Scott Arfield, or David Jones, or ............, or any other Burnley player.
I'm sure there aren't going to be any surprises with the team and, unless there are late problems, I expect us to go there with an unchanged team.
If so we'll line up: Tom Heaton, Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, Jason Shackell, Ben Mee, Scott Arfield, Dean Marney, David Jones, Michael Kightly, Danny Ings, Sam Vokes. Subs: Alex Cisak, Kevin Long, David Edgar, Ross Wallace, Junior Stanislas, Keith Treacy, Ashley Barnes.
There could be two debutants in the home line up. A couple of days ago they landed the loan signing of Michael Keane from Manchester United and today have added Millwall's Liam Feeney, both until the end of the season.
Gary Bowyer was keeping quiet on which players might be fit and which not, but there are doubts regarding the fitness of defenders Grant Hanley and Matt Kilgallon. Midfielder Tom Cairney is still struggling with a calf problem but Josh King is fit having not played since the beginning of February.
Kick off at Ewood is 12:30 p.m. tomorrow and the first bus rolls out of Turf Moor two hours earlier. Let's all just go and show our support for Burnley tomorrow and do our club really proud. Let's show the authorities that we can do that without having to endure these ridiculous restrictions.
Come on you Clarets.