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Back in the 1982/83 season the League Cup secured its first sponsor and became the Milk Cup. In that season the Clarets reached the semi-final before going out over two legs to Liverpool.
It was another twenty years before we even made the third round again as we suffered some rather inglorious exits to such as Crewe, Rochdale and even Rushden & Diamonds. Things have changed though and in the last six seasons we've gone beyond the first two rounds on all but one occasion.
That's brought us big ties against such as Spurs and Aston Villa (both twice) and Manchester United with all but one of those games played on the Turf.
We were seeded for this draw so couldn't pull out a Premier League club but with all the big boys going in to Saturday's third round draw it is imperative we get past Oldham tonight and get ourselves into that draw.
Oldham are without doubt one of the better teams in League One and have had two good seasons since John Sheridan replaced Ronnie Moore as manager in the summer of 2006.
They finished the 2006/07 season in the play offs before going out to Blackpool, and last season were in eighth place albeit nine points behind the last qualifying place.
Sheridan revamped his squad somewhat in the summer and brought in no fewer than six new players. They were Greg Fleming (Gretna), Kieran Lee (Manchester United), Chris O'Grady (Rotherham), Dale Stephens (Bury), Dan Whitaker (Port Vale) and Kevin Maher (Southend).
Things have gone well. They did only sneak through the first round of this competition on penalties at Rochdale, but in the league they haven't dropped a solitary point. They were incredibly 3-1 down in their opening day game against Millwall but scored three late goals to win that and haven't conceded a goal since and have hit another four against Cheltenham with former West Brom forward Lee Hughes hitting a hat trick.
They are currently the only club in League One with a 100% record as Sheridan looks to steer them back into the Championship. They haven't played at this level since suffering relegation at the end of the 1996/97 season.
Given the words of the two managers, both of whom have suggested making changes to the side to give players a rest, it is going to be a pointless exercise trying to determine what the teams will be for tonight's game.
Oldham will be without Craig Davies (suspended) and the Oldham side which beat Cheltenham on Saturday, to which Sheridan will make changes was: Mark Crossley, Neil Eardley, Reuben Hazell, Sean Gregan, Kelvin Lomax, Andy Liddel, Mark Allott, Dan Whitaker, Chris Taylor, Lee Hughes, Lewis Alessandra. Subs: Greg Fleming, Stefan Stam, Dean Smalley, Kevin Maher, Chris O'Grady.
It's the same for Burnley with Coyle set to give other players and opportunity. Robbie Blake is expected to come back in and there could be a first start this season for Ade Akinbiyi. New signing Russell Anderson could also be in the squad although I would suspect at best he'll be on the bench.
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The first half was something of a disappointment; hardly helped by the whistle happy referee, Keith Hill, and a half time score of 0-0 was no surprise. However the second half was a different story with plenty of action at both ends.
Robbie Blake sparked it off with a 35-yard free kick that hit the post and almost immediately the Clarets were in front as Andy Gray looped a shot over Mark Crossley after he escaped the attention of Sean Gregan for once.
Incredibly Gray was then brought down twice in the box with Hill waving away appeals for a spot kick on both occasions and there were worries when more than once Oldham got through only to find Jensen able to deal with everything they tried.
The best aspect of our play was the way Alan Mahon and Robbie Blake were linking up and that proved to be the partnership that clinched the tie. Mahon played Blake in and he was left one-on-one with Crossley. You didn't even need to question it, he took it in his stride.
That was the end of Robbie's night but his replacement Ade Akinbiyi added a glorious third at the death. He broke clear and hit a wonderful shot past Crossley with the outside of his foot that nestled right into the corner.
A 3-0 scoreline probably flattered us but we were the better side and deserved to go through for what proved to be a home game against Portsmouth.
The teams were;
Burnley: Brian Jensen, John Spicer, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Stephen Jordan, Wade Elliott, Joey Gudjonsson (James O'Connor 45), Chris McCann, Steve Jones (Alan Mahon 45), Robbie Blake (Ade Akinbiyi 78), Andy Gray. Sub not used: David Unsworth.
Oldham: Mark Crossley, Neil Eardley, John Thompson, Sean Gregan, Ryan Bertrand, Deane Smalley (Andy Liddell 21), Jean-Paul Kalala, Gary McDonald, Chris Taylor (Neal Trotman 85), Michael Ricketts (Matthew Wolfenden 74), Craig Davies. Subs not used: Les Pogliacomi, Kelvin Lomax.
Previous 20 Seasons | |||||
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
1994/95 | 1 | a | 0-3 | 11,310 | . |
| . | . | h | 2-1 | 11,620 | Nogan Vinnicombe |
1997/98 | 2 | h | 0-0 | 11,189 | . |
. | . | a | 3-3 | 9,781 | Cooke Weller Little |
1998/99 | 2 | h | 1-0 | 9,539 | Cooke |
| . | . | a | 1-1 | 8,542 | Payton |
1999/2000 | 2 | a | 1-0 | 8,543 | Payton |
. | . | h | 3-0 | 12,391 | Cooke Payton(2) |
2007/08 | CC | h | 3-0 | 7,317 | Gray Blake Akinbiyi |