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As was the case last season we've been blessed with a home tie in the 3rd round of the competition against a Premier League club, but again it is a draw that is not going to pull in a crowd as was the case a year ago with Portsmouth.
We've reached this round in all but one of the last seven seasons and have played a top flight club each time. Twice, against Spurs in 2002/03 and against Aston Villa two years later, we've won through to reach the fourth round.
Prior to these last few years it was 1982/83 the last time we got past this stage, and on that occasion we reached the semi-final before going out to Liverpool.
Our chances of getting through tonight? It will be difficult, but it is certainly possible.
Fulham arrive at Turf Moor as a Premier League club, and I don't think many of us would have thought that for much of last season.
They were floundering as manager Lawrie Sanchez set about recreating the Northern Ireland team in West London. They had such as Chris Baird, Steven Davis and David Healy and did all they could to wrestle Kyle Lafferty from Burnley.
But it didn't work, the football was of poor quality with some players speaking out against it, and they were down in the relegation places when they finally said goodbye to Sanchez four days before Christmas.
A week later I think the whole football world was shocked when the new man arrived. Most experts had expected John Collins but in walked Roy 'Woy' Hodgson the former Blackburn manager.
I reckoned that had just about nailed on the relegation, and in all honesty there was no real sign of any recovery. Then, when all looked lost they started to play some superb football, and they won four of their last five games, three of them away from home, and avoided the drop on goal difference with Reading taking the last relegation place.
It had been a massive turn round in fortune, and had been done in some style. I certainly recall the performances at Reading and Manchester City when they played some superb football.
Woy made a number of signings last January and that helped them survive, and he was certainly busy in the transfer market during the summer. No fewer than ten new players were signed including such as Zoltan Gera from West Brom and Everton's Andy Johnson who has been paired up front with Bobby Zamora who was signed from West Ham. That strike pairing alone has cost in excess of £15 million.
The season has started with two wins and two defeats in the league, and the first of those wins came against Arsenal. To add to that, they are here tonight because they beat Leicester in the last round but needed a last minute goal by Danny Murphy to win through.
This will be a very tough game for us against a Fulham side that, whilst not set to threaten the top clubs in the Premier League, should be set to have a much better season this time round in what is their eighth successive season in the top flight.
There have been strong suggestions that Fulham will make a number of changes for this game, having had something of a tough afternoon at Ewood Park where the home side, and in particular Keith Andrews and Brett Emerton, were accused of targeting Jimmy Bullard.
Bullard, the midfielder whose return to first team action last season helped inspire the recovery, is not likely to play tonight, and Hodgson could make a number of other changes.
Trying to predict their starting line up is impossible, but you can check the full squad at the link, and as a guide they lined up on Saturday as follows: Mark Schwarzer, John Pantsil, Brede Hangeland, Aaron Hughes, Paul Konchesky, Simon Davies, Jimmy Bullard, Danny Murphy, Zoltan Gera, Andy Johnson, Bobby Zamora. Subs: Pascal Zuberbuhler, Seol Ki-Hyeon, Erik Nevland, Fredrik Stoor, Clint Dempsey, Leon Andreasen, Toni Kallio.
Owen Coyle will be forced into at least two changes tonight, but I don't expect him to make many more than that if any. Kevin McDonald is ruled out with an injury and his place looks certain to go to Joey Gudjonsson.
Steven Thompson, who has played in all three of our games since signing from Cardiff, is cup tied having played for his previous club in the first round against Bournemouth. There are a number of options open to Coyle here but the most likely replacement is Chris Eagles who returns to the squad after serving a three match ban following his red card against Plymouth.
Ade Akinbiyi is rated doubtful with the back problem that prevented him from travelling to Swansea and the only other player currently out injured is Alex MacDonald. I think the two enforced changes could be the extent of the changes to the starting eleven whilst there will be seven substitutes tonight, as per the rules for the Carling Cup.
The team could well be: Brian Jensen, Russell Anderson, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Stephen Jordan, Graham Alexander, Wade Elliott, Joey Gudjonsson, Chris McCann, Chris Eagles, Martin Paterson. Subs from: Diego Penny, Michael Duff, Christian Kalvenes, Remco van der Schaaf, Adam Kay, Alan Mahon, Steve Jones, Robbie Blake, Jay Rodriguez.
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The last of these came in 2003. They were playing their home games at Loftus Road at the time (where I hasten to add ticket prices were not £40), and we'd turned in an excellent performance there to earn a replay, Alan Moore scoring an early goal for us in a 1-1 draw.
Fulham were moaning ahead of the replay, screened on Sky, because it was only two days after a league game against Spurs. They could have called that league game off but wouldn't because of further money from Sky with that also shown live.
Before each of the two games I said I thought Fulham would be a bit too strong for us (and just take a look at their line up), but it wasn't the case and we simply murdered them in the replay on a fantastic night at the Turf.
Fulham had whinged their way right up to kick off, and their tooth pick chewing manager Jean Tigana should have picked up titles for it so pathetic was he. If that helped us then so be it, but they did not have a single answer to us. This had nothing to do with Fulham not playing well, it was all to do with Burnley playing as well as they possibly could.
It had been an even affair until Gareth Taylor gave us the lead which was quickly followed by a second from Ian Moore. It was all over for the Londoners now, their heads went down and Tigana spat his tooth pick out.
By half time everyone was talking about the sixth round tie at Watford, but I'd have none of it. I've watched Burnley too long to take anything for granted. Not long into the second half I was joining them.
Fulham were reduced to ten men when Sean Davis was sent off for a horrible challenge on Tony Grant and then to rub it in we got goal number three, a first in Burnley colours for Drissa Diallo.
That was it and we were off to Watford, the roar from the home fans at the final whistle was deafening. Disappointingly it quickly turned to boos as the PA man turned up the Tom Hark volume to drown out the fans.
A great win, and with both Robbie Blake and Glen Little left on the bench. After the game striker Gareth Taylor admitted that our achievement would be worthless if we didn't go to Vicarage Road and turn in a good performance.
The teams were;
Burnley: Marlon Beresford, Dean West, Ian Cox, Drissa Diallo, Graham Branch, Paul Cook (Paul Weller 76), Ian Moore, Tony Grant (Mark McGregor 90), Lee Briscoe, Alan Moore (Glen Little 82), Gareth Taylor. Subs not used: Nik Michopoulos, Robbie Blake.
Fulham: Maik Taylor, Steve Finnan, Andy Melville, Martin Djetou, Jon Harley, Steed Malbranque (Pierre Wome 57), Sylvain Legwinski, Sean Davis, Luis Boa Morte (Facundo Sava 36), Louis Saha (Abdeslam Ouaddou). Subs not used: Martin Herrera, Andrejs Stolcers.
Previous 20 Seasons | |||||
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
1992/93 | 2 | h | 5-2 | 9,881 | Harper Farrell Penny Heath Conroy |
| . | . | a | 0-4 | 5,531 | . |
1993/94 | 2 | h | 3-1 | 9,021 | Randall Eyres Deary |
| . | . | a | 2-3 | 4,943 | Eyres Randall |
1997/98 | 2 | a | 0-1 | 5,096 | . |
| . | . | h | 2-1 | 9,745 | Cooke Payton |
1998/99 | 2 | a | 0-4 | 9,983 | . |
| . | . | h | 1-0 | 13,086 | Jepson |
2000/01 | 1 | a | 1-3 | 11,863 | Cook |
| .99 | . | h | 2-1 | 15,737 | I Moore Little |
2002/03 | FA | a | 1-1 | 13,062 | A Moore |
| . | . | h | 3-0 | 11,635 | Taylor I Moore Diallo |