Can the fans help the Clarets make it through to the next round?

Following Arsenal's nine man start during the second half of their match against Roma - due to an injury to one player and Kolo Toure's superstition of always being the last man on the pitch - Burnley fans may be hoping that their lucky rituals can help sway the score as they face the Premier League side at the Emirates stadium on Saturday (7^th March).

In a recent survey by Nicotinell^®, the official smoke free partner of The Football League®, 64 per cent¹ of Burnley fans admitted to carrying out a lucky ritual in a bid to boost their team's chance of success. Some of the favourite things fans choose to do to bring the team luck include wearing their lucky pants or team colours to every game and tying their scarves in a certain way (64%).

40 per cent opt for performing a lucky sign or action, whilst one in five always takes exactly the same route to the stadium in a bid to increase the team's chances of scoring. Clarets' fans should watch what the oppositions' fans are eating though, as a third of Arsenal fans admitted to only eating or drinking a particular brand of food and drink, in exact quantities and at specific times during match day in the hope of bringing the Gunners extra luck on the pitch.

So whilst Owen Coyle's men prepare for the challenge of meeting ten times FA Cup winners, Arsenal, Burnley fans will also be preparing and let's hope the power of their lucky rituals helps to see them through to the next stage.

Having supported many of the 9 million² smokers across the nation in their bid to quit the habit, for over 15 years, Nicotinell^® are experts in habits, good and bad. They are giving fans of Football League clubs the chance to win season tickets and a share of £100,000 for their club's community initiative as part of their search for the nation's funniest and quirkiest football rituals and habits from fans all over the country.

To be in with a chance of winning, log on to www.matchdayrituals.co.uk to enter your ritual. You can also enter by text - just text RITUALS and the NAME OF YOUR CLUB to 82100*.

And it doesn't matter which team you support - whether they are in the championship, League 1 or League 2 it is still worth entering. Remember, the more times you enter to more chances you have to win.

(*) See www.matchdayrituals.co.uk for full terms and conditions. Standard mobile network rates apply when entering by SMS text message.

1. All statistics quoted are from the Nicotinell® research carried out by Onepoll.co.uk, with 2019 respondents, October 2008.

2. Report published by Action on Smoking & Health (ASH) in collaboration with the British Heart and Foundation and Cancer Research UK, 7th October 2008 - http://www.ash.org.uk/ash_eyhkq96u.htm