New rule is ridiculous

Steve Cotterill - far from happy with the new substitute rule

That is no longer possible and with only six substitutions allowed it means five of the players will have to stop on for whole game.

“It’s ridiculous,” said Cotterill. “People make up these rules who are not involved in the game on a day to day basis. I totally disagree with it as lads are just coming back into pre-season. They’ve been working hard all week and then have to go and play ninety minutes and that is when fatigue sets in and we get muscle injuries.

“We have to be careful and if it gets to the stage where one of our lads is tired we will take him off and finish with ten men.”

With just the two signings so far it means the Clarets will set off on the short journey with only thirteen full time professionals with the rest of the squad made up with scholars from the youth team.

John McGreal is expected to start and it would be no surprise to see him take the captain’s arm band previously worn by David May. There is some doubt as to whether Michael Duff will be in the team with him only having been at the club for a short time.

It is difficult to determine just how he plans to line up, this is after all his first Burnley match, but if there is any clue in the numbers we can expect Graham Branch to be playing further up the field.

We will be able to name a total of ten substitutes with any six of them allowed to come on. Players coming off will not be able to return.

He will select his side from: Brian Jensen, Lee Roche, Michael Duff, John McGreal, Mo Camara, Paul Scott, Joel Pilkington, Richard Chaplow, Tony Grant, Matt O’Neill, Graham Branch, Robbie Blake, Ian Moore, Michael Hale, Ryan Townsend, Neal Trotman, Marc Pugh, Darrell Avery, Joe Booth, Tom Ince, Adam Jones, Alex Taylor.

Opponents Accrington Stanley will be playing their first pre-season game too, their first since becoming a full time professional club.

They will include new signing Paul Carvell in their side, the 19-year-old left winger signed from Preston on Tuesday of this week.

Goalkeeper Jon Kennedy decided to move on after failing to agree on a deal and it is not known who will be in goal tomorrow.

There will be two former Clarets in the squad – newly appointed player/coach Paul Cook and former scholar Damien Hindle who moved to Stanley last year after being released by Burnley.

Accrington will select from: Peter Cavanagh, Steve Hollis, Steven Halford, Jonathan Smith, Andrew Proctor, Paul Cook, Robbie Williams, Steven Flitcroft, Paul Howarth, Lutel James, Paul Mullin, Rory Prendergast, Ged Brannan, Stuart Howson, Lee McEvilly, Paul Carvill, Ian Craney, Damien Hindle.