Burnley's 20 Questions.

Last updated : 09 August 2004 By Bigrich.....
Who are you; where are you from and how long have you supported your club?
Tony Scholes, Burnley born and bred and have now been supporting Burnley for almost 44 years.

What was your first game?
My first game was back in October 1960 and a 5-3 win against Manchester United in the First Division.

Describe the most memorable and worst game you've seen and why?
The most memorable has to be the play off win at Wembley in 1994, winning there was just incredible. As for the worst, there are a number to choose from during the awful days of the 80s. A 6-0 home defeat against Hereford would probably be the worst.

Who do you consider as your current local rivals, and why?
Blackburn Rovers will always be our rivals and although we are not currently in the same division it is and always will be the only one that really matters. They will be back down with the ordinary clubs soon enough and then the good days of beating them will return.

Who are the best and worst players you have seen?
Jimmy McIlroy is the finest Burnley player I ever saw, he was one of the greatest players in the world in the late 50s and early 60s and he played for Burnley. Again there is a big choice for the worst from that poor 80s period and I wouldn't like to pick one out. Mind you we had a bad, bad goalkeeper last season.

Which current or former Rotherham player impressed you most?
I'll have to go for a former Miller and I'll go for a forward you had in the 1960s by the name of Frank Casper. What a fantastic player he was and but for Norman Hunter ending his career with some brutality who knows how far he could have gone in the game.

How did you fare last season?
It was a struggle and we were only safe on the penultimate weekend, ironically after suffering an embarrassing 3-0 defeat at Millmoor.

How do you think you'll do this season?
A lot better than last season, we won't probably be challenging for the Championship but we certainly won't be struggling at the bottom end of the table.

What's the local drink and snap?
Moorhouses is the local brewery, The Bridge Inn serves a big selection of real ales and is popular before and after games. And you can always get pie and peas to go with your pint.

If Burnley were a TV personality, who would it be and why?
I've answered this one before and the answer remains the same - Tom Jones. Big in the 60s, fading in the 70s, crap in the 80s but has re-established himself in the 90s and beyond. That sounds just like Burnley FC.

So what do you think of Rotherham?
I don't know the town very well although I have lived in Sheffield but the ground has to be one of the most depressing to visit. Awful surroundings, it looks as though it is falling apart and provides a poor view with very little leg room. Not somewhere I look forward to visiting.

Is your manager barking mad?
No, he is sound. We are just getting used to him after he was appointed in June. He's going to be very good for Burnley FC. And just to think Ronnie Moore was interviewed twice and was considered favourite for a while. I'm happier that we have Steve Cotterill with his modern coaching ideas.

Are you happy with your Chairman/Backroom staff?
Very happy and wouldn't want to swap our Chairman or the backroom team. They are doing a superb job in difficult circumstances.

Which team do you want to beat the most this season and why?
Leeds I think, the so called big boys coming down from the Premiership are always a good scalp.

What sort of line-up can we expect from you?
A strong one - I would suspect we will line up in 4-4-2 as follows: Coyne, Duff, Sinclair, McGreal, Camara, Chaplow, Grant, Hyde, Branch, Moore, Blake.

Predicted score?
I've only seen Burnley win once at Millmoor in the league and that is now twelve seasons ago, it is time for a change and I think we now have a much stronger side than Rotherham so I will go for a 2-0 win.

Who's going up?
Wolves and Leicester for me with possibly West Ham in the play offs.

Who's going down?
Three from Brighton, Crewe, Gillingham, Rotherham, Watford

MillersMad would like to thanks Tony, and his website www.Burnley-Mad.co.uk