SARA Worrall (Sport Letters Oct 9) says Rovers fans have no sense of humour.

Well, here are a few things that tickle me Sara. Seven things -- one for each goal the Blues put past the Clarets last season.

1) Gates -- Burnley fans claiming they would have bigger gates if they had success. While Rovers averaged nearly 30,000 in 1996 and 27,000 so far this year, as Burnley won seven out of eight to top the league, they had a massive gate of 13,000.

It's amusing how every Burnley fan claims to have been one of the famous 1,300 (Accrington Stanley have done better) who turned up at the Turf not long ago for a league match.

Reality would suggest that while the visit of Rovers make up five of the top 10 Burnley gates in the last 25 years, Burnley's visits to Ewood would not get in the top 50 gates in the same period.

2) Our centre half Shorty dribbling down the wing, cutting inside and playing a snooker off Steve Davis' leg to score in the match that has now gone down in Ewood folklore as "The April Fools Day Massacre."

3) Steve Cummings column following the above match. You could feel the pain in the ink. Though it can't have been easy to write at the same time as eating a van-load of humble pie.

4) I have noticed that Mr Cummings column has been getting very repetitive lately. Repeat, repeat -- if you're not careful Burnley will be so desperate for supporters you will be recruiting parrots as fans next.

5) The episode of "They think it's all over" when the panel took the Mickey so badly out of Burnley fans for turning their backs on the team and facing the stand. It should be on the next Rovers video release.

6) May 1991 plane stunt "staying down for ever love the Rovers." in the following week the Burnley Club, fans, Mayor, council, police and chairman filled the Lancashire Evening Telegraph with complaints before it dawned on them they were pushing a snowball downhill -- too late the legend was born, the Blackburn Rovers flying club was launched and the tee-shirts printed. (For young fans -- that's why Rovers fans sing the Dambusters tune at the local derby).

7) It amazes me how well John Connelly's chippy in Brierfield is doing after all these years. Then I realised he specialises in selling shoulder chips.

Could I finish by giving the thumbs up to Simon Leigh's new Rovers column.

Phil Lloyd was good but he seemed to have the approach of not mentioning Burnley as the best way to insult them.

Simon has managed to be humorous without being offensive.

Perhaps Mr Cummings should take Simon on his next fishing trip and he might catch some humour this time instead of bitterness.

As Hall and Oates once sang -- Sara Smile a while for me.

DEREK POWER, By email.