The Saturday Interview meets Burnley's PAUL BARNES

CRYSTAL foot-ball gazing is commonplace at this time of New Year.

Some of it looks fairly straightforward - Manchester United to retain their title; Blackburn Rovers to win a place in Europe; Manchester City to have at least one more managerial change; Doncaster to go out of the league.

Then, there's Burnley.

The very real prospect of one of England's proudest clubs kicking off the 1998-99 season down among the dead men - with the likes of Rochdale, Macclesfield and Darlington all planning visits to a stadium more suited to the Premiership stage.

Make no mistake about it, Burnley are a club up to their chins in crisis.

The boo boys have been out in force, pundits have aired their views and there is even discontent among the diehards.

The Clarets aren't just tap dancing on the relegation trapdoor to Division Three, they already have one foot in the grave.

It's a situation even Victor Meldrew couldn't have believed possible when the campaign kicked off amid, if not widespread euphoria, then certainly hope and expectation just five months back.

Fans' choice Adrian Heath was replaced by fan's choice Chris Waddle in the manager's chair. Waddle was joined by an England coach in Glenn Roeder and another former international star player in Gordon Cowans.

It looked good - it's been awful.

To say things haven't gone to plan would be to grossly understate the truth.

Those who have Burnley's fate at their feet - the players - have produced little and said even less.

Until now.

Paul Barnes knows how to ride a challenge - even when it's over the top.

During 13 seasons as a striker he's familiar with life at the sharp end.

So what does he make of Burnley being rooted in bottom spot and, more importantly, how do the players propose to get out of the mess. "No one is kidding themselves, we know how desperate things are. It's a case of getting our fingers out, staying united and turning it around. I don't care what anyone says, we can do it."

Strong words - but the long-suffering fans are more interested in actions. There has been talk of unrest in the camp, players being frozen out and a general feeling that team matters have drifted well out of control.

"That's quite wrong, but I understand why it happens - always does when teams are struggling. Rumours are treated as facts and can be damaging.

"Personally I don't blame the fans for having a go. They have that right.

"I still hold a candle for Leicester City and when I watch them, either live or on the box, and things ain't going well I get angry, shout and complain.

"I do the same at home when the kids aren't doing what they should.

"It's human nature, part of life and very much part of what supporting a club is all about.

"The booing doesn't worry me in the slightest, I take the good with the bad and can relate to what the jeering means. It is born out of frustration.

"I live in the area, at Barrowford, and hear first hand what's being said. Everyone wants to stop you and ask what's gone wrong.

"The fans are as surprised as us that we are struggling. Like everyone else they thought we would be involved in a promotion battle, not a relegation scrap.

"We'd done okay the previous season, a new big-name manager had moved in and you'd have got good odds on us being bottom at the turn of the year. "The boss came out and criticised the fans for booing certain players at one home game, but that was jut his way of defending us.

"He's done that consistently, fair do's to him for that."

So, what of Chris Waddle?

"He's just as miffed as the rest of us. He realises that the situation has to improve, but he's been fine with me.

"I find him a nice guy, always prepared to give you time and not one for ripping into the players and slaughtering people publicly.

"He's part of the team and on a match day becomes one of the lads.

"He doesn't expect any special treatment and while I am sure he would rather be taking some time to sit and watch from the stands feels he needs to be out there with us.

"It must be driving him crazy for when you look at our squad on paper you would fancy it to come out on top against many of the teams we have so far failed to beat. Luck plays a part, but we can't put it all down to that. We haven't performed consistently to the standard expected and, yes, we have let people down.

"Teams lift themselves at Turf Moor and having someone like Chris as manager probably fires opponents up even more. I know from my days at York just what it means to come and play somewhere like Burnley.

"But we have to overcome those sort of obstacles. We have shown in patches that we aren't a bottom-of-the-table side.

"We outplayed Bristol City for a good hour down at Ashton Gate, did the same at Fulham and we were far too strong for Northampton as well. "All those teams are flying at the top end of the table and we must start reproducing that form week in and week out.

"We can't afford to let it all get to us, crack on that it's just a matter of patiently waiting for things to get better.

"The answer lies with us. The club is sound, the way they look after the players is first class.

"It 's a New Year and with it a new chance. We all believe we are capable of putting a run of wins together, but the need is now urgent.

"A few more weeks of poor results would really land us in it and if you get caught adrift of the rest you face a hell of a job to claw back.

"The thought of being relegated is dreadful.

"I'm not thinking about it too much, but you have to face the facts and be realistic.

"It may sound a little negative and certainly wasn't what we'd all hoped in August, but if someone offered me an end-of-season position in mid-table I'd take it now."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.