THERE are quite a few similarities between Stoke City’s Britannia Stadium and Turf Moor.

During the harsh months of winter both can be incredibly cold and very windy, but it is the home record of the Potters that Burnley will most want to replicate.

Before promotion for the 2008/09 season, Stoke hadn’t been a top flight club for 23 years, but they have reestablished themselves as a mid-table Premier League side with a comfortable existence since then, mostly thanks to an excellent home record.

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It was Tony Pulis who laid the foundations for Stoke in the Premier League, and it included making the Britannia a place that nobody wanted to go to.

It all started in their first season back in the top flight, when they lost just four of 19 home games, to Chelsea, Everton, Manchester United and West Ham, and took 35 of their 45 points at home.

The windy conditions are something that they used to their advantage, and they also used the vociferous backing from the stands and a physical style of play to make the Britannia an intimidating ground to visit, where it was considered hard to get a result.

In the six seasons since they returned to the top flight Stoke have taken 189 points at home, around 69 per cent of the total points they have secured, and they average 1.66 points per game at home, an outstanding record for a team that has never finished higher than 11th.

There is no doubt that it is home form that has turned Stoke into a Premier League club, and it’s a recipe for success that could be used at Turf Moor as the Clarets look to establish themselves in the top flight.

So far Burnley have lost half of their six league games at Turf Moor, but there is still plenty of time to turn their home fortunes around.

The 1-0 win over Hull last time out showed that Turf Moor can be a tough place to come. Despite being ten league games without a win the atmosphere was once again excellent, especially as Sean Dyche’s side looked to see out the game late on, and it is that kind of support that can lift players when they feel tired, and also make life difficult for away teams.

The wind can also be a factor at Turf Moor, something that can benefit a team used to playing in the conditions every week.

Last season the Clarets were beaten just twice at home in 23 league games, and while that kind of home record was always going to be beyond them this season, there is no reason they can’t use the pressing and quick tempo style they used last term to make life difficult once again for visitors to East Lancashire.

Any points picked up on the road are a bonus in the Premier League, and over 19 away games you are bound to pick up a couple of wins and draws, but it is making your home ground somewhere that most teams don’t look forward to visiting that will make the difference between another season in the top flight, and a return to the Championship.