THE intention was to write about Burnley's excellent win over Nottingham Forest. The intention was to wax lyrical about Glen Little, possibly playing the best football of his life at the moment.

The intention went out the window around 10.30am on Sunday morning. That's the time that Nathan Shaw, a 17-year-old Forest supporter passed away at the Royal Preston Hospital. It's also the time that the football ceased to matter.

God alone knows what kind of living hell Mr Shaw's family are enduring at the moment. Decent folk in Burnley have certainly been shocked by the incident, and will surely want to pass on their deepest sympathies to those affected by the tragedy.

Burnley fans have already been involved in football-related trouble this season.

At Wolves, Burnley fans were caught on CCTV, fighting outside the ground. At Leicester, the police had to move in to restore order in both the visitors' end and the concourse at half time. At Preston there were reports of CS gas being used on some Burnley fans inside the ground, and about 100 supporters had to be moved away from North End fans in the adjacent stand.

That was after they had smashed up a Preston town centre pub. Only last Tuesday, there were skirmishes with Manchester United fans around the bus station.

But it's not just the club and its upstanding, law-abiding supporters who will suffer. The town itself has had enough body-blows recently. Burnley - the town where they had the race riots. Burnley - the town where the people voted three BNP candidates on to the council.

We may not like it, but the national perception of our town may be at an all-time low. And now this...

Battered, beleaguered Burnley needs all the pride it can muster. Historically, the greatest source of this town's pride has been the football club.

The hooligan element cannot and must not be allowed to besmirch its name.