HOW refreshing to have a local derby to look forward to at Christmas.

Trips to Preston are always special, and they have taken on an extra significance in recent seasons, since Blackburn earned promotion back to the Premiership.

It's probably fair to say - although certain fans won't thank me for saying it - that North End have become our closest rivals in terms of annual ding-dongs.

And what entertainment the two Lancashire rivals have provided recently.

Who could forget the great night in March 2002 when Paul Gascoigne was paraded in front of a fevered Turf Moor crowd after his signing. The madcap former England midfield legend then took his seat in the Director's Box to see the Clarets win 2-0 and a streaker with the scoreline written where the sun don't shine race up to the Preston fans and bend over backwards to provide an, ahem, cheeky reminder!

Serial joker Gazza must have instantly felt at home as Bertie Bee duly rugby-tackled the streaker after a 100-yard dash in a hilarious scene straight out of an X-rated version of 'It's a Knockout'!

Earlier that season, in equally jovial spirits, Arthur Gnohere was crowned king at Deepdale as a brilliant brace - sandwiched by a Glen Little special - once again silenced the Preston fans.

I recall Ian Moore scoring his first goal for the Clarets there in December 2000 - another sensational strike. And then there was the memorable 3-0 home win the following April, wiping the memory of a 5-0 drubbing by Rovers one week earlier.

The point of all this reminiscing is to highlight just what a special fixture this is in both clubs calendar.

And the fact it comes a week before Christmas makes it all the spicier. But hopefully, this season, the spice will come from the pitch.

Last year's game was marred by a crowd of around 100 Clarets fans that invaded the pitch following Gareth Taylor's equaliser and taunted North End keeper David Lucas.

The 5.30pm kick off hardly helped matters, but the TV pictures being beamed to the nation of riot police and stewards stationed behind the Preston goal for the remainder of the game were not a pretty sight for anyone connected with Burnley Football Club.

This year's sobering lunchtime kick-off will hopefully dampen any similar ideas of madness because, in a week where the club's name has already been splashed across the back pages for all the wrong reasons, no-one wants a repeat.

So turn up in your thousands, make some noise and do all you can to help the lads extend our run of winning four of the last five meetings.

But most of all, be on your best behaviour and let's come out of the ding-dong merrily on a high!