Wanderers are preparing themselves for a major test of their promotion prospects.

Colin Todd returned from the first leg of his search for foreign reinforcements to issue a timely warning to his impressive table-toppers.

"November is going to be a demanding month," the Burnden boss acknowledged as he planned for a hectic rush of four games in ten days that will provide the toughtest examination yet of his team's quality and strength.

International calls mean Wanderers have a free weekend but, when they resume their league programme at Birmingham on Wednesday week, they kick off a sequence guaranteed to stretch their resources and resolve to the limits.

Four days after the St Andrew's game they return to Burnden for a titanic tussle with in-form third-placed team Crystal Palace then travel to Oxford (Nov 19) and Sheffield United (Nov 22). The Coca-Cola Cup fourth round tie at home to Spurs on Wednesday, Nov 27 offers a brief respite from the pressures of the promotion race before Barnsley visit Burnden three days later.

"Palace, Sheffield United and Barnsley - some of the top teams - will make it a very hard, hectic month," Todd confirmed.

"But if we can maintain the consistency we are constantly striving for, we should have nothing to fear."

Victory over Huddersfield on Saturday put Wanderers six points clear at the top, seven clear of Palace and a further three ahead of fourth-placed Barnsley.

It's been a barnstorming start to the season and one, which has seen the Burnden stars installed as 5-4 favourites for the Division One Championship.

But Todd, who is checking out transfer targets in Scandinavia this week in the hope of strengthening his squad for the promotion assault, insists: "It's important for us to keep our feet on the ground."

Wanderers will be without suspended midfielder Alan Thompson for the Birmingham, Palace and Oxford games but are hopeful that goalkeeper Keith Branagan will only miss the first. They were still waiting for confirmation today but early indications from the FA suggest Branagan will receive just a one-match ban for his red card in last week's 2-1 win against Reading.

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