Suppose I could have picked any number
of song titles for this one, but decided to pick an old ‘Free’ classic. Free
transfer but not so free at £6,000 per week. The whole match really started, fairly
obviously, with the transfer. As I haven’t written a match report for some time,
volunteered for this one expecting a fairly dour derby clash, and following Payton’s
suspension, a problem putting the ball away against a pretty mean side. Stan has of course
been looking for a striker, and we should all have been expecting something, I suppose.
Thorpe would have done the trick, but it was not to be. Nothing, however, could have
prepared me for the Ceefax headlines on that fateful morning. As I never usually bother
getting tickets for home games, a worrying realisation enveloped my initially gob-smacked
being. Immediately began to ring the Clarets ticket office, literally all day in between
meetings, and eventually commandeered two tickets round about 6-15pm, after the ticket
office had officially closed. Thank goodness for plastic money.
I was still pretty nervous about the whole thing, and
desperately needed to see the actual tickets in my hot sweaty hand, as Wright hysteria hit
the town. The media had picked up on the Clarets' newest signing (Ian Cox quickly
forgotten) in a big way. Wright seduced to the Turf by the prospect of one last go for
glory by Mitchell Thomas, Wright’s wife’s cousin and his best friend as the
catalyst, Stan ex-Crystal Palace, the persuader, and the Ingleby/Kilby combine the
wherewithal. Two days a week media absence the downside, plus some doubt over age and
commitment. Strangely no mention of the return of Benson or the detestable Bond.
Presumably no spare steward’s jacket for the latter to wear.
Appeared in Burnley on Thursday evening to witness the
madness, and marvelled at the dedication and efficiency of the new commercial regime
behind the scenes. Picked up a Preston ticket at the same time! Strangely passed a piece
of graffiti by the roadside in Reedley, which said quite simply, ‘Say no to
Shackleton’. Quite! Managed on the Friday to have a look at the new Claret shop as
well as the ticket office, and yet another white away shirt for the little one was the
result. Note by Friday the following sales figures, 1,000 Ian WWW scarves, 500 Ian WWW
foam hands, 600 T-shirts and 300 replica No 33 shirts. Not Man United revenue, but
impressive, and partial payment for Wright.
The match itself had a lot to live up to, and frankly
it never did. The tension before the gladiator’s entrance was palpable. The Wigan
supporters end pathetically a third empty, which must have galled all those who
couldn’t get a ticket. Barry Kilby must have looked at those lost, wooden seats, with
£ signs flashing from where Claret fans should be. A gorgeous day, excellent pitch, the
hills looking splendid from the Upper Longside (oops sacrilege), and a full Claret house.
Note to BK, if the Bob Lord stand is ever rebuilt, please do not build upwards and spoil
the view. Rodney Marsh viewing from The Sky Sports studio, and 10-1 odds on Ian Edward
Wright MBE being sent off, 5-2 on not scoring. With Payton missing the Clarets team was
much as suspected. Wigan with Haworth, Barlow and McLaughlin on the bench had made their
intentions perfectly clear. Hold out and wait for a break later in the game following
substitutions. Best home side against arguably the best away side. Cue fantastic reception
for Wright’s entrance to the arena, coolly acknowledged by the man.
The first half was frankly boring. Cookey had a good
early chance with a left foot shot just over the bar, and Wright also a chance to the left
of the six yard box, blocked. Wigan had a fairly solid look about them, but strangely
allowed Cook the freedom of midfield, where he prompted, admittedly without effect. Mullin
linked up well with Wright on several occasions as did Branch down the left. Some of
Wright’s touches and layoffs were classy. Little looked a little jaded, and was
playing too deep for me on the right, where Wigan were concentrating their sporadic
attacks in the absence of a full back. Crichton was called in to action only once with a
simple save.
The half was punctuated by some bad challenges. One in
particular perpetrated on Thomas was unbelievably uncarded, before the inevitable Johnrose
booking before half time for a stupid foul. Wright had a few words with Martinez and Green
after dubious challenges, but kept cool. The referee unsurprisingly had a variable match
which left both sides a little confused. Wright re-acted to one such clash by whizzing
past five players in a run from the half way line which lit up the half.
After the break, the Clarets upped the tempo, and
dominated the second half. Wright began with a weak header at goal and then a shot, both
from Little crosses, before blasting a far post volley straight at the keeper Carroll. All
reasonable chances. A sublime Wright chip from a run down the left hand side had Carroll
grasping thin air before the ball drifted just wide of the far post. Little was injured in
the incident, and worryingly left the field on a stretcher, which is bad news. A Cooke
header went close again, before the inevitable substitutions. West for Little, and Barlow
and Haworth for Wigan. Smith had already replaced Branch on the left.
A poor defensive clearance by the Legend led to
Wigan’s only real chance to score with a few minutes to go, when Haworth was released
by Liddell on the left, and advanced one on one with Crichton before screwing the ball
wide. Further Clarets pressure led in injury time to a Thomas howitzer against the post
from a rebound Paul Smith shot.
The match sponsors inevitably made Wright man of the
match. The devastating pace is gone, but the touch, movement and skill of an international
class goal-scorer are still there. He did however miss five or six chances, but was of
course in a position to miss them.
