June 2000: approximately four weeks
after The Scunthorpe Game. It was Summer then, remember it? The euphoria has now died down
and I can't help thinking we need three or four quality players to help us stay up. The
released list didn't contain enough names in my opinion, and the players we've been linked
with won't set the division alight. Foundless rumours no doubt - time will tell.
Anyway, let's go back to May, when the sun was shining. May 10th,
to be precise. A Civic Reception. (I know, it sounds like a Fall song title doesn't it?)
[Cary Grant's Wedding? - Ed.] To cut a long story short (NOT a Fall song), as a Northern
representative of the London Clarets I was asked if I could attend with Fran and Chris
Marsden. Free bar and buffet clinched it.
We had to go to the rear entrance of the Town Hall at approximately
6.30 pm. The team were to arrive at around 7 pm after the open top bus tour of the town.
Thirty or forty members of the various supporters' clubs were asked
to congregate in the theatre of the Mechanics. I didn't realise there was a direct
entrance from the Town Hall to the Mechanics. Why would I, but that's where the reception
took place. Real ale was available - Old Speckled Hen.
After the team had taken their bows on the balcony they filed in to
be presented to the Mayor, Councillor Eddie Fisk. Glen Little relished the moment with a
unique dance (?), a cross between an Irish jig and Siouxsie singing 'Hong Kong Garden'.
Words of praise by the Mayor, words of pride by the Chairman Barry
Kilby, then off to drink more beer and eat food. In the right place at the right time, to
be sure.
What of the players? Ian Wright and Mitchell Thomas didn't stay
long. To be fair, they'd seen it all before. Andy Cooke and Glen Little seemed to be
enjoying the evening, and in view of the past two seasons I suppose they deserved to.
Ronnie Jepson, our second choice goalkeeper, smokes! He informed me
that he's not the only player who does, but he's the only player who does in public! Ian
Cox lives in Preston - that's where his wife's from and she was desperate to return up
North. Apparently Stan tried to sign him on loan for Bury a couple of years ago but
Bournemouth wanted cash.
I didn't get much of a chat with Andy Payton because he and Fran
were discussing teachers and pupils at Gawthorpe High School, which they both attended.
Finally I asked Stan if he had any players already lined up to sign
for next season and I can exclusively reveal he informed me, "Aye, one or two."
A decent bunch of lads, it would be right to say, and I felt it
would be extremely unlikely that when they went to Portugal the next day there would be
any shenanigans like the Leicester City trip to Spain, i.e. fire extinguishers etc.
I think Ian Cox summed it up when he said that when he came to
Burnley he couldn't believe that every single player got on with each other. He said he'd
never been at a club where that was the case.
