Putting a magazine together
always takes longer than I expect. There’s all the formatting of text and trying to
get things to fit on pages. There’s the working out where the photos are going to go.
There’s the checking and re-checking that the number of pages divides by four. Then
there’s the spreading out of printed off pages on the floor and working out the
order. Finally, count again, send off to the printers, round up some less than willing
volunteers to undertake the distribution and await the finished product plopping on
peoples' mats around a fortnight later, by which stage your finely honed words and
carefully presented opinions will be out of date, short-sighted and obsolete.
So it was that the last issue was put together, sent
off, and on the very date it was printed, Burnley made their biggest signing in years. If
anyone out there was wondering why there was nothing in the last issue about Ian Wright,
that’s why.
And here I am with the next issue, attempting to write
an editorial with one game left, when we do not know how the season is going to end. By
this time this mag reaches your door, we will either be in division one or in the
play-offs. There might have been a case for delaying publication of the magazine further
until we knew our fate, but it's already late and that would have meant trying to scramble
around to find another slot when we can get a few people together to share the tedious
task of distribution, which was the reason for the delay in the first place.
So, no point pontificating here on what may come to
pass on the pitch. Whatever happens, for all my gripes and those of others, this has been
a better season than most and the manager can't really be faulted for getting us to our
highest finish and highest number of points in years. I'll only note that the improved
away form came when we started showing more attacking initiative on our travels, and I
hope this points the way forward for the future.
Off the pitch there are the first signs that the bonds
forged between club and fans amidst the euphoria of the ending of the old regime are
beginning to weaken. The club has done itself no favours by Andrew Watson’s ludicrous
and ill-thought out attempt to pass off prize rises as prize freezes. One can only draw
the conclusion that they thought the supporters were too dim or lazy to check. It
isn’t so much the price rises themselves – we are resigned to rises most years,
although we permit ourselves a little grumble – but the way in the club’s most
loyal supporters are being asked to stump up more cash than last year and earlier - in
April, before the season has ended, before they know what they are paying for, while there
may yet be as much as three play-off games to fund – and if they do not pay, their
seat is up for grabs.
This, one would have thought, is one of the issues that
could have been discussed at the famed regular meetings between the board and supporters
clubs, instituted late in 1998. Except that these meetings have mysteriously slipped from
the agenda. The last one was in September 1999, and we now understand there are not to be
any more. Danny Reuben was not even aware that these meetings had happened in the past.
While not perfect, the meetings at least provided an opportunity for points to be raised
and views to be taken on board. As well as the ticket prices, they might have been used to
solicit views on the latest redevelopment of the club website. This supporters' club at
least would have had much to offer. There are one or two signs that make one wonder
whether the policy of consulting supporters is beginning to slide. For example, it appears
the away shirt, chosen by a fans’ vote last year, is to be replaced, doubtless for
good commercial reasons – except this time the club will pick it for us. To offer a
measure of democracy and then remove it does not look like progress. The new official
website does not offer links to other sites such as our own, while the site it replaces,
for all its failings, did. Again, this appears to be a step backwards.
There is always a tension in any club at our level
between acting like a proper business and keeping the supporters on board. I think most
fans welcomed Andrew Watson’s appointment and felt that the club needed to become
more professional. However, Burnley must not leave the supporters behind. Much has
improved at Turf Moor. There still is, and always will be, room for more improvement. As
supporters, it is our duty to challenge the club, demand higher standards and always force
them to keep raising that bar. They should be assured of our support, but also our
vigilance. The club needs to show that they continue to learn from the lessons of the
past, when mistrust between club and supporters was routine, and prove that they will not
forget those lessons as we progress on the pitch. Wherever we are going, it would be
better to go there together.
