1/1 Graham Branch is revealed as Ternent's latest signing. The 26
year old left winger signs on a free transfer from Stockport with a one and a half year
contract. The club reveal that O'Kane and Hewlett have both returned to their clubs.
Ternent says he will not be pursuing his interest in either. Little and Jepson are tipped
to return shortly.
2/1 Burnley 0 Walsall 0. Team: Crichton, Pickering, Morgan,
Ford, Davis, Reid, Robertson, Armstrong, Cooke, Payton, Branch (Swan 80). SNU: Brass,
Henderson. Att: 10,892. See match report for details. Payton,
Robertson and Morgan both pass late fitness tests to play. We climb to 16th.
The game at Bristol Rovers is made all-ticket at ludicrously short notice.
3/1 Latest speculation is that Cooke may have played his last game
and Henderson will be given a chance up front, with an experienced striker joining as
cover. There's also a strong rumour that the signing of Vinnie Jones will be announced at
a press conference on the 4th.
4/1 Ternent says Andy Cooke will start scoring goals again if he
sticks at it and doesn't intend to drop him. He adds that he intends to bring more players
in, that the team is now becoming his, and that fringe players may be allowed to leave if
they cannot get a game. The club ask referee Trevor Jones to reconsider booking Payton for
diving in Saturday's game.
5/1 Kilby reveals that he has spoken to several
potential backers who are keen to put money into the club. They will be allowed to buy any
shares not taken up by existing shareholders in the rights issue. Ingleby is still said to
be considering his options, and in particular, whether to invest the full £1.4m he could
put in. It may be that a smaller investment will still secure him a seat on the board.
Kilby says that, while he hopes Ingleby invests the full amount, he has a figure in mind
which will allow him to join the board. Barnsley are said to be interested in signing Andy
Cooke as a replacement for Ashley Ward. Both managers deny it, but Barnsley scouts have
been at Turf Moor, and they are believed to have around a million to spend. Carlisle
striker Ian "Flasher" Stevens is linked with us. Howey starts a third month's
loan period at Northampton, as a fee of £50,000 is agreed, leaving the Clarets reject to
settle personal terms.
6/1 Glen Little returns to light training and is expected to
play against Chesterfield. Basil Dearing offers to provide advice to anyone unsure how to
take up or distribute their share entitlement. Kilby expresses the hope that organised
supporters groups may club together to buy some shares. Burnley Reserves 0 Sheffield
Wednesday Reserves 4. All four goals are scored in the last twenty minutes. Neil Moore
and Chris Brass both play.
7/1 Mark Robertson is called up for Australia's Olympic
squad, and will miss our next two games. After Saturday, he will join the squad in
Melbourne for two games against South Korea. Ternent isn't happy about it, pointing out
that we pay his wages, but there's nothing we can do about it, as the rules state we have
to release him.
8/1 We sign Micky Mellon from Tranmere for £350,000 on a two
and a half year contract. The 26 year old ex-Blackpool midfielder was in Tranmere's first
team, but they can't afford to turn down our offer. We made an offer some time ago, and
their recent FA Cup exit forced their hand. Ternent says, "Micky Mellon is another
big signing for us. The chairman has backed me again and this is the second-biggest
signing in the club's history. He will bring quality, goals, know-how and competition for
places. I have been trying to sign him for a couple of months and bringing him in is a
step in the right direction. He is exactly the sort of quality player I am interested in
bringing to the club. I have had fantastic backing off the chairman and spent over £1m.
in a week. I know that the fans have had to put up with some poor performances in the
first half of the season but signing Micky so soon after the likes of Steve Davis, Graham
Branch and Ally Pickering shows the calibre of player I want to bring to the club."
He adds, "I think that it shows the club means business. I have said on many
occasions that the standard for Burnley Football Club comes from the early 60s. A lot of
people have been brought up with very good football and very good players. You can't just
play any old way at Burnley. You can go out, you can win football matches but you have to
win them with a bit of style. " He says he believes we are on the turn, he still
wants more players, but points out we have just spent over a million pounds. He continues,
"I think we made a mark with Steve Davis and I think we are making another mark now
and giving the supporters what they have hoped for for a long time. All credit to the
chairman and his board." Mellon himself says, "There's only a couple of clubs I
would have left the First Division for and one of them was Burnley. Burnley is a big club
with a fantastic manager and a great reputation. He's going to attract good players to
this club which is good enough for me and I'm sure we are going to go from strength to
strength. I've played in the north-west and know about the manager's credentials and he
knows how to get teams out of this division. I know Burnley is a big club and that's all
that concerned me... I know that I can continue to improve and I know that the manager
will help me do that. Everything about the place is heading in the right direction and I
know that the manager will attract more big players to the club. I just want to
concentrate on football now and get on with doing my job... It's a fantastic opportunity
for me and I want to make the most of it." He adds the he hopes to get a few goals
for us. Jimmy Mullen is sacked by Telford after about a year in charge. They have gone
nine games without a win.
9/1 Bristol Rovers 3 Burnley 4! A ridiculous game.
Davis (14), Branch (30), Payton (44), Cooke (54) / Cureton (25), Roberts (35), Lee (54).
Team: Crichton, Pickering, Morgan, Mellon, Davis, Reid, Robertson, Armstrong, Cooke (Swan
80), Payton, Branch. SNU: Brass, Maylett. Att: 7,129. See match
report for details. This is the first team we have taken six points off this season.
Mellon has an outstanding debut, involved in three of the four goals. He comments,
"We've got our win bonus, and the missus will be happy.'' Cooke confesses his relief
at having finally scored. Ford is apparently annoyed at having been dropped. Afterwards,
sour grapes Bristol boss Ian Holloway says they dominated the game, threw it away, and we
were lucky. Who had the lead four times, eh? He also says, ridiculously, that he does not
envy Ternent having a million pounds spent, and wouldn't want to pick up our wage bill,
but supposes we can afford it as we are well supported. Ternent says he’s optimistic
that we can do better in the second half of the season, if we steer clear of injuries and
suspensions. He comments, "We have added quality, and it showed." However, he
says he is looking for more players, adding, "There is no way the jigsaw is
complete." Before the game, Barry Kilby bumps into supporters at a service station
and chats to them. Very unlike someone we could mention. CISA chair Pete Heywood is
interviewed on Radio 5 that morning. The under-18s lose 5-3 at home to Tranmere.
11/1 The club announce we will have yet another completely
new strip next season, the deal with Adidas having come to an end. Adidas are cutting
their ties with lower division clubs, but Bob Blakeborough points out we would not be
renewing our deal in any case after the late arrival of the shirts last summer. P3 will
continue to sponsor, as that deal has another year to run. Although this announcement has
been made just after Christmas, Blakeborough stresses the shirts still have another whole
four month's life left in them. A merchandise sale is now on. We are now said to be close
to finalising a deal with another manufacturer, having looked at samples of the current
Cardiff and Hibernian shirts. The club add that current separate stand and shirt
sponsorship deals have brought in more money than the old combined one.
12/1 The club are in dispute with Scunthorpe over Mark
Winstanley. Scunthorpe say he refused to play for them so they will not pay his wages.
Ternent says that we have no right of recall in the first month, and Scunthorpe are
legally bound to pick up the bill. He comments, "It's up to them what they do, the
situation is quite simple from my point of view. They wanted to borrow him and I loaned
him for a month." Laws is trying to get football league clearance to cancel the loan
period. Scunthorpe Chief Executive Don Rowing comments, "Morally it is wrong. Burnley
should look at the situation but their manager is adamant. This does not bode well for
relations in the future." Like we care. To add a touch of farce to the proceedings,
Winstanley is unable to play at the moment in any case, as he has a chest infection.
Ternent says that Mark Ford is still a "valued member of the squad," and
although he's not first choice, he would like to keep him for cover. Ford and Reid will
both be suspended on Saturday. Ternent is said to be looking for a left back.
13/1 Andy Payton is credited with the third goal at York,
which had originally been given to Armstrong. If he scores against Chesterfield, he will
have got thirty goals in one year. Speaking in an interview, Steve Davis says he has made
his last move. He also believes he has become a better player in his absence. Michael
Williams goes on trial to cash-starved Oxford. Haven't they suffered enough? The reserve
match he was due to show his stuff in is called off.
14/1 Ray Ingleby makes a new offer to invest a sum of money
in return for a place on the board. Barry Kilby describes the offer as "quite
complicated." Ingleby's UK representative David Parry describes is as "a good
sum of money," but points out it will be less than Kilby invested, as Ingleby will
not get control. It will be the less than the £1.4m worth of shares which is his full
entitlement. Meanwhile, Kilby has spoken to a number of new investors about the purchase
of any unallocated shares, and Clive Holt has pledged to buy some of these, having ceded
his original entitlement to Kilby. This should ensure as much of the total of £5.75m as
possible is raised. Kilby also "categorically" denies the long running rumour
that Ingleby may want to sell Turf Moor and relocate to the Padiham Power Station site,
saying, "We haven't invested this kind of money in the infrastructure of Turf Moor to
move on." Glen Little returns to full training. Ternent says, "Playing with two
wingers is what I want to do." Vinnie Jones is handed a free transfer by QPR, but it
is thought we won't be pursuing our interest now Micky Mellon has joined. Jones believes
he can still play for another eighteen months.
15/1 It looks like the club will not accept Ingleby's offer
in its current form, as more talks are arranged between Ingleby and Kilby. The size of the
offer or the conditions attached are not made known to the public. Ternent says he has no
worries about picking Little tomorrow, even though he has just returned to training. Micky
Mellon says he is looking forward to playing as a home player at Turf Moor, having sampled
the atmosphere as a Blackpool player. Steve Blatherwick says he hopes he gets a game
against us, as he has a point to prove. He adds that he is enjoying playing for
Chesterfield, as it’s much nearer his home in Nottingham. There’s commitment for
you. Nigel Gleghorn joins Witton Albion, who are run by the chris waddle of the eighties,
while Nathan Peel signs for Northwich Victoria. Ternent now appears to still hold out some
hope of signing Vinnie Jones, saying, "I am still interested in signing Vinnie but
have heard nothing for a while now. I would love him to get in touch." A move to
Blackpool seems more likely. The one that got away: Paul Fletcher, after successful spells
in charge of Huddersfield's and Bolton's new grounds, is snapped up by the English
National Stadium Company as Director of Commercial Affairs at Wembley. He says,
"Burnley are the great love of my life and I will be keeping my eye on what's going
on."
16/1 Burnley 1 Chesterfield 2. Cooke (85) / Pickering
og (30), Beaumont (65). Team: Crichton, Pickering (Maylett 70), Morgan, Mellon, Davis,
Swan, Little, Armstrong (Brass 24), Cooke, Payton, Branch (Moore 83). Att: 10,985. Davis
plays as captain after Armstrong goes off with a head injury which needs fourteen
stitches, while Pickering picks up an ankle injury. Cooke scores from Maylett’s
cross. The only outfield players remaining from Little’s last game are Payton and
Cooke. After a meeting before the game, CISA agree to lift their boycott of Burnley
merchandise. This follows earlier talks with Barry Kilby. CISA chair Peter Heywood
symbolically buys a shirt after the game. Good for another four months, that. Mark
Robertson starts the game for Australia under 23s, who lose 1-0 to South Korea. He plays
in central midfield, and is taken off at half time, still suffering the effects of jet
lag. Mark Williams is again unable to impress Oxford, as their A team game is called off.
Our A team game against Bury is also postponed.
17/1 Kilby speculates that premier league two will eventually
be created, and says we have to be in it. He adds that he expects us to mount a serious
promotion campaign next season.
18/1 The home game against Preston, which was scheduled for
13 March, is moved back one day to Sunday 14 March at 1.00, to be shown live on Sky TV.
This will earn the club a five figure fee. Ternent plans to have more talks with
Northampton over Howey, while we may make a bid for Altrincham’s 23 year old defender
/ midfielder Paul Ellender, who our scouts have been watching lately. Other clubs are
after him, and he may cost around £125,000. Ternent denies, however, that we have
attempted to sign Portadown midfielder Richard Clark, commenting, "I have never heard
of him." That’s not what Portadown say. They claim we’ve already had one
offer turned down.
19/1 Ingleby now looks set to join the board. The club have
provisionally agreed his offer for shares. Kilby says, "We have just got to dot a few
I's and cross a few T's... He has made an offer that on the face of it seems to be
acceptable, subject to the lawyers' scrutiny. I look forward to having him on board."
It’s thought that Teasdale may leave the board if Ingleby joins, after their earlier
disagreements. Off you go, then. Kilby adds that he will be looking for fresh investors
once the rights issue has closed, and this will mean more new faces on the board.
20/1 Teasdale says he doesn’t know what he will do if
Ingleby joins the board, while Blakeborough and Holt confirm that they want to stay on.
Blakeborough says, "I would hope to be involved. If we have got shares available I
will have a look at my position... What we really need is to encourage the big players who
are around that would like to get involved in the club to get in touch. The door is
open." Our sponsored match against Macclesfield is the latest victim of
England’s crass decision to schedule an important game for 3 o’clock on a
Saturday. It is moved one day to Sunday 28 March, again with a 1 o’clock kick off.
This means we will not have a Saturday home game in the month of March, and is
particularly bad news for our members. The club arrange their second meeting between
supporters groups and board for Tuesday 9th February at 8pm. Our reserve away
match against West Brom is postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Graham Branch has a chest
infection, and has been forced to miss training. He’ll have a late fitness test
before Saturday, along with Armstrong and Pickering. Mark Williams plays for Oxford
Reserves in their 3-2 defeat by Chelsea reserves, but they will not make any attempt to
sign him until at least after their FA Cup match on Monday. Time Out magazine
describe Burnley supporters as 'notoriously fickle' in their preview of Saturday's game,
provoking an avalanche of protest from southern-based Clarets.
21/1 Armstrong says he will play at Millwall with his
stitches in. we are again said to be on the verge of signing Vinnie Jones. London police
are rumoured to be laying on extra officers for the anticipated surge in interest which
would result from the signing.
22/1 Ingleby and Kilby have further talks in an attempt to
finalise Ingleby’s offer. There is speculation that Burnley businessman John
Turkington may take up his share entitlement in return for a seat on the board, although
Endsleigh, believed to hold around 2,000 shares, will not be buying any fresh shares. Tony
Parks may be out of a job as Barrow face liquidation. Ronnie Jepson returns to the club
after a spell of rehabilitation at Lilleshall, and is expected back in the next few weeks.
Ternent is said not to have travelled with the team today, as he is attempting to sign
Stockport midfielder Paul Cook. We are now said to not be on the verge of signing Vinnie
Jones. We couldn't afford his wages.
23/1 Millwall 1 Burnley 2. Cooke (11), Davis (81) /
Sadlier (86). Team: Crichton, Moore, Morgan, Mellon, Davis, Reid, Little, Armstrong, Cooke
(Branch 77) (Maylett 90), Payton (Swan 77), Ford. Att: 7,407. Gordon Armstrong plays with
a head bandage to protect his stitches. Pickering’s ankle injury keeps him out. We
climb to 15th. See match report for details. Afterwards,
Ternent hopes we are losing our reputation as a poor away side, and says, "We are
starting to take shape but it is really a transitional year this year. But we are getting
there." Meanwhile, the A team beat Accrington Stanley Reserves 3-0 (C Smith, West,
Vindheim) and the under 18s lose 5-1 at Wigan. Elsewhere, Gerry Harrison plays in goal for
Luton after their keeper is sent off.
24/1 The club are linked with Exeter striker Steve Flack, and
two Cardiff City players, Mark Delaney and Jason Fowler. Flack has scored quite a few
goals this season, and Bristol Rovers has also been linked with him. Delaney is a
'wingback', Fowler a midfielder.
25/1 Kilby is confident of doing a deal with Ingleby before
tomorrow's deadline for the rights issue.
26/1 The day of the rights issue deadline. Ingleby pays
somewhere around £500,000 for 2,500 shares and a seat on the board. Kilby will propose
him as a director at the next board meeting, and says, "I am looking forward to
working with him. He's obviously an experienced businessman. He's done very well and I
think he has talents. I want talents on this board." Turkington is said to have put
in £200,000, which looks like his full entitlement, and will also probably join the
board. The rights issue is believed to have raised somewhere towards £3.8m, with three
quarters of that coming from Kilby. Kilby says he is pleased with the response from small
shareholders, who will have put in around £100,000, for around 500 shares. He says,
"I am pleased but this is just the first step really. The next one is also important
and I have got meetings lined up with several people who have expressed an interest at all
levels." Kilby says he has had over 70 enquiries already, and has spoken to others.
The expected total raised will be around £5.5m, given that an estimated 3,000 shares are
lost, dormant or untraceable. This could leave more money for players. Meanwhile, Ternent
describes Steve Davis as a bargain, saying, "I think he's a snip. He's a top quality
player." Elsewhere, chris waddle, who plays in Peter Beardsley’s testimonial at
Newcastle, is linked with the managerial job at Hartlepool. Good news for Hull and
Scarborough supporters, at least. He’s also connected with the vacant Brighton job,
although for some reason, Brighton are fast to say they are happy with their caretaker
manager at the moment. We play Nottingham Forest in a behind closed doors friendly with
three periods of thirty minutes. Although the club refuse to reveal the score, it finishes
3-2 to Forest, with Little and Armstrong (pen) scoring ours.
27/1 Paul Weller says he hopes to return to training before
the end of the season. Although he still faces two more bowel operations, Weller has
already started work in the gym, in the hope of maintaining a reasonable level of fitness.
He aims to be ready to play at the start of next season. His second operation is due soon,
with his third scheduled for six weeks after.
28/1 Tony Parks rejoins the club as part-time goalkeeping
coach. Ternent says he will do a couple of days a week. Local businessmen in Barrow have
guaranteed to cover players’ expenses, so he will keep playing there in the meantime.
Stan also says that he plans to open contract talks with a number of players soon, as part
of his squad rebuilding programme, which will also mean some players will leave. Branch
and Pickering, along with Morgan, who had picked up a knock, are all expected to be fit
for Saturday, although Moore may keep his place ahead of Pickering.
29/1 Colin Carr-Lawton and Carl Smith join Greek side
Ethinikos on loan for the rest of the season. The side are currently run by Howard
Kendall, enjoying a rest between spells at Everton. Ternent heard on the grapevine that
the side, near the bottom of their division, were looking for some players, and is trying
to help out. He says, "They are going on loan until the end of the season and see
what happens from there. They are both single lads and it's a fantastic place for them to
go and play some games. It will be good experience and Howard will look after them."
In the circumstances, Gareth West must feel a bit gutted - he’s gone on loan to
Rochdale. Ternent comments that these loans reflect the greater strength in the squad.
Michael Williams returns from Oxford, who it would appear will not be pursing their
interest.
30/1 Lincoln 1 Burnley 1. Reid (66)/ Gordon (32).
Team: Crichton, Moore, Morgan, Mellon, Davis, Reid, Little (Robertson 87), Armstrong,
Cooke, Payton (Maylett 76), Branch. SNU: Swan. Att: 6,361. We remain 15th. See match report for details. Afterwards, Reid says he had been
instructed by Ternent to get more goals. Stan says, "I would like him to get five,
six or seven goals and the same from midfield players." He also describes the pitch
as a "cabbage patch" and says that in the circumstances, he is pleased with the
result and the fighting performance. He professes himself reasonably satisfied with out
recent steady progress. Andy Payton’s injury will not keep him out of the next game.
The A team beat Accrington Stanley reserves again, this time 5-0, with two goals from
Henderson, plus Eastwood, Scott and John Williamson. The under-18s vanquish our non rivals
Stockport 3-1. Chris Brass is said to be unhappy at his recent demotion to the reserves
after starting the season as captain.
