1/7 To no one’s great surprise, the club
mark the first day of the Bosman summer by announcing that Paul Cook, Mitchell Thomas and
Dean West have joined us on frees. Tom Cowan signs a new contract, but only on a week to
week basis. Also agreeing to new deals are Michael Devenney, Matt Heywood, Ronnie Jepson,
Eamonn Kelly, Alex Kevan, Craig Mawson, Mark Robertson, Chris Scott, Peter Swan and John
Williamson. We take on two new scholars (formerly known as youth trainees), Earl Davis and
Andrew Waine. Ternent denies we are planning to sell Cooke.
2/7 It's rumoured that Su'lan's' ex- QPR and Sampdoria (?) striker Daniele
Dichio is about to join Burnley. Nicky Daws of Bury has refused to sign a contract
extension, so is said again to be on his way. New signing Dean West says he wants to play
at a higher level again after being relegated with Bury, and expects to do so with
Burnley. Paul Weller goes to Lilleshall to step up his rehabilitation work.
5/7 Pre-season training begins. John Mullin could be set to go to
Sheffield Utd, while Ternent denies that Dichio will be joining us. Paul Cook says he is
relieved to get his on-off transfer to Burnley completed, and always wanted to join us
once he found out we were interested. Clarets great Andy Farrell signs for Morecambe.
Jimmy Mullen joins the Welsh squad as a coach.
6/7 20 year old striker Alan Lee joins us from Aston Villa. Lee, a
Republic of Ireland Under-21 international, is reported to have cost a ‘six figure
sum’ variously reckoned to be somewhere between £100,000 and £250,000, possibly
with a 30% sell-on clause for Villa, and has signed a three year deal. Lee has never
played a first team game for Villa, but impressed on loan spells at Torquay and Port Vale,
who both tried to buy him, with Portsmouth and QPR both having been interested. Port
Vale's bid of £100,000 was recently turned down. It appears Gordon Cowans, now on the
staff at Villa, put in a good word for the club. Lee is 6’2 and reported to be a
'target man' type player. Glen Little is falsely rumoured to be in talks with Charlton
over a £1.4m move.
7/7 Ex-Bastard Nicky Reid joins us as part of a two-man physio team to
replace Paul Lake. Ternent says it’s too big a job for one man now and we need two,
one to cope with new injuries and the other to look after the rehabilitation of injured
players. Only Swan is definitely out for the start of the season. Davis and Smith are said
to be recovering well and even Weller could be back soon.
8/7 The home match against Bournemouth is moved forward a day to Friday 3
September as yet another piece of crass scheduling sees England playing on Saturday
afternoon in competition with the domestic fixtures. The Nicky Daws deal is finally off as
he signs his new contract at Bury.
9/7 Clarets failure chris waddle is promoted to reserve team coach at
moribund Sheffield Wednesday. Lenny Johnrose is briefly rumoured to be on his way out.
Steve Harper joins Warren Joyce's Hull on a free transfer from Mansfield.
12/7 We might make another attempt to sign Paul Gerrard, as Everton's
first choice keeper Mhyre is apparently recovering faster than anticipated. Tony Warner,
ex Liverpool reserve keeper, is another name being bandied about. It is revealed that Paul
Cook is coaching at Accrington Stanley part time. Neil Moore is said to be in talks with
Oxford. Gerry Harrison joins Oldham on trial for pre-season training. Steve Davis says
he’s delighted to be joined by Mitchell Thomas and admits he sold the club to him.
Season ticket sales pass the target figure, and keep rising. We’ve now sold more than
last season’s 6,300, and have passed the million pound mark.
13/7 The club arrange a behind closed doors friendly against Sheffield
Wednesday at their training ground to replace the Man City friendly, but appeal for
supporters not to turn up. The opening match at Wycombe is declared all-ticket for
Clarets. Tony Warner is now said to be off to Millwall.
14/7 Nicolas Nielsen, a Danish goalkeeper at B93 Copenhagen, comes on
trial. We are also linked with Blackburn reserve keeper and one time Hull goalscorer Alan
Fetis.
15/7 Four years after he left, John Mullin returns, signing from
Su’lan’ on a free. Mullin is now 23.
16/7 Northwich Victoria 1 Burnley Reserves 1 is the friendly
result, with a goal by Alex Kevan. Nielsen plays for half the game. Team: Nielsen
(Mawson), Scott, Devenney, Bowden, Heywood, Williamson (Savage), Clarke (Waine), Kelly,
Shandran (Davis), Rhodes, Kevan.
17/7 Burnley draw 1-1 with Sheffield Wednesday in the behind closed doors
friendly. Alan Lee gets the goal. The game is played in two halves of thirty minutes and
we use 19 players altogether. Chris Brass is missing with a groin strain. Ternent says he
is still looking to strengthen the squad.
18/7 It's reported that Burnley have accepted an offer from Crewe for Andy
Cooke with a price of around £600,000. The move breaks down, however, when Cooke fails to
agree terms.
19/7 Ternent says Cooke will stay and is an important part of his squad.
Chris Brass may miss the start of the season.
20/7 Stephen Grant, a 22 year old striker, joins the club on trial from
Stockport. He has also played for Ireland Under-21s. We decide not to pursue our interest
in Nielsen. Ian Liversedge, once a Blackpool and Everton player, joins as our second
physio, from Altrincham. He will work alongside Nicky Reid.
21/7 Morecambe 4 Burnley Reserves 1. Phil Eastwood, on trial at
Morecambe, puts two past us. Andy Farrell also plays. Shandran scores our goal. French
goalkeeper Sebastian Renaud, newly joined on trial, plays for us. Team: Renaud, Scott,
Devenney, Bowden, Heywood, Williamson, Clark, Kelly, Shandran, Maylett, Kevan. Scott is
substituted with an ankle injury. Ternent says we won't be making another attempt to sign
Gerrard, as we can't afford him. Everton also say they haven't had an offer.
22/7 Burnley 1 Everton 0. Alan Lee scores after 43 minutes. Team:
Crichton, West (Grant), Armstrong (Little), Davis, Thomas, Cowan (Smith), Johnrose
(Jepson), Cook (Mullin), Mellon, Cooke (Branch), Payton (Lee). Att: 7,547. Paul Gerrard
plays in goal for Everton. See our match report for details.
The squad numbers for the coming season are unveiled: 1 Paul Crichton, 2 Dean West, 3
Mitchell Thomas, 4 Micky Mellon, 5 Steve Davis, 6 Gordon Armstrong, 7 Glen Little, 8 Paul
Cook, 9 Andy Cooke, 10 Andy Payton, 11 Lenny Johnrose, 12 Ronnie Jepson, 13 Craig Mawson,
14 Chris Brass, 15 Graham Branch, 16 Tom Cowan, 17 Paul Smith, 18 Paul Weller, 19 Mark
Robertson, 20 Brad Maylett, 21 Chris Scott, 22 John Williamson, 23 Matthew Heywood, 24
Michael Devenney, 25 Rune Vindheim, 26 Alex Kevan, 27 Eamonn Kelly, 28 Peter Swan, 29 Alan
Lee, 30 John Mullin. Ternent says we won't be making a bid for Renaud.
23/7 Cowan signs a one year contract, replacing the week to week contract
he had been on.
24/7 Morpeth Town 2 Burnley Reserves 2. Goals from Kevan and
Shandran.
25/7 Burnley 0 Su'lan' 2. John Mullin plays against his old club,
for his old club. Team: Crichton, West (Robertson 70), Thomas, Mellon (Smith 68), Davis,
Armstrong (Little 46), Mullin (Mellon - yes, again - 80), Cooke (Cook 46), Payton (Branch
46) (Grant 75), Johnrose (Lee 46), Cowan (Jepson 68). See match
report for details.
26/7 An odd rumour suggests that Su'lan' want Little and Payton in return
for Dichio and Andy Marriott. This turns out to be far from the truth.
27/7 Rochdale 0 Burnley 1. Little gets the goal. Winger Martin
Smith from Su'lan' plays in the game after joining us on trial. Ternent and Rochdale
manager Steve Parkin fall out during the game. They later claim that we have made an
illegal approach for their keeper Neil Edwards. Ternent is thought to be more upset about
some strong challenges.
28/7 It's thought we may try to sign Martin Smith. He has previously
turned down Ipswich and QPR on grounds of geography.
29/7 Accrington Stanley 0 Burnley Reserves 1. Richard Shaw, a
defender, plays for us on trial. Shandran scores our goal again. Team: Mawson, Savage,
Devanney, Scott, Williamson, Heywood, Maylett, Kelly, Shandran, Shaw, Kenny. See our match report for details.
31/7 Carlisle 1 Burnley 2. Cooke and Lee score. Meanwhile, an
inexperienced Burnley XI side finish Droylsden 4 Burnley XI 1.
