2/10 Ternent confirms he
has put in an increased offer for Ian Moore, saying it’s as high as he’ll go and
if they don’t accept it he’ll go for someone else. The offer could be somewhere
around £1.25m, while Stockport might hope for £1.5m. It's thought that, if we continue
to be rebuffed, we might go for Birmingham's Dele Adebola. Ternent also refutes the
rumours of Payton’s departure, saying, " Andy is an integral part of the
squad… We need Andy at the club."
3/10 More from the least professional outfit in
football, as Stockport's Mike Flynn says we offered £200,000 for him earlier this season,
but Stockport wanted more. He adds, "I would definitely be interested… it would
be a new challenge to go to a club like Burnley. " So much for the rivalry they claim
to enjoy with us. Ternent leaps to Paul Cook's defence after he was booed on Saturday.
Speaking in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, he says, "Paul Cook has been an
integral part of Burnley Football Club. He's been a fantastic player and he still is and I
thought the treatment he received on Saturday wasn't becoming of Burnley supporters. If
they want to have a go at anybody I would prefer them to have a go at me and let the
players get on with what they're doing…. I say to the supporters 'you are an integral
part of Burnley Football Club. You are part of our team.' So let's stick together and
let's get on with it."
4/10 Stockport are reported to have turned down
our offer of £1.25m for Ian Moore. Burnley Reserves 0 Birmingham Reserves 4.
Apparently it could have been worse except for a good display by young keeper James
Salisbury, making his first appearance at this level. Team: Salisbury, Leeson (Williamson
46), Pilkington, Heywood (Kevan 46), Armstrong (Boden 46), Boardman, Maylett, Mullin,
Shandran, West, Johnrose. SNU: Derbyshire and Paxton. Yes, Adebola does play, and in fact
scores their third goal. We unveil a yellow and dark blue third choice cum training kit,
mostly for training, but also to be used in case of a colour clash with our Claret and
Blue or Blue and Claret kits. Doubtless now on sale at the club shop. It’s revealed
that Wigan did make an offer for Payton last week, and it was turned down flat. The news
that a smaller North West club had made a bid sparked the false rumour of Rochdale’s
interest.
5/10 Paul Cook says he won’t let the
crowd’s criticism get to him. Speaking in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, he says,
"I don't think anyone who is sane would say it helps them but I will honestly say I
will still do the same things and still try my best for the football club and the manager
until he tells me otherwise… Criticism is genuinely fine by me but the stark reality
is that we are tenth in the First Division. The most important thing is Burnley Football
Club, not Paul Cook or any named player. The well-being of the club is everything and the
whole top and bottom of it is when Paul Cook is long gone Burnley should be a successful
club." The other Steve Davis finds himself joint caretaker manager of Northwich
Victoria, along with Jimmy Quinn, after their manager is sacked.
6/10 Tranmere 2 Burnley 3. Scorers: Davis
(45, 55), Payton (90!) / Koumas (57), Hall (64). Team: Michopoulos, Cox, Davis, Thomas,
Briscoe, Mellon, Ball, Cook (Jepson 85), Little, Mullin (Weller 67), Branch (Payton 74).
SNU: Crichton and Johnrose. Att: 10,153. See our match report.
We go 7th. We play 4-4-2 with Branch and Mullin as the strikers. Of this new
forward partnership, Ternent says, "I wanted to get at them a bit more… I just
wanted to push on a little bit and that's what we did." Cooke’s absence from the
squad sparks rumours that he has been sold, perhaps to Stockport as part of the Moore
deal, and Payton’s demotion to the bench also sets tongues awag. Ternent says Cooke
just needed a break, while of the game, he says, "Last night I went for it and we are
capable of doing that. And it worked out for us." The by now boring Ian Moore story
is revived when it appears that Stockport haven’t yet contacted Burnley to definitely
turn down. Kilby says, "I think it is still alive but if they don't ring me I won't
ring them. The ball's in their court… We can't afford to spend silly money. We have a
precious resource of cash and it has to be the right buy at the right price. But Stan has
a good record of bringing people in."
7/10 Phil Gray comes on for the last six minutes
as Northern Ireland draw 1-1 at home to Denmark. The youth game at home to Preston is
postponed. Ternent says he hopes to bring in a striker on loan. He comments, "I've
got 21 players who are capable of playing in the side and hopefully there'll be 22 on
Monday." Speculation centres around Adebola. He is reported to have said,
"Burnley is a big club, and it would be a challenge to come here and get away from
Birmingham."
8/10 Or perhaps not. Adebola comes on as a sub
in Birmingham’s game at Crewe and creates both goals. Birmingham Manager (still)
Trevor Francis says he doesn’t want to loan Adebola, and only wants a a permanent
deal. Alan Lee plays against Paul Smith in Rotherham v Oldham, with Lee starting and Smith
a sub. Rotherham win 3-0, but Lee doesn't score.
9/10 Our loan signing is revealed to be Paul
Robinson, the 21 year old striker signed by Wimbledon from Newcastle for £1.5 million
only in the summer. We had been linked with him then and before. Having played four times,
he has been kept out of the side by strikers Wimbledon had expected to sell. According to
Wimbledon's official website, Robinson "...is having problems settling in the
capital… and the two parties are hoping that the move may lead to Robinson joining
the East Lancashire club on a permanent basis." Robinson was reckoned to be a highly
promising player at Newcastle when they signed him from Darlington for £250,000, and is
best remembered there for being the player Gullit picked ahead of Shearer at the end of
his confused reign. Wolves Reserves 0 Burnley Reserves 3. Scorers are Jepson (a
penalty), Johnrose and Maylett. For once, it's a very strong team, including four players
who played in the league match at Molineux. Team: Crichton, West, Armstrong, Weller (Kevan
48), Heywood, Boardman, Maylett, Jepson, Cooke (Williamson 58), Payton (Shandran 48),
Johnrose. Subs not used: Paxton and Pilkington. This is Crichton's first game for the
reserves. Rumour has it that Gray is unhappy with his absence from the first team, and
wants off. Odd: we seem to recall Gray saying when he joined that he was prepared to fight
for a place, and of course even Ian Wright didn’t mind doing that. Grimsby, run by
Luton's old manager Lennie Lawrence, are keen. Lawrence says, "Phil Gray is a
possibility… The only worry is that he's been injury prone and that he would have to
prove his fitness first. He's not a star but he could hold his own at this level."
10/10 Rumours grow that the Moore deal may be
revived, with Stockport insisting that they are "very close to making a deal."
Gossip has it that Cooke will go to Stockport in part exchange. Is anyone getting a bit
tired of this?
11/10 Phil Gray comes on as a sub for his
customary six minutes for Northern Ireland, but they lose 1-0 to a last minute goal away
to Iceland. It looks like Grimsby aren't so interested in him, as they sign another
striker and are also supposed to be after Clive Mendonca.
12/10 A rumour hits the internet that Ternent
and a first team player had a post-training bust up. We’re not saying any more.
Stockport say that they haven’t made an offer for Andy Cooke, while Mike Flynn, after
saying earlier how much he'd love to play for us, suffers a bout of amnesia and signs a
new contract for Stockport. Ever get the feeling you've been used? Ternent appears on a
Radio Five question and answer programme. Did anyone hear it?
13/10 Burnley's official website is relaunched
at www.burnleyfootballclub.com. Our quick
review: very corporate, no sign of supporter involvement, thin on content and lacking
links to the sites that have represented Burnley in the absence of an official site. But
be sure to take a look for yourself. It's suggested that Stockport might sell us Moore
after they've played us. Ternent says Andy Cooke is an "integral" member of his
team and won't be leaving. David Eyres, now 36, goes to Oldham on a free transfer. waddle
thought he was past it three years ago.
14/10 Burnley 2 Stockport County 1. Scorers:
Payton (20), Branch (25) / Tod (56). Team: Michopoulos, Thomas, Davis, Cox, Briscoe,
Mellon, Ball, Cook (Jepson 63), Little (Weller 18), Branch, Payton (Robinson 46). SNU:
Crichton and Mullin. Att: 16,107. See our match report. The
player who was alleged to have fallen out with Ternent plays. Pinches of salt all round.
Little and Payton are both taken off with hamstring injuries. Ternent comments, "We
went into Saturday with a clean bill of health, a big problem picking the team and picking
the subs and by half-time we'd got two hamstring injuries… That's why we need the
squad we have." Moore plays for Stockport, and the consensus is that he does not
impress. Branch, of course, scores against the club we signed him from. Of Robinson, on as
a sub, Ternent says, "I thought he did alright… he's got a good bit of pace and
he held the ball up not bad later in the game. When he started off he was useless, holding
it up, and I told him that. But in the last twenty minutes he was really good. " Paul
Weller signs a contract extension to keep him at Burnley for a further three years. His
current contract was due to expire in the summer. Ternent says, "He has been playing
exceptionally well this season and it's a step in the right direction for both Paul and
the football club." Barry Kilby comes on the post match Radio Lancashire phone in to
state that the Moore deal is finished and our final offer has been withdrawn. He says,
"We went to our limit and they weren't prepared to come down below theirs. It was
time to call a halt." He adds, "Stan can have the money for someone else. "
Looks like Stockport's bluff has been called. Vince Overson joins the club's community
department. Burnley Youth 1 Carlisle Youth 2, with Liam Eaves scoring.
15/10 According to rumours, Andy Cooke is
supposed to be going to Preston for £500,000.
16/10 Paul Smith returns to Burnley short of
completing his month's loan at Oldham. Although he played alongside David Eyres on
Saturday, he's now injured - after falling down a manhole! Apparently he was carrying a
box to his car and didn't see the open hole, with the result that he ended up in hospital
on Sunday night having stitches to his shin. Moving on to more sensible injuries, Payton's
isn't serious, but Little will be out for perhaps five weeks. Of his new contract, Paul
Weller says, "The gaffer stuck by me throughout it all. He came when I first had my
illness and he was brilliant during the illness and helped me get back last year."
Speaking about our lofty position, Steve Davis says, "Still the main priority is to
avoid relegation." Macclesfield are said to be hoping to persuade the 39 year old
chris waddle to play for them.
17/10 Burnley 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0. Scorer:
Davis (74). Team: Michopoulos, Thomas, Davis, Cox, Briscoe, Mellon, Ball, Cook (Cooke 24),
Weller, Branch (Jepson 71), Payton (Johnrose 80). SNU: Crichton and Robinson. Att: 16,732,
the highest home gate of the season. See our match report.
Speaking before the game, ex Wednesday player Lee Briscoe says, "It's just another
game and as long as we get three points that will do for me." Ternent says afterwards
that safety is still his target. He comments, "We are delighted at the moment. Our
ambition from the offset was to maintain a First Division status. I would say that with
the situation we're in now another 10 wins would allow us to do that… I'll take 55
points now and not play." Speaking about his early substitution of Cook, Ternent
says, "In fairness to Paul Cook I got the team wrong and the balance wrong. And it
was rather embarrassing for me having to take him off but I have explained the situation
to him. We just needed a bit more width down there and another one up front and all's well
that ends well."
18/10 Tranmere Reserves 1 Burnley Reserves 2.
Scorers are Shandran and Williamson, and the young team is: Salisbury, West, Pilkington,
Heywood, Williamson, Boardman, Maylett, Bowden, Shandran, Clark, Kevan. Subs: Paxton,
Waine, Leeson, O'Neill, Eaves. They go second in their league. Stockport suggest that the
Moore deal may still be on. What an amateurish club to attempt to do business with.
Rotherham ask to take Alan Lee on loan for a second month. Their manager Ronnie Moore
says, "The lad has been magnificent in everything but putting the ball in the net. I
would just love him to get a goal." The Lancashire Youth Cup game home to Rochdale,
is postponed until Monday 6th November.
19/10 Accounts for the 1999/2000 season show a
£1.6m loss, down £200,000 from the year before. Turnover rose to £5.6m from £3.6m.
This season's target is for £8m turnover and break even. The club appeal for supporters
and companies to support its financial and telecoms packages. Barry Kilby confirms that we
can still afford the kind of money we were prepared to spend on Moore. He comments,
"Chris Duckworth bought £500,000 worth of shares which strengthened our position but
it's also down to the improved trading of the club. We feel under the right circumstances
that we can pay that sort of amount. It does reflect the improved position of the
club." To no one's great surprise, Preston are now supposed to be after Moore. Why do
they always do that?
20/10 Halifax release Gerry Harrison and Steve
'Alfonso’ Morgan. It's a shame that Geddo's career went sideways; the same can't be
said of Morgan. Kilby says that the Ian Moore deal is definitely dead. Meanwhile, from the
world of strange rumours, we are linked with Stan Collymore. The basis of this rumour
seems to be that he knows Stan from their time at Crystal Palace, despite the fact that
Ternent left Palace in 1989 and Collymore joined them in 1991. Good one.
21/10 QPR 0 Burnley 1, which is our fourth
successive win. Scorer: Mullin (70).Team: Michopoulos, Thomas, Cox, Davis, Briscoe,
Weller, Ball, Cook (Johnrose 79), Mellon, Branch (Mullin 66), Payton (Robinson 81). SNU:
Armstrong and Crichton. Att: 11,427. See our match report. We
go 6th, and - we're going to say this now in case we don't get another chance -
into a premier league play-off position. Ternent says, "The game went exactly
according to plan, for once," adding that his advice to Mullin was, "go and
enjoy yourself. Go and play. That's what you're paid for. Go and do your stuff."
Devenney gets sent off for Leigh RMI.
22/10 We are re-linked with Adebola - Brum are
said to have turned down a cash offer - and, we think for the first time, Paul Butler, a
central defender at Su'lan', and previously (aha!) Bury.
23/10 Ternent says Butler is a good player but
he doesn't think he could afford him.
24/10 Hats off to Alan Lee, who finally bangs
one in for Rotherham, scoring the fourth in their 4-2 home win against Swansea. Meanwhile,
Brass, Devenney and Scott return to Burnley. Of Brass, Halifax manager Paul Bracewell says
they'd like to sign him but can't afford him, while Ternent says we've recalled him. Brass
admits he's enjoyed playing some games (in a 'midfield holding role', no less) but adds,
"I would have run back to be playing at Burnley," bless him. As most first
division teams play, we slip to 7th. On our progress to date, Ternent says,
"I know that if I want to go on and improve the side it is going to cost me a lot of
money. The papers keep linking me with all sorts of people. I have my eye on one or two
players but at the moment they are not available right now… I have a very good set of
players here. We have a good camaraderie… When we came into this division we said we
wanted to stay up and that is still the priority. Once we have done that then we can look
at the play-offs and then we can look at automatic promotion. There is a certain level we
need to achieve and getting promoted last season was a part of that. We need to maintain
that. We should be in the top two divisions. Our target is obviously to stop in the top
six…. Over the past few years we haven't had a lot to shout about. Now we are doing
all right but it is not a surprise to me. We have gone into the top six, but I am still
not getting carried away."
25/10 Oh dear. Down to earth
with a bang with Nottingham Forest 5 Burnley 0. Scorers: Bart-Williams (4, 54 pen),
Johnson (45+), Rogers (76), Scimeca (89). Team: Michopoulos, Thomas, Cox, Davis (Johnrose
67), Briscoe, Weller, Ball, Cook (Mullin 46), Mellon, Branch (Robinson 60), Payton. SNU:
Armstrong and Crichton. Att: 17,915. See our match report.
Burnley play in their rubbish new yellow and blue training kit. Davis is taken off with a
cut shin, which isn't thought to be serious. We stay 7th. Ternent says, "
We conceded poor goals from set plays… They were poor goals to concede. I put it down
to bad marking. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb and we couldn't do it… Everyone
has been talking about the play-offs but it is crazy talking about the play offs. We are
novices in this division and we are still learning at this level. We showed that tonight.
This result has brought us crashing back down to earth. Hopefully it might bring a bit of
sanity back into the place again. It just shows how fickle this league is. We are back at
base camp now. We will re-group tomorrow and look forward to Saturday's game. We got our
backsides well and truly kicked. We defended very poorly for some reason but Saturday is
another day and we have to bounce back from this. That is the challenge for us. We were
just not at the races tonight but we will put it behind us and crack on. It was a bit
baffling but we have to take our medicine. Obviously, we don't expect to go through the
whole season without losing. We went to Wolves and played a lot worse and only lost 1-0.
But we will put it down to a bad day at the office. The players have done extremely well
so far this season. We have made a positive start to the season… We gave ourselves a
target to maintain Division One status, and let's not forget that. We have two home games
now on Saturday and Tuesday and we have to make the most of them. There are no excuses. It
was very frustrating and very disappointing, but I have to take responsibility for that.
My shoulders are broud enough to take it and my players will respond, believe me. We let
the fans down, we had fantastic backing again from them tonight, and we didn't give them
the performance they deserved. We have to accept that we have been particularly poor
tonight by the standards we have set ourselves. But we will maintain First Divison status,
I can promise you that. Let’s concentrate on our main target first, and that is
staying in this division." David Platt's programme notes welcome Barnsley. Sigh.
Meanwhile, guess which other North West club is now said to be after Adebola.
26/10 This spot marks the final resting
place of the Stan Collymore rumour. The troubled one goes to Bradford: desperate player
meets desperate club. Phil Gray is alleged to be desperate to leave Burnley, feeling that
as our club's only international he should be in the first team. Off you go, then.
27/10 Splendid news that we can all feel
proud of, as it is confirmed that the stretch of Brunshaw Road on which Turf Moor stands
will be renamed Harry Potts Way. Those who were present at last summer's AGM will recall
that this idea was first put forward by London Clarets member Phil Whalley, and Barry
Kilby and Peter Pike MP promised to take it forward. It was then raised at the subsequent
meeting between the board and supporters' clubs representatives, and Burnley Council have
now given their permission. The change will be announced formally at tomorrow’s game,
which will be attended by Harry's widow Margaret, who says, "This has made my
weekend. The family are delighted that this has been made possible." Barry Kilby
adds, " I am very proud that we are able to honour Harry Potts in this most fitting
way. He is one of the most influential figures in the club's illustrious history and his
name will be remembered forever in perpetuity." Stan Ternent says, " It's well
deserved recognition for the most successful manager in Burnley Football Club's history. I
am delighted with the news and it is long overdue in my view." Peter Pike comments,
" I knew Harry Potts personally and it is a honour that this famous part of Burnley
will be named after him." New signs will be paid for Barrowford Clarets, so hats off
to them, and the club will change its stationery to reflect its new address of Turf Moor,
Harry Potts Way, Burnley. We don't want to gripe, but the official site are being less
than accurate when they state that, "The suggestion was the idea of Burnley Football
Club's Official Supporters Club branches who submitted the scheme to the football
club," a sentence that contains more than one mistake. Chris Brass is linked with a
loan move to Rochdale. Ternent says he'll stick by Michopoulos, despite his bad game at
Forest.
28/10 The home game against Norwich is
called off by referee David Laws at two o'clock, due to a waterlogged pitch. Clive Holt
attempts to suggest that Burnley have more rain that any other league club, and then goes
on to hint that both managers wanted the game to go ahead. We seem to recall an earlier
assertion of Holt's that no Turf Moor game would ever again be postponed due to the
weather. The only other league game called off is at Plymouth. Such is the chaos that has
descended on what used to be called our national rail network that our hardy travellers
don't even make Burnley before the postponement. Norwich must hate Lancashire: a league
cup match at Blackpool was also called off earlier this month. We remain 7th.
The youth game against Tranmere is also called off. It’s reported that we're about to
make an offer for Paul Robinson, said to have impressed Ternent, even though he hasn't
been picking him.
29/10 The Burnley FC history exhibition,
'Vintage Claret and Blues' opens its doors at Towneley Hall. It will run until the end of
the year, and each Sunday opening will be attended by a former Burnley player. Click for more details.
30/10 The referee who postponed
Saturday’s game, David Laws of Whitley Bay, insists that he had to call it off for
the safety of the players. He says he inspected at 12.30, already too late to stop Norwich
setting off, and then after work on the pitch, again at 1.30 and 2.00. With the weather
forecast predicting further rain, he decided to call it off. Laws says neither manager
complained about his decision. With indecent haste, the match is rearranged for Tuesday 21
November. And just when you thought you were going to get through a whole diary without
hearing the name ‘Nicky Daws’, he’s once again linked with an alleged
£150,000 move to Burnley.
31/10 Burnley 1 Crewe 0. Scorer: Cooke
(39), back after a five match absence. Team (3-5-2): Michopoulos, Thomas, Davis, Cox, Cook
(Johnrose 64), Mellon, Ball, Weller, Branch, Cooke (Jepson 84), Payton (Mullin 58). SNU:
Crichton and Robinson. Att: 13,189, our lowest of the season, and attributable to the
horrible weather. See our match report. We go 6th,
and back into the play-offs. Briscoe, ever present hitherto, is absent with a thigh
strain, and Payton is subbed with a hamstring twinge. The Harry Potts Way announcement is
formally made at half time. Andy Cooke comments, "I am delighted with the goal. It is
hard when you have been out and I am pleased to be back and all I want to do is play and
score goals for Burnley." Ternent comments, "We're a third of the way through
the season and we now only need eight more wins to stay up. We've got 31 games to get
eight wins, but obviously I want them as soon as possible. We have had a solid start to
the season, but I'm not getting carried away like certain other people are doing. The
play-offs are a long way from my mind, we are still concentrating on survival."
Before the game, Dario Gradi says he would have liked to have managed Burnley earlier in
his career, and praises the passion of our support. Speaking on the official site, Ternent
says of Saturdays’ postponement, "It was disappointing for those supporters who
travelled. We had supporters travelling from London and North of the Lake District and
from their point of view it is not satisfactory." Bless.
