This season will be different
Pauline looks ahead to the 2003/04 season
As published in the 27th July edition of Sport First
Last season, there seemed to be two Burnley teams. Team A was the polished unit of skilled professionals that took us to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, and to the fourth round of the League Cup. Team B was the ragbag of crocks, clowns and idlers responsible for scorelines such as Grimsby 6 Burnley 5, Burnley 2 Rotherham 6, and – perhaps most humiliating of all, as they’d already been relegated – Burnley 2 Sheffield Wednesday 7. By May, most of us were unsure whether to laugh or cry.
I was worried that we’d start this season with more or less the same team, and so it was a relief when manager Stan Ternent had a major clear-out of personnel. Initially, I was concerned that he might have overdone it – we didn’t even have a goalkeeper at one stage. Over the summer, though, we’ve signed some new players (including a goalkeeper) and I’m now looking forward to August.
So, this season will certainly be different. I’ve no idea if it will be better, of course – all I know is that we’ve virtually a new team to get used to, a new ground to visit (Stadium of Light, here we come), and there’s sure to be an interesting Cup match or two. Personally, I’ll be lowering my expectations a bit, and trying to take it a bit less seriously. I hope the team can do the opposite, and give us something to smile about come next May.
Pauline Pratley
July 2003
