It's official - we're going to be in the Prem in ten years time!

[Brovion]

Ok, it's not 'official', but in 1987 Burnley were one match away from going out of the League and needed a last-day result away at Leyton Orient to survive. They got it, and now 22 years later they're in the Premiership. In 1997 we were one match away from going out of the league - so could we 'do a Burnley'?

As a slight aside, some people today think that Sky and the Premier League represent all that's bad about the game, but back in the 1970s people were worried about the demise of the 'football towns'. The view was that given the excessive national media coverage the big clubs got and the ease of travel, people in towns like Bolton, Blackburn and Burnley in Lanacashire and Huddersfield and Bradford in Yorkshire would forsake their local teams and instead would get in their Ford Cortinas and drive down the newly-laid motorways to watch the likes of Liverpool, Leeds and Man U; consequently the smaller clubs would soon follow Accrington Stanley and Bradford (Park Avenue) into oblivion.

I'm pleased that reports of their demise have been greatly exagerrated. Of course currently Burnley haven't a cat in hell's chance of WINNING the Prem, but at least they've made it back.

 

[The Large One]

England has a long tradition of fans sticking by their team, even when times are crap.

Attendances further down the divisions - in our case, the third tier - are larger than most, if not all of our Europeans counterparts. Of course, this coming season, we have more 'big clubs' than a third tier would normally have, although I still don't believe in the contention that this will be a harder division to be promoted out of than say, last season or the season before. Every club is in this division on merit, because of how they performed last season.

The notion of having to support a top-flight team as well as your own, or rather, the lack of understanding from many when you say you don't support a top-flight team, leaves me baffled and scratching my head. I support Brighton - where on earth is the obligation to support anyone else just because they're bigger or better than us? I just don't get it.

 

[Slough Seagull]

The notion of having to support a top-flight team as well as your own, or rather, the lack of understanding from many when you say you don't support a top-flight team, leaves me baffled and scratching my head. I support Brighton - where on earth is the obligation to support anyone else just because they're bigger or better than us? I just don't get it.

Me too. Will watch any football but in terms of support it is the Albion only for me.

 

[EastbourneGull]

The achievements of Burnley stand as a shining example to clubs like BHA. Of course next season will be a struggle for them. Clearly they are a very well organised set-up, their crowd potential is modest but what impresses me is their performance on the field this season. They have a small squad of players, and this has in a sense forced their hand to be consistent in their team selection, formation and tactical approach. True they have been remarkably free from injuries - though not all this may be put down to luck.

I do believe that RS is trying to achieve this same consistency - something that MA (the Mk 2 version anyway) seemed unable to understand. As Sir Alf Ramsey put it: 'I don't pick the best players - I pick the best team.'

 

[house your seagull]

their crowd potential is modest

i beg to differ sir,

as a former denizen of said town, i can confirm that every one of the fuckers is a claret. admittedly, burnley has 20,000 fewer residents than hove, but as there is not much else to do in the town, football is a big draw - nay, the only draw ... not only that, but they also have first dibs over the whole of east lancashire pretty much, where there is also f*** all to do.

 

[EastbourneGull]

i beg to differ sir,

as a former denizen of said town, i can confirm that every one of the fuckers is a claret. admittedly, burnley has 20,000 fewer residents than hove, but as there is not much else to do in the town, football is a big draw - nay, the only draw ... not only that, but they also have first dibs over the whole of east lancashire pretty much, where there is also f*** all to do.

I bow to your superior local knowledge - I'd envisaged gates in the Bolton - Blackburn category which by premier league standards I would describe as modest. What is Turf Moor's capacity and are there imminent plans for increasing capacity?

 

[Wienergull]

Very pleased to see teams like Burnley and Hull go up. If they can do it, so can we.

Have been very impressed by Burnley's football this season whenever I've seen them on the box. The worry, I guess, is that they will be next season's West Brom. Mind you, getting there is a huge achievement in its own right.

 

[Notters]

i beg to differ sir,

as a former denizen of said town, i can confirm that every one of the fuckers is a claret. admittedly, burnley has 20,000 fewer residents than hove, but as there is not much else to do in the town, football is a big draw - nay, the only draw ... not only that, but they also have first dibs over the whole of east lancashire pretty much, where there is also f*** all to do.

But isn't a large proportion of the town's population from ethnic minorities? Are they welcomed at Turf Moor? Not wishing to start a binfest, I only ask because I remember being greated by several huge "vote BNP" posters when exiting the motorway on my last visit there.

 

[The Large One]

Very pleased to see teams like Burnley and Hull go up. If they can do it, so can we.

Have been very impressed by Burnley's football this season whenever I've seen them on the box. The worry, I guess, is that they will be next season's West Brom. Mind you, getting there is a huge achievement in its own right.

I wonder how long it will be before David Mellor slags their promotion into the Premiership off as well.

 

[Wienergull]

I wonder how long it will be before David Mellor slags their promotion into the Premiership off as well.

Did he say that about Hull? Haven't heard anything from him for a long time. Does he still host the occasional 606?

 

[Slough Seagull]

But isn't a large proportion of the town's population from ethnic minorities? Are they welcomed at Turf Moor? Not wishing to start a binfest, I only ask because I remember being greated by several huge "vote BNP" posters when exiting the motorway on my last visit there.

Do Asians have any interest/knowledge of football outside the top 4, Barca, Real Madrid, the two Milan teams and Argentina...or is that just Slough?

 

[Notters]

Do Asians have any interest/knowledge of football outside the top 4, Barca, Real Madrid, the two Milan teams and Argentina...or is that just Slough?

8 pages

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

The novelty of watching football in the top flight soon wears off.

 

[Napper]

Don't think they would be that welcome at Turf More , race relations in that part are very strained. Lots of crimes against white people ie racist attacks. Certainly totally different to sleepy sussex in that respect

 

[house your seagull]

i have been abused by most ethnic denominations in burnley!

there is a large asian population but they have a big catchment regardless, i believe there to be a high number of ex-pats around the UK too - many people leave burnley for reasons such as jobs, university, hope etc. with the only link being that everybody is a burnley fan, it's not like brighton in that respects, i think there was a survey done and burnley has the highest fan to local team ratio in the uk - if that makes sense.

in terms of turf moor, they probably do want to expand, but i doubt they will - i've seen plans in the local rag but they got in big money problems when building those two monster stands 10 years ago (they did this to compete with the bastards, aka blackburn rovers, when they redeveloped ewood) so may not want to get their fingers burnt again - 60 million quid or not.

burnley were given permission to build a university last year, there is a a large derelict part of the town centre that hugs the canal and would be amazing if redeveloped - the idea is that this will happen and large local building firms are bidding on the contracts now with an eye to get going when the economy picks up.

 

[house your seagull]

I remember being greated by several huge "vote BNP" posters when exiting the motorway on my last visit there.

i think the BNP is becoming very, ermmm, unfashionable up here. it's a bit like when the french voted for Le Pen in the pre-election a few years back, when they realised that actually he could get in power they soon changed their minds.

the Manchester Evening News today has a big front page urging us not to vote BNP, quite a statement from them as the Guardian Media Group own most of the local papers up here - including the MEN - and one would assume they'll all have to follow in a similar vein.

we will see.

 

[The Uninvited Guest]

It's official..... BHA will be a championship club in 11 years time if they are in the prem in 10 years time

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Me too. Will watch any football but in terms of support it is the Albion only for me.

Yep and me.