Looking back, looking forward...

One great thing about being a football fan is the air of optimism that every true supporter has ahead of a new season. This past season was no different, even for a Burnley fan!

I remember watching the summer signings arrive and thinking: ‘you just never know, stranger things have happened!’

Come August, not even last season’s nightmare nineteen game winless run was dampening my spirits. Especially as we got off to flying start at home to promotion candidates West Brom. A 2-1 win may even have had the most pessimistic fans dreaming…maybe?

However, this great home win was not to act as a catalyst for a continued good run at home. Throughout the season we continued to struggle at home, particularly in 2007. One particular home defeat proved enough for then manager Steve Coterill.

A grim Tuesday night in November saw Hull steal the points in front of less than 10,000 inside Turf Moor. The goal not only sealed the win for Hull but also the end of Coterills’ tenure as Burnley manager.

Owen Coyle came in and the ‘honey moon period’ was, for me, the most exciting time of the season. Away wins at Watford, Charlton and Wolves were achieved playing fluent, attacking football; something which the regular Burnley faithful had come unaccustomed to under Coterill. Disappointingly we still struggled at home.

The win at Wolves lifted us to seventh in the table, with a game in hand to climb into that all too talked about top six. The top six never came; we always seemed to fail at the pinnacle moments. It’s hard not to look back at home defeats to the then bottom two; QPR and Preston and think, what if?


Coyle’s first home win as Burnley manager came on January 12th 2008 against Plymouth Argyle, a Blake volley was enough for the Turf Moor crowd to witness their first Burnley win since Norwich in October.

It was the start of a six game unbeaten home run, yet all of a sudden our away form faltered. The main theme was inconsistency, and it was the very theme that every team around the top suffered with. It is the exact reason why we have seen West Brom go up as champions with only 81 points, and Watford reach the play-offs with just 69.

A disappointing last third to the season saw any faint play hopes vanish, but it is important to look at the season with, at least, a bit of perspective.

Not since THAT season with Stan at the helm do I remember entering the month of April with something still to play for. Not in my time supporting Burnley do I remember the side trying to play as attractive football as has been seen since Coyle’s arrival. Not since 2001/02 have we achieved as many points as we have this season.

It is disappointing to slip out of the top half, but once more as pre-season looms there is reason for optimism.

Brendan Flood has joined the board and Paul Fletcher is behind an exciting re-development of the ground. Owen Coyle has a summer to get together a squad of footballers who suit him, and get them playing his way.

We may fall short again next season, but once more the ‘pre-season optimism’ has returned going into the summer. As depressing as it is to look back and think ‘what if?’ It is also refreshing to look forward and think ‘what will be?’

Thanks to everyone at Burnley Football Club for an enjoyable season and roll on August 2008.

Up the Clarets!