Still waiting for the first summer signing...

...actually make that Owen Coyle's first permanent signing since he arrived at Turf Moor.

So far we have seen Andrew Cole, Jon Harley and most recently James O'Connor turn down deals to remain Burnley players, whilst David Unsworth is yet to put pen to paper. I wonder if Coyle still believes five signings will be enough.

It is early for alarm bells to be ringing, but one thing I worry about is Coyle's and the clubs reluctance to negotiate fees and wages for players we obviously want. Naturally, it is sensible. In the long run, our shrewd money management will perhaps benefit us. However, it is worrying because all the other clubs around us are not afraid to go out and pay the prices in an inflated market. Let's just see what the next month brings.

The club this morning confirmed that we have bid for Scunthorpe United striker Martin Paterson, the bid was subsequently turned down. Here are some other players who we have been linked with, believe what you want.

Derek Riordan (Celtic) This one refuses to go away...

David Weir (Rangers) Yes, he has had a great season...but no thanks!

Darel Russell (Norwich City) Could be useful.

Kaspars Gorkšs (Blackpool) Who knows? I don't.

Farewell Jon Harley

People support their football clubs in good times and bad times. Throughout those times people inevitably adopt their ‘favourite’ players. Jon Harley was certainly a Burnley player I was fond of.

It emerged yesterday afternoon that chants of “Jon ‘arley, JON ‘ARLEY, Jon ‘arley” would no longer be heard from the Longside. Owen Coyle and the Burnley left back were unable to agree terms on a new deal.

The thing that endeared me most to Jon Harley was his cheeky cockney attitude and the way he always seemed to be smiling and enjoying his football. Add this to what I would describe as an impressive season for the Clarets, and you are bound to have a player who most fans appreciate.

Naturally, due to those reasons, I was sad to see Jon leaving the club. Truth be told however, I was not all that surprised. Members of the Clarets Mad message board have pointed out that Harley’s form this season was not his form last season, when many people pinpointed left back as a problem area. Neither in the last month has Jon Harley been at his best.

Jon Harley will certainly be missed by many fans, but he is very much replaceable. I think that Owen Coyle knows this.

In addition to Harley not agreeing a new deal, John Spicer and Garreth O'Connor have been released from the club. Gabor Kiraly has also been made available for a transfer.

Picture taken from burnleyfootballclub.com

Turf Moor season comes to an entertaining finish

Many may have been forgiven for expecting a boring, nothing to play for game between the Clarets and Cardiff City on Saturday. However, the 10,700 that filled Turf Moor certainly got entertainment for their money.

The game itself produced six goals, and Burnley twice squandered leads. Alexander and Cole had put the Clarets 2-0 up. The Bluebirds bounced back to 2-2, before Clarke Carlisle looked to have won it. It wasn't to be though and Burnley were forced to end their home campaign with, probably a fair, 3-3 draw.

The entertainment levels soared when Darren Purse took a chunk out of Andrew Cole's leg with a high challenge. Purse left the field to amusing chants of 'you're not going to Wembley', and he was swiftly followed by Cole who in turn was pursued by two Cardiff players, two Burnley players and the Lancashire police! Owen Coyle summed it up perfectly as a scene from a Benny Hill show!

It was certainly surreal to watch, and unlike anything I have ever seen in thirteen years as a Claret! To have been a fly on the wall in that tunnel...

Andrew Cole was not happy with the challenge or Dave Jones' comments about his role in the red card:

“Nothing happened in the tunnel unfortunately, but I did go after him (Purse). I am not going to fib about it,” said Cole.

“He is a muppet. He cannot even play anyway. I am furious about it. It is one of the worst tackles I have had in my career on me. I am disgusted he said I went over the ball. Just look at my leg.”

Cole also blasted Jones after the City boss said he thought Purse’s red card was harsh and that Cole needed to ‘take a look at himself’ following the way he reacted to the incident.

“I cannot believe Dave Jones said that about it,” fumed Cole.

“I have been a professional player with a career over 18 years. I don’t need to have a look at myself, Dave Jones needs to go and have a look at himself. I cannot believe it really.”

Cole revealed he was planning to consider his future in the game at the end of the season, but believed he had been left with a score to settle.

Cole ranted: “I adore playing football so I don’t know about retirement, but if I play only two games next season I hope it is home and away to Cardiff.”

Watch the Darren Purse challenge on Andrew Cole below...

The usual crowd flowed onto the pitch at the final whistle, and it was hard not to laugh at the stewards trying to stop them getting on to the pitch, largely unsuccessfully.

So that is that, the curtain has closed on another season at Turf Moor. Looking back it has to be said that the season has not been as bad as one might think. Yes, we did fall out of contention for a play-off place, but try not to forget that we will have our best league finish in six years.

Now is time to look forward to a summer of strengthening and hopefully another promotion push next season. Let's get Palace out the way and look forward to August.

Up the Clarets!

(Picture taken from http://www.burnleyfc.com/ of Andrew Cole's injury)

Play-offs still a possibility with a clown in goal?

The News of the World led with the headline on Sunday: “Coco Kiraly”. It is hard to disagree with a headline which is particularly apt in describing the Hungarian’s performance on Saturday. It is also hard to disagree that goalkeeping errors are becoming the story of the Claret's season, in a season which sees the most competitive Championship ever.

So, after a great win at home to Charlton on Andy Gray’s Turf Moor return, Burnley were once again within touching distance of the play-offs. Wolves were the visitors to the North West, and it was a Burnley crowd with high expectations. Those expectations were soon quashed, as within fifteen minutes the team from the Black Country were 2-0 up. The first came from comical defending and the second came in even more comical circumstances. Now, to move on to the third and the less said the better.

Ade Akinbiyi did pull a goal back for the Clarets but it wasn’t to be, and Wolves ran out deserved winners. I was particularly impressed with the ability of the Wolves players to shut down and hassle the Clarets at every opportunity.

Naturally, this defeat bought out the usual outcry from some of the Burnley faithful, but without, god forbid, sounding to optimistic, the play-offs are still a definite possibility for our inconsistent side.

In a season where every team has struggled to string together a run of results, it is going to be the team that lifts it for the last few games that sneaks it, and there is no reason that the Clarets cannot be that team. The next to games are vital, a trip to Deepdale to play Lancashire rivals Preston, then a home game with FA Cup giant killers Barnsley. Six from six there and the dream will live on, hopefully the players will realise what a genuine possibility they have of achieving something great.

One thing is for sure, the fans are going to play a pivotal part now. Owen Coyle has spoken about how great they have been already, but now they really need to get behind the team, and breathe confidence into the likes of Kiraly or Jensen.

Kiraly and Jensen… Coyle is now in a very difficult situation, he has constantly switched his keepers, giving one a run of games and the changing when mistakes occur. I believe one thing is needed now, and that is pick a keeper and stick with him. It is no good for the defence having a different keeper behind them each week, and it is no good for the keeper knowing one mistake and he faces the chop.

Finally, something to emerge from the Wolves game is something which has been haunting us all season. Each time we get within striking distance of the play-offs, we lose. I wouldn’t mind seeing the odds for getting within touching distance on the last day and eventually sneaking in! Anyone else fancy that?!

Oh Robbie, Robbie!

I did not think I would be posting again so soon, but after an exciting day at Turf Moor I felt inclined to.

Title chasing Watford were in town, and left with a point, a point which over the course of the game they perhaps didn’t deserve. Owen Coyle certainly felt Burnley did enough to merit maximum points on a miserable day a t’turf.

Kyle Lafferty missed a chance before Akinbiyi missed an open goal, and one suspected it was going to be another disappointing home defeat, where we failed to take our chances. In the end, we twice came back from behind to secure a point, which in all honesty should have been three. We’ve Robbie Blake to thank for saving us today though, and a full match report can be seen here.

Something else emerged from the match today, and it certainly wasn’t something for Burnley Football Club to be proud of. Trouble in the stands saw friction rise between some home fans and stewards, which resulted in a conflict between a fan and a steward.

I can see the point of view of certain Burnley fans at the back who want to stand, sing and create an atmosphere that the Longside was a kin to in years gone by, but the fact is rules are in place now, and stewards, at the end of the day, have to do their job. I like no other would love to stand and sing, but the rules are to sit down, and yes, that is sad, but yes, they are also the rules. It’s just a case of accepting it. I sympathise with the stewards and the fans, but at then end of the day it’s all about respect.

Perhaps if the fans were to be more respectful to the rules and the stewards, then maybe there would be a bit of leeway, but they aren’t. Let’s just try and get atmosphere back at the Turf without aggression.

So, a point it was in a game where it was important not to lose. The point did move us one place up the table to eighth, just one point of the much coveted top six. Now we move on to the KC Stadium and Hull City, in what I will go as far as saying is a MUST win game.

Anyway to go back to the match, here are a couple of open goal misses for Ade to realise he is not on his own! Ronny Rosenthal’s famous miss for Liverpool, and a certain Delroy Facey’s slice when he was on loan with the Clarets…

Burnley v Colchester United

Colchester United are the visitors to Turf Moor tomorrow, for what I hope will be another home win for the Clarets.

With two wins in our last two home games, it would appear that we have finally broken our home form hoodoo. And with Colchester struggling in the Championship, one would be forgiven for expecting three points tomorrow. Last week at West Brom was encouraging, yet the gulf in quality was clear for all to see. I’m certainly hoping that tomorrow, we will be able to show that gap in quality between us and Colchester.

Kyle Lafferty returns from his four game ban, following his appearance for Northern Ireland in midweek. The international is once again today subject to transfer talk from north of the border, with Rangers apparently lining up a £4 million summer bid.

Despite all this talk about Lafferty playing down the middle, I am in favour of him going straight in on the left. In both of our last two games it has been clear that we have lacked width on the left hand side, width that we had with Kyle in the side. Whether he was performing or not, the width was there.

Robbie Blake is not the answer for me. He doesn’t have the pace, and is far more effective for us in the middle; this was evident in the last 15 minutes against the Baggies.

Whatever Coyle goes for though, I’m sure will be productive. It is refreshing to be going in to tomorrow’s game not knowing what the line up will be. There are many questions to be answered come 3pm tomorrow, such as will Caldwell come back in? Who will start in the middle of the park, up front and on the left?

One thing is for sure though; it is nice to be left wondering for once! Roll on Colchester, roll on three points.