Top six should be the minimum achieved
LEAGUE football returns on Saturday - and with it another step into the unknown.
For Burnley Football Club, it means re-adjusting to life in the Championship after a season breathing in the rarified air of the Premier League.
From summer 2000 until May 2009, it was a division Burnley knew inside out and a number of experienced campaigners at this level will be key in determining how well the Clarets fare.
Fans are split over whether Burnley will make an immediate stride back to football's promised land and those who believe it could be more of a struggle. The bookies certainly have them as second favourites behind Middlesboro, and with a sound financial base Burnley are rightly among the favourites.
Any nerves come from two things - nervous supporters are mostly fans worrying about Brian Laws's occupancy of the manager's chair but there are a good sprinkling who base their opinions on experience of the division.
The Championship is one of the hardest divisions to get out of. It is almost always a close affair, with consistency the key to automatic promotion. Good timing, which Burnley had in 2009 and Blackpool had last season, means if you peak at the right time despite some erratic results, you can steam through the play-offs.
Burnley, famously wobbly around Christmas in more years than I care to remember, must aim for the consistency that can win one of the automatic places. Only twice since I began watching Burnley back in 1974, in 1981-82 and 1991-92, have they been promoted without a hitch once some ordinary early season form had been ironed out.
The side is choc-full of players with bags of Championship experience, and I feel the key area will be how Burnley fare in midfield. Attacking options are covered fairly well here, with Chris Eagles (still a Claret as I write), Ross Wallace (flair to replace Robbie Blake) and Wade Elliott himself all quality performers at this level.
Dean Marney has been signed to provide some defensive midfield ballast but it is support and cover in that role that worried me more than anything. Both Elliott and Andre Bikey were given a crack at taking that role in the Premiership, but neither is really suited for it.
I reckon Bikey is the best centre back at the club and Elliott's forte is incisive wingplay. Coupled with Chris McCann's ongoing injury concerns - probably the worst news of the week - that means Kevin McDonald among others must step up a level, despite the well-publicised Manchester City game incident last term, to boost the options. In short, midfield, if anywhere, could do with bolstering.
I expect Burnley to be at least in the top six come next May. With the resources available this time out that has to be the minimum aim. Saturday's opening day opponents Nottingham Forest will, if they can replicate last season's form, be top sixers this season too. Although the consistency of 81/82 and 91/92 came after wobbly starts, I'd still feel happier if the Clarets hit the ground running.
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Weather for Halifax
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 5 C
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