A quieter summer than usual, exceprt for those infernal vuvuzelas
AS pre-seasons go, 2010 has seemed a bit quieter than usuaul, certainly when compared to the exhilaration of last summer when Burnley were preparing for Premiership life.
The Clarets are back in the Championship for the 2010-11 campaign, which kicks off in earnest at home to Nottingham Forest on August 7.
Business has been steady as Brian Laws has had to balance losing Steven Fletcher for a club record fee and added replacements in the shape of midfielder Dean Marney, front man big Chris Iwelumo and talented wingman Ross Wallace from this year's derby rivals Preston.
It was encouraging that Laws captured goalkeeper Lee Grant from his old club Sheffield Wednesday ahead of the competition (Grant has a previous Burnley appearance to his name, deputising for Brian Jensen, who he will now be doing battle for the number one shirt with, on loan in 2005-06).
There may be more changes, one way or the other, in the ensuing week but it is also heartening that Burnley have not yet lost other players (I'm thinking of Chris Eagles, Andre Bikey and Tyrone Mears in particular here) who might have heard the Premiership calling.
It would seem it would take a much better offer to remove Eagles from the ranks as he turned down a move, and at least some Champions League football, to Rangers.
The Scottish champions are a very big club and a good deal was on offer, but it seems Eagles felt a better option would be to stay at a Championship club which should be in the promotion mix.
It's not entirely out of character - remember that the midfielder dropped down a division to come to Burnley when he left Manchester United because he believed more opportunities to play first team football at Championship level would improve his game.
He has certainly set about proving his worth, netting the winner as Burnley's trip to the Far East saw them return with the FIS Asian Cup having beaten a Singapore XI in the final game of the tour, which saw the Clarets racking up the goals after Burnley had beaten Oldham and Bury before heading off.
It's a curious pre-season that, due to work being undertaken on the Turf Moor pitch, won't see the side appearing at home in public until the season's opening game. The final pre-season match, technically a home game against Stoke, Premiership rivals last year, is actually at Huddersfield Town's fine Galpharm Stadium this Saturday (3pm), switched because of said work.
There haven't been too many red herrings close season so far, the main ones being what has become an annual dance with Hearts over midfielder Andrew Driver and the will he, won't he (he wouldn't) join Burnley situation with striker Billy Sharp, now back at Doncaster where he spent last season on loan from Sheffield United.
- ONE thing which wasn't quiet this summer was the World Cup.
It was far from the best ever tournament, although South Africa staged it magnificently, but it was certainly the noisiest thanks to the incessant honk of thousands of vuvuzelas.
At times these almost drowned out match commentary and the thought of spending all season with these parping in the earhole at Turf Moor was nightmarish. Thankfully, the club are among those who have nipped the issue in the bud by banning them.
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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: 2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
