Welcome home Burnley FC – it's been too long
TWO months have quickly flown by and Burnley Football Club begin their first top flight season for more than three decades.
Another look at the fixtures, which begin with the away day at Stoke on Saturday, means the reality of Burnley being Premiership club has hit home. The first home game back at the top is next Wednesday, versus Manchester United.
It was defeat against United at Turf Moor back in 1976 that confirmed Burnley's relegation, so there is a symmetry of sorts about it. For supporters of my era, it brings everything full circle.
Still at junior school, we were far too young to remember the club's first division title win or even the Fairs Cup campaign of 1967. But we were reared on the 1972-73 promotion from division two, and the view from our elders that the first division was where we belonged. After all, between 1947 and 1971, that's where the Clarets were.
For two seasons back in the top flight, with Martin Dobson, Leighton James, Peter Noble and the rest in their pomp, it seemed to be the case. None of us could have imagined at relegation in the third season, 1975-1976, what would follow.
Only 11 years later the battle to stay in league football and possibly existence was played out against Orient at Turf Moor and a slow, hard, three-decade climb back to the top begun.
This time there will be no "it's where we belong" cockiness.
It will be a hard fight to keep top flight status and it's hard to even hazard a guess as to how the Clarets will actually do because none of our players, including the new signings, have any extensive top flight record.
Time will tell whether they prove as good as the class of '73 (which did include bags of top flight know-how, epitomised by a contender for the best free transfer of all time, Keith Newton).
Then, as now, we will have to put our faith in a young, go-ahead manager (Owen Coyle in 2009, Jimmy Adamson in 1973), playing attacking football. We have a record-signing young striker named Fletcher to lead the line (Steven in 2009, Paul - now the club's chief executive - in 1973).
But this time there will be much more media and television coverage (Bob Lord was never too keen on letting the cameras in). Ground improvements over the next couple of years should be funded from Premiership income rather than selling the best players (Dobson's sale paid for the Bob Lord Stand, the story has it).
Games weren't sell-outs in 1973, but they are likely to be in 2009, with season tickets sold out and a membership scheme in place for the remaining match day ticket supply available.
And it's unlikely the team will run out at the first home game to the sounds of Peters and Lee's "Welcome Home" like they did in 1973!
The gap between established Premiership sides and new boys has never been bigger. The first divisions of 1973 and 2009 are worlds apart in terms of ability to compete.
But despite the odds stacked against Burnley, it's a campaign everyone connected to the club should do their utmost to enjoy. Let the roller-coaster ride commence again.
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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
