Three home games, three wins. That’s how Burnley have started their first top-flight season since 1975/76.
Burnley are a welcome throwback to the days before football was sanitised, a club representing a much-maligned working-class area, with a wonderful heritage, making an effort to play good football, and having tremendous strength and team spirit.
The club’s revival over the past decade has been mirrored by other old Lancashire clubs, including Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers, Preston North End and Blackpool, who all recovered from some pretty dark times.
Only Blackburn remained at a respectable level in the 80s, the rest sunk as low as the Fourth Division.
Stan Ternent took Burnley back to the second tier in 2000. They had previously spent 1994-95 there.
The next two seasons saw a push for the play-offs, followed by a descent into mid-table humdrum under Steve Cotterill, before the arrival of Owen Coyle.
Coyle imposed his style on the team, and moulded them into an effective, skillful and hard-working unit. It didn’t take long before they would come up, and were deserved winners over Sheffield United in last season’s play-off final.
The team combines strength and skill in abundance.
Danish giant Brian Jensen keeps goal. Clarke Carlisle brings his experience to defence. Graham Alexander did a Kevin Muscat and converted from full-back to midfield, also scoring penalties like Muscat.
Icelandic international Joey Gudjonsson, however, is more the Nordic Kevin Muscat in terms of reputation.
Ahead of these players are Chris Eagles, Chris McCann, Wade Elliott (scorer of the play-off winner), Kevin McDonald and Robbie Blake- all players of no little skill. Little Ecuadorian Fernando Guerrero is another pickup for the season, a Real Madrid product who’s made a few substitute appearances.
Burnley are well-placed to survive in the Premiership if they can sustain their home form.
Outside of the top teams in the major leagues, home form is all important for survival, something Stoke exploited last season.
Their prosperity in the Premiership is to be hoped for.
Derm
Roar Guru
LOL I would have thought it was les grands bourgeois who'd have difficulty looking below their own navels. And when they do, they're inevitably met with disappointment.
Viscount Crouchback
Guest
On the contrary, old fruit, it tends to be the petit bourgeois who find it difficult to look beyond their own navels. A better read chap than yourself would know this already, of course. The contemporary world is vulgar for good reason.
Derm
Roar Guru
Whilst it may not happen that often, I couldn't be in more agreement with you, VC. Though I do find vieux riche equally unpleasant for their obduracy, narrow thnking and quite frankly, astonishing stupidity. It's the agreeable and intelligent middle stock that has kept these pleasant lands from sinking under the waters of the Atlantic through hard work and brain power, whilst patricians and poseurs have paddled aimlessly like so many Canutes on the shore. As a little treat, here's the top ten of Division One in 1973 to remind you of what was what before some of the Premiership arrivistes bought their way inside the door. Leeds Liverpool Derby Ipswich Stoke Burnley Everton QPR Leicester Arsenal
Viscount Crouchback
Guest
I suppose so. There is a certain charm in seeing these small, old industrial towns enjoy their day in their sun once again. It is infinitely preferable to watching ghastly little clubs like Reading and Chelsea make hay thanks to their vulgar benefactors. After all, nouveau riche are no more tolerable in soccer than in life.
Derm
Roar Guru
On the other hand, it wouldn't be that unfamiliar if you were looking at Division One c. 1974 - Stoke and Burnley took ages to fill in the players in the Collector books.
Viscount Crouchback
Guest
I find the Premiership highly confusing nowadays. When the bottom half of the table comes up on the screen - Hull, Burnley, Stoke, etc - I am quite convinced that I am looking at League One circa 1994. Poor old Richard Scudamore must be tearing his hair out at the dross clogging up his precious league whilst the true aristocrats of the game languish in the lower divisions.
Knives Out
Guest
Huddlestone's defending was epically bad, plus the front pair were typically profligate. A better side than Burnley would have taken their chances. Frankly, I'm not overly excited by today.
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
How can a team that will come and play a 4-5-1 (or a 10-0-1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBgYtVpnHQ4&feature=player_embedded#t=254) week-in week-out with sub-par players have anything to offer? They were outplayed by Man utd but as we know, in football the best team doesnt always win. The Sunderland game I missed but in the Everton game they were lucky, again they were definately not the better team and have already been hammered twice this season. "if they stay up, they’ll deserve it." - I'd say any team who stays up after 38 games deserves it and any that is relegated also deserves it, after 38 games you've had enough time to collect your points no matter who you are.
Colin N
Guest
I'm with David V. on this. They play some good stuff, and if they stay up, they'll deserve it. They will receive some hammerings this season, because on paper,they are a Championship side. Even so, the wins against Sunderland, Everton and especially Manchester United are very impressive, because they all are very good sides, which perhaps gives them some breathing space, if they don't get the points against the Bolton's and Birmingham's etc.
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
"Ummm" they were outplayed by United and won by one of those freak highlight reel goals, hit on the volley which flew inside the post. I would consider 5-0 and a 4-0 pretty ordinary but hey, if that's what you like from your team, each to his own
Derm
Roar Guru
I think they're very welcome opposition in the Premiership. 5-0 to the Spurs. Can we have that every week, please?
David V.
Guest
Ummm do you not consider Man Utd "quality opposition"? Burnley just can't win on the road.
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
Two games against quality opposition, two thumpings which shows you exactly where Burnley belongs and that is anywhere below EPL level
David V.
Guest
Norwich didn't strengthen sufficiently, and had won the Div One title the previous season on the back of staying clear of injuries. Admittedly, they gave it a good go.
Kazama
Roar Guru
I think, looking back over the last few years, the key for promoted clubs to stay up is to make a good start. If they can get runs on the board early, then they're a decent chance to stick around (e.g. Hull last season). So far that's exactly what they've done. They've continued their giant killing ways from last season, adding the biggest scalp of the lot to their collection. That said, Norwich knocked Man United off last time around and look where they are now... but Burnley do seem a much better side than Norwich were during their last stint in the top flight.