People from Burnley are among the best
Also: A wide open table next year?
Good morning! As the hangovers from a weekend of celebrations ease off, I’m still mulling over my reflections on the past season. Those are to come, but for now I’ve got a couple of pieces for you. First up is an article from my partner Laura on how I’ve successfully converted her into a Claret, then we have JD Vail on the upcoming season.
As always, let me know your thoughts by replying to this email, or comment below.
People from Burnley are among the best people
By Laura Haley
When I went to my first Burnley game (Sunderland away in October) I honestly only agreed because we were making it into a weekend away. At the time of planning the trip, I wasn’t even going to the game, I was going to go for a coffee and look around the shops whilst J watched Burnley win.
In the end I decided to go with him, assuming I’d hate it, and whilst I did miss the first goal (because I was watching the seagulls) I definitely didn’t hate it, and watching them go from losing to winning was infectious.
Fast-forward a few games and I jokingly said I’d buy a season ticket. Fast forward six months… and I did! I’ve borrowed a Burnley shirt from J so much it’s ended up living in my wardrobe, and I’m very pleased I now have my own Burnley scarf too.
It turns out this team really have something special, and they’ve definitely turned this football-hating girl from Yorkshire into a fan of the team from the wrong side of the Pennines that I’d never even thought about a year ago.
People from Burnley are among the best people, and I suspect that’s half the reason I’ve fallen in love with the club. From the lady who handed in my phone when I left it in the toilets at the Etihad after a stressful day to the two young lads who flagged down every car to find me jump leads after I broke down when picking J up from a game, everyone spoken to or interacted with has just been lovely.
The team come across as decent blokes too, and my Jack Cork crush definitely started when I saw him interact with a small child who shouted ‘Jack Cork!!’ in amazement after he’d been running past, warming up, for about 40 minutes, unnoticed by said child. Kids have always been one of the best parts of my Burnley game experience, and my absolute favourite was the little boy who told me that it’s okay I don’t know the words to any of the chants yet, neither does he, because he’s only seven. Very sweet.
https://twitter.com/InsdeLaurasHead/status/1655560504293638150
I was gutted we didn’t think to get my ticket to the Cardiff game before they sold out. I made sure I was in The Royal Dyche to watch the trophy lift but I very much felt like I missed out on seeing my team lift the trophy from inside the Turf.
It’s safe to say I’m definitely a Claret now, and I can’t wait to see what they do next season. Up the Clarets!
A wide open table?
By JD Vail
It’s been an interesting year in the Premier League this season to say the least. Who thought Arsenal would be world-beaters? Brighton and Ashton Villa just outside the top four? Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United seem to can’t get their act together, despite the boatload of cash they spend? Don’t get me started on Tottenham and Everton. To me, all this chaos means a wide open table next season.
Now, I’m not saying that Burnley will instantly jump into the top eight or, dare I say, top four. What I will say is that the landscape is ripe to make a huge impact.
I would also jump out on a limb and say Vincent Kompany is one of the best leaders in English football and the new owners are willing to give Kompany the breathing room needed to manage the talent his way.
Running through the championship as Burnley did this season is nothing short of an amazing turnaround. The question is: can they build on this momentum heading into the summer window?
Mainstays like Ashley Barnes will leave and new talent will come in. A fresh start for everyone. However, I can see the usual Top Six in the Premier League struggling under the weight of their own expectations and an unforgiving fan base.
As far as the rest of the mid-table hopefuls, I don’t think they have staying power. But, you never know. Football is a strange sport. As the season comes to an end, let’s enjoy this moment. Let’s let out a bold cheers to a successful summer window and more Premier League chaos because the title is ours and the daily football headlines are a joy within themselves. All that said, this Yankee is making the cringeworthy transition to MLS. It will suffice until August. We Americans will come around to putting together a great “football” league… some day. Fingers crossed.
What are your early predictions for next season? Let me know in the comments, or drop me a line in response to this email.