The town of Burnley was a former mill town in the 18th century that was a part of the industrial revolution that ensured the town thrived with cotton mills along the Leeds to Liverpool canal. More recently it was voted as one of the worst places to live in England. The biting of the modern era and the death of the cotton industry in Lancashire has seen the area struggle. Famously you can buy a house in Burnley for less than £20,000. It’s a funny old place, but the town, its people and Burnley FC are inextricably linked.

Famous poet John Cooper Clarke wrote about the place.

I’ll tell you now and I’ll tell you firmly
I don’t never want to go to Burnley
What they do there don’t concern me
Why would anybody make the journey?

Burnley is the smallest town to ever take its place in the English Premier League. Burnley Football Club is the beating heart of the town, like not many other.

As a Burnley FC fan for an inordinate amount of time it has been pretty amazing to watch 2022/2023 season unfold, for what will go down as one of the greatest seasons in the 141 year history of the brilliant football club that I am privileged to support. These days I live 4000 miles away from Turf Moor, the home of Burnley Football Club, but make no mistake they are still part of my family. Not a day goes by that I don’t check in on them, see what’s the latest today. Modern technology is a wonderful thing, and I never miss a game as every match is available in USA one way or another.

This season has been incredible to witness, losing all our players following last year’s relegation, getting a new manager, signing 22 new players and putting all that in the melting pot with the prospect of a football club with a whole lot of debt on the books. The new manager was Vincent Kompany, but no one could have envisioned the journey that he would take this club along. Not many believed.

The stats for the season are impressive on their own, but when you consider one small club did all this, it is truly is amazing.

18 players OUT
22 players IN
101 Points in 46 Championship Games
87 goals scored
+52 goal differential
19 different goal scorers
Best defence and best attack in the division.
FA Cup quater finalists
Beat their local rivals, Blackburn Rovers, home & away
Won the league at Ewood Park, the ground of our local rivals, it’s what dreams are made of. History forever.
Completely change the style of playing into an eye catching possession based domination,

It was rounded out with a celebration parade around the packed and proud town of Burnley.

That open top bus trawled around the packed streets of Burnley, 36 years to the day since the infamous “Orient Game”
which was undoubtedly the most traumatic game I was ever able to witness. It provides extra sweetness if any were needed.

I have spent some wonderful days inside Turf Moor, most recently in February when I went to have the pure joy of seeing Vincent Kompany’s Burnley. A few days back home happily coincided with Turf Moor games against Preston & Watford. My ashes will be scattered on this hallowed turf someday, not soon, I hope.

Burnley will be back in the English Premier League for he 2023/2024 season. The fixture list comes out on 15th June, and I am already counting the days. From having been playing Rotherham, Cardiff and Blackpool we will be back playing the might of Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal and the rest. It will be daunting, but with Vincent Kompany at the helm this former mill town of Burnley will rise to the challenge, there is no doubt about that, and I for one can’t wait for the ride to begin with togetherness and hard work.

RISE MILL TOWN RISE