9 Years since Wembley

claretburns · Post by **claretburns** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:00 am

9 years to the day today since we beat Sheff Utd 1-0 at Wembley and got our first promotion to the Premier League. Regardless of how you feel towards the members of staff at the time it had been a great season with the League performance and the semi final of the Carling Cup as well.

About this time I would have been waking up on the coach from my snooze, it was a very early start.

Lord Beamish · Post by **Lord Beamish** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:03 am

That was, at the time, my favourite Season as a Claret. We've been lucky to have had one or two in the subsequent nine years to usurp it.

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:08 am

Thanks Owen...it really could have been so different!

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:11 am

Special season taking us somewhere I didn't think we'd ever go and even then thought it would be a one off for us.

So much to savour from that season - the League Cup run and then that defiant end to the season with run into the play-offs.

I did hear that one or two cried at Wembley.

Unforgettable day to end an incredible season.

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:20 am

ClaretTony wrote:Special season taking us somewhere I didn't think we'd ever go and even then thought it would be a one off for us.

So much to savour from that season - the League Cup run and then that defiant end to the season with run into the play-offs.

I did hear that one or two cried at Wembley.

Unforgettable day to end an incredible season.

can you confirm we were 1..3 down in a midweek game to palace and went on to win it 4..3 and we never looked back from that night.thats my memory of things

Devils_Advocate · Post by **Devils_Advocate** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:20 am

ClaretTony wrote:So much to savour from that season - the League Cup run and then that defiant end to the season with run into the play-offs.

After some of the tubbings we got on our off days the following season it often gets forgotten just how clinical we were at the end of the season and how strong defensively we performed to secure that last play-off place and then go on to win them.

martin_p · Post by **martin_p** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:23 am

By the tenth anniversary next year we’ll have spent half of those ten years in the Premier League and played in Europe!

Still my favourite single day supporting Burnley. The day the dream became reality.

dibraidio · Post by **dibraidio** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:26 am

ClaretTony wrote:Special season taking us somewhere I didn't think we'd ever go and even then thought it would be a one off for us.

I think it was inevitable but Burnley being Burnley there were few people outside the boardroom who believed it could happen. We'd been up and around the top 6 a few times under Stan and Cotterill only to fall away for whatever reason. That season the board did take the risk of going for it and we've never looked back since. I think we can thank Barry Kilby, Brendan Flood and the other directors too as well as Judas.

I'll never forget feeling that Coyle spoilt the celebration with talk about him taking Celtic job just after the match. I'll always remember it as a day in the sun when Elliott scored a scorcher, Duff danced, Caldwell lifted the trophy and Bad beat Bob showed us his pants. E-i e-i-e-i-o up the football league we go....

claretburns · Post by **claretburns** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:34 am

tim_noone wrote:can you confirm we were 1..3 down in a midweek game to palace and went on to win it 4..3 and we never looked back from that night.thats my memory of things

I believe it was 2-0 down to Palace and we won 4-2, Jay Rod finished it with a outside of the boot finish round Speroni?

I also think after Palace scored their second goal we didn't then concede a goal at home until Sunderland in the October and still won that game 3-1.

evensteadiereddie · Post by **evensteadiereddie** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:39 am

I'm not so sure it was so inevitable........having watched the Clarets for a long, long time, I was ecstatic that day - and the following season - to experience something I never thought I would again in my lifetime. And, yes, I bawled - a bit

- at Wembley.
And just look what we've done since ! Incredible.

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:41 am

claretburns wrote:I believe it was 2-0 down to Palace and we won 4-2, Jay Rod finished it with a outside of the boot finish round Speroni?

I also think after Palace scored their second goal we didn't then concede a goal at home until Sunderland in the October and still won that game 3-1.

Thanks for that... It was a memorable come back and we never looked back after that... It was in many ways an insignificant game but in my mind the platform to the future. I've seen all games from the sixties on...and you forget most but I always remember that night.

NottsClaret · Post by **NottsClaret** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:46 am

dibraidio wrote:I think it was inevitable...

That's a clear memory of the day, usually we always fear the worst but that time we turned up in party mood well before kick-off. Looking back now, there was a hell of a lot at stake that day when you see where we've been and they've been since.

Walton · Post by **Walton** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:48 am

Our defensive performances in those massive home games against Sheff Utd and Wolves were the best I'd seen from a Burnley side.

I rewatched the side going and getting their medals the other day, and it made me really happy. The players were so excited, and I'd never really noticed how unrestrained they were, I don't think.

https://youtu.be/K2IEZWeClbo

whentheballmoves · Post by **whentheballmoves** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:52 am

The stars were certainly aligned correctly in the last month or so of the season...what a day out!

Wile E Coyote · Post by **Wile E Coyote** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:55 am

Seems like only yesterday, doesn't feel like 9 years !

Incredible day, still watch Wade's goal every now and then, and WHAT a goal it was .
It was a perfect day, sun shining and wembley a mass of claret and blue. The sheer joy at the final whistle was unforgettable.

unfortunate that it was short lived after the promotion, but what followed has been phenomenal .

joey13 · Post by **joey13** » Fri May 25, 2018 9:57 am

What awesome day

Throughout the season we scored some absolute worldie goals

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:01 am

tim_noone wrote:can you confirm we were 1..3 down in a midweek game to palace and went on to win it 4..3 and we never looked back from that night.thats my memory of things

We were 2-0 down against Palace and still 2-1 down with 7 mins to go and we didn't go in front until the 88th minute. Won it 4-2 and that was the first home game after the 4-2 hammering from Sheffield Wednesday. Incredibly, for a team that wasn't very good at defending, we kept clean sheets in the next 7 home games going into the following season. Darren Bent, Sunderland, was the next player to score against us on the Turf.

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:02 am

Walton wrote:Our defensive performances in those massive home games against Sheff Utd and Wolves were the best I'd seen from a Burnley side.

I rewatched the side going and getting their medals the other day, and it made me really happy. The players were so excited, and I'd never really noticed how unrestrained they were, I don't think.

https://youtu.be/K2IEZWeClbo

that was awesome viewing never seen it before

no one left early that day! The fans were truly fantastic in numbers and voice.brought back the emotions of the day.greeeaat!post.

Lancasterclaret · Post by **Lancasterclaret** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:05 am

Bizarre day, simply because every Burnley fan knew that if we turned up, we'd win.

Sheff United under Blackwell were so, so, so poor

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:05 am

ClaretTony wrote:We were 2-0 down against Palace and still 2-1 down with 7 mins to go and we didn't go in front until the 88th minute. Won it 4-2 and that was the first home game after the 4-2 hammering from Sheffield Wednesday. Incredibly, for a team that wasn't very good at defending, we kept clean sheets in the next 7 home games going into the following season. Darren Bent, Sunderland, was the next player to score against us on the Turf.

Yes a special night for burnley! Very special.

Bordeauxclaret · Post by **Bordeauxclaret** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:11 am

Magical day, magical season.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say it was inevitable but I was strangely confident going into that one.

Wile E Coyote · Post by **Wile E Coyote** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:18 am

I wasn't confident, nervous as hell right up to the last whistle

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:22 am

Wile E Coyote wrote:I wasn't confident, nervous as hell right up to the last whistle

I got more and more nervous as the game went on although there some in our group far worse than me.

ElectroClaret · Post by **ElectroClaret** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:24 am

Watching the vid sometimes, I still think Mike Dean's gonna point to the spot
for Kalvenes challenge on Walker. Some would have.

Great day, fabulous occasion

joey13 · Post by **joey13** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:24 am

dibraidio wrote:I think it was inevitable but Burnley being Burnley there were few people outside the boardroom who believed it could happen. We'd been up and around the top 6 a few times under Stan and Cotterill only to fall away for whatever reason. That season the board did take the risk of going for it and we've never looked back since. I think we can thank Barry Kilby, Brendan Flood and the other directors too as well as Judas.

I'll never forget feeling that Coyle spoilt the celebration with talk about him taking Celtic job just after the match. I'll always remember it as a day in the sun when Elliott scored a scorcher, Duff danced, Caldwell lifted the trophy and Bad beat Bob showed us his pants. E-i e-i-e-i-o up the football league we go....

Up around the top six under Cotterill ?

Dyched · Post by **Dyched** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:27 am

I had the most complete calmness that day, no nervous. Nothing. It was weird. Its not like I even had 50 beers either. It was probably all down to Wades celebration.

jlup1980 · Post by **jlup1980** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:29 am

The final was a formality after Reading away. It just felt like our year for some reason - looking back it was the Coyle factor without a doubt. I don't believe any of our players went onto the pitch with much of a game plan, but they knew they were going to win. The power of positive thinking!

It was a very special season and we came good at just the right time. Our home form from the Palace game saw us over the line; 4-2 vs Palace, 5-0 vs Forest, 1-0 vs QPR, 1-0 vs Sheff Utd, 4-0 vs Bristol City and then 1-0 vs Reading in the play-offs. FIVE home clean sheets in a row... that's some defensive record even for a Sean Dyche team, never mind an Owen Coyle one!!

Longside4evr · Post by **Longside4evr** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:30 am

The best part of what we did that season was to turn it a round from none runners
To knowing we just was going to fail to take the prize

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:31 am

I enjoyed the day overall, but not the game. I was too tense! I even put a countdown alarm on my phone once we'd scored. When their player (Ward?) got sent off, I thought the ref had given them a penalty. Fantastic warm weather too, with lots supping cans on the street where the coaches drove past.

piston broke · Post by **piston broke** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:38 am

NottsClaret wrote:That's a clear memory of the day, usually we always fear the worst but that time we turned up in party mood well before kick-off. Looking back now, there was a hell of a lot at stake that day when you see where we've been and they've been since.

I think Blackwells face, after our performance at Reading, set the mood. He had “we can’t beat this lot” written all over him.

Rowls · Post by **Rowls** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:42 am

Great day being a Burnley fan.

I cried a bit too. Only time I've ever done that at a football match.

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:42 am

Hadn't we already done the double over Sheffield United that season? I remember in one of the games they kept long balling it into our area and Clarke Carlisle just kept heading it away. So when I knew we were playing them in the final, I was confident, but still nervous.

Rowls · Post by **Rowls** » Fri May 25, 2018 10:51 am

I think we won at their place for the first time in years and years. 3-2 around November time (without looking it up).

Chris Eagles best performance for us IMO

cricketfieldclarets · Post by **cricketfieldclarets** » Fri May 25, 2018 11:24 am

tim_noone wrote:Thanks for that... It was a memorable come back and we never looked back after that... It was in many ways an insignificant game but in my mind the platform to the future. I've seen all games from the sixties on...and you forget most but I always remember that night.

Thino we were in the longside upper?

cricketfieldclarets · Post by **cricketfieldclarets** » Fri May 25, 2018 11:24 am

Its weird this thread. I was only thinking yesterday that August marks ten years since the start if that season.

I always think time moves quick. But how tf is that season ten years ago?

cricketfieldclarets · Post by **cricketfieldclarets** » Fri May 25, 2018 11:26 am

ClaretTony wrote:We were 2-0 down against Palace and still 2-1 down with 7 mins to go and we didn't go in front until the 88th minute. Won it 4-2 and that was the first home game after the 4-2 hammering from Sheffield Wednesday. Incredibly, for a team that wasn't very good at defending, we kept clean sheets in the next 7 home games going into the following season. Darren Bent, Sunderland, was the next player to score against us on the Turf.

And that included Man Utd and Everton

Unfortunateky we made up for it away at chelsea spurs and liverpool.

martin_p · Post by **martin_p** » Fri May 25, 2018 11:37 am

Wile E Coyote wrote:I wasn't confident, nervous as hell right up to the last whistle

Driving test, marriage, son being born, job interviews, I’ve never been as nervous as I was in those last few minutes. So nervous I actually felt physically sick for the one and only time.

edison · Post by **edison** » Fri May 25, 2018 12:04 pm

ClaretTony wrote: I did hear that one or two cried at Wembley.

Guy beside me was blubbing like a baby. It was an emotional season - highs and lows - good to end on the highest of highs.

Herts Clarets · Post by **Herts Clarets** » Fri May 25, 2018 12:38 pm

I had one of the "On the day" memories appear on a social network site. My comment, written sometime around 5pm 9 years ago this very day, reads "Dancing, with tears in my eyes".

edlass · Post by **edlass** » Fri May 25, 2018 12:45 pm

On the coach down I remember thinking (but not saying out loud just in case) that we were going to win, I don't believe in fate or things "being meant to be" but on that day I just knew it would be us. I am sure some Sheffield Utd fans felt the same!

I'm not sure how a sport can bring up feelings like football does but the next day at work I felt like I was floating. Like I was actually outside my own body watching myself work.

BabylonClaret · Post by **BabylonClaret** » Fri May 25, 2018 1:06 pm

We were veey confident going down to wembley as we had been in hret form. My only niggle was that we had already beaten the Blades twice that season nd it cpuld have been "their turn".

Despite that we were still confident that all those blades fans we saw before the game so certain they woukd win would be going home empty handed.

But we played really well and from the moment we scored i thought we would win. We creted enpugh chances to put it to bed way earlier!

NottsClaret · Post by **NottsClaret** » Fri May 25, 2018 1:14 pm

edlass wrote:I'm not sure how a sport can bring up feelings like football does but the next day at work I felt like I was floating.

Even better when you're working in Sheffield! One Blade wouldn't speak to me for about a month, the Wednesday fans were quite welcoming on my return though.

KRBFC · Post by **KRBFC** » Fri May 25, 2018 1:34 pm

Lancasterclaret wrote:Bizarre day, simply because every Burnley fan knew that if we turned up, we'd win.

Sheff United under Blackwell were so, so, so poor

They finished 3rd I think? I was confident though having beat them 1-0, twice already. The Eagles goal at Brammall lane was a corker

KRBFC · Post by **KRBFC** » Fri May 25, 2018 1:36 pm

FactualFrank wrote:Hadn't we already done the double over Sheffield United that season? I remember in one of the games they kept long balling it into our area and Clarke Carlisle just kept heading it away. So when I knew we were playing them in the final, I was confident, but still nervous.

Yeah, Eagles 1-0 at Brammall lane then later in the season I think it was a midweek game where Paterson scored a header to nick it 1-0.

NottsClaret · Post by **NottsClaret** » Fri May 25, 2018 1:43 pm

3-2 at Bramhall Lane with half our team missing or out of position. The United fan I went with thought we were cheating by playing a Prem player (Eagles) in the Championship. Definitely his best game for us.

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Fri May 25, 2018 1:57 pm

cricketfieldclarets wrote:Thino we were in the longside upper?

Correct we were,didn't realise you were alongside me!

KRBFC · Post by **KRBFC** » Fri May 25, 2018 1:59 pm

NottsClaret wrote:3-2 at Bramhall Lane with half our team missing or out of position. The United fan I went with thought we were cheating by playing a Prem player (Eagles) in the Championship. Definitely his best game for us.

Just checked, you're right it was 3-2, god knows why I thought it was 1-0. I only remember the Eagles goal

Cirrus_Minor · Post by **Cirrus_Minor** » Fri May 25, 2018 1:59 pm

Incredible day, got us promoted to the premier league, somewhere i never thought we would ever get to. Rode a purple patch and seemed as if our name was ordained to win through. Did someone mention crying?

claptrappers_union · Post by **claptrappers_union** » Fri May 25, 2018 2:23 pm

9 years ago, wow, thats flown by.

I remember being (unusually) confident. I was at the Cannes Film Festival the week before. So I can't remember much about the build up.

However on the morning, confident. The car journey down, confident. Around the stadium, confident. Inside the stadium, confident. Teams emerging, confident. After Wades goal, confident. Half time, confident. Beginning of the second half, confident. Then Kalvenes nudged a Sheffield United player off the ball in the penalty area... at that point, we ****** it... ******* ****** it, like they always ******* do. ******* Kalvenes, we had the game under ******* control and he ****** it... ****** it for ******* everybody... wait? Thats not a penalty?! Confident.

exilecanada · Post by **exilecanada** » Fri May 25, 2018 2:29 pm

I was following the game at work via the BBC Sport text version. Needless to say, during the duration of the game work responsibilities tended to take a back seat. After the game I thought to myself ‘what the hell just happened, we’re back in the promised land!’ We could have stayed up too, had a certain character not jumped ship at a crucial time.

Incidentally. The captain, Steven Caldwell, currently does PL game analysis on one of our local sports channels, TSN. He also does live commentary on Toronto FC games. He’s doing a good job, the Scottish accent seems to have toned down a tad.