My favourite ever Burnley team, I still don't think i've seen better football played in the second tier than us that season. Coventry away springs to mind, magic stuff and some cracking goals. I miss that team and football tbh

Darthlaw wrote:If anyone has the picture of the away bench, with the supporter sat behind in the BL with the Judas sign, that would be marvellous about now.

Blackrod wrote:Some people value respect, integrity, honesty and not deception and lies. It’s all the righteousness bull that he preached before this too that riled people. It also turned out to be a flash in the pan that fizzled out at Ross County where he also failed. He also clearly exaggerated his ability to other employers and to take on the Blackburn job was a bit pathetic.

I'm with you on this Blackrod

Fair play to to Coyle for having the stones to turn up. I also would shake the man's hand if i met him. Those 60 odd games of that season contain some of my best ever memories following the Clarets.
Lengthy runs in the cups, scoring lots of goals, winning the playoffs without conceding a goal, Chelsea, Reading, Wembley, an amazingly memorable season and Coyle was the catalyst.
He left under a cloud and i hated him for it but look at us now, him leaving eventually led us to Dyche and comparative premier league respectability.

Braindead wrote:Fair play to to Coyle for having the stones to turn up. I also would shake the man's hand if i met him. Those 60 odd games of that season contain some of my best ever memories following the Clarets.
Lengthy runs in the cups, scoring lots of goals, winning the playoffs without conceding a goal, Chelsea, Reading, Wembley, an amazingly memorable season and Coyle was the catalyst.
He left under a cloud and i hated him for it but look at us now, him leaving eventually led us to Dyche and comparative premier league respectability.

Got to agree. Shows character to turn up tonight.

Looking at the above picture its Davis that wound me up far more.

For me, Coyle’s legend status was confirmed with what he did during his tenure at Blackburn

claret2018 wrote:For me, Coyle’s legend status was confirmed with what he did during his tenure at Blackburn

Also this.

To be fair. He is finally true to his word. Ten years on hes come back

Just for balance........

the only time I've ever left a match at half time was in that season. Doncaster away, we were really bad.

Interesting that a lot of this thread is about Owen Coyle and the reception he received.

Whatever your personal opinions of him it's difficult to argue that he wasn't the catalyst to where we are now even if we did strike it lucky with what turned out to be a one hit wonder.

10 years on, older and hopefully wiser, I'd rather shake his hand than his neck.

He was actually doing OK at Bolton until the lads heart attack, at Spurs, and the Stoke drubbing, in the cup semi, seemed to totally derail them. I’m not complaining.

Did a cracking job here. He left. So what? It’s only ******* football.

Would we say we’re 10 years ahead of Preston or Bristol City? Of course we would. Funny how people remember what Coyle said but completely forget Kilby saying we were set up for the next 10 years. 2 years later we were pleading poverty again.

2 years later we were pleading poverty again

Well we got the pitch out of it, paid off Laws and allowed Howe to sign the players that would st us up for the next promotion

Tricky Trevor wrote:He was actually doing OK at Bolton until the lads heart attack, at Spurs, and the Stoke drubbing, in the cup semi, seemed to totally derail them. I’m not complaining.

Fine point you make of the heart attack. I imagine if any one of our other ex managers went through that it’d get mentioned on every thread and much sympathy given and what effect it had on him.

Dyched wrote:
Would we say we’re 10 years ahead of Preston or Bristol City? Of course we would.

You may do, but don't speak for us all.

For me & for others, the issue wasn’t that he left but the way he left.

From the non post match at MK because he was “off to see his mother in Scotland” to the way in which he seemed to take everything from us that wasn’t nailed down.

Saying that, he gave me a season and a moment with family & friends at Wembley that won’t be forgotten.

Was I angry that he left? Yes

But I’d shake his hand and thank him for initially putting us where I’d never thought I’d see us

Wokingclaret wrote:2 years later we were pleading poverty again

Well we got the pitch out of it, paid off Laws and allowed Howe to sign the players that would st us up for the next promotion

Set up for the next promotion? Really? Give over man. Just because some of Howes signings played for Dyche in our promotion season doesn’t mean we were “set up” for it. Far from it. We’d just sold Austin.

Good man, Owen. He’s a Burnley legend in my eyes.

BurnleyFC wrote:Good man, Owen. He’s a Burnley legend in my eyes.

A legend?

Bolton will be a fantastic job for someone but my focus is on Burnley. I've had speculation time and time again but I love being at this wonderful football club, I just feel very privileged to be manager here. I enjoy my work, enjoy coming through the door every morning. I think the players enjoy working for me and the fans like coming. I'm building something here

The football we played under him was exceptional, shame he fell on his sword, we had his peak ability it seems so nothing lost, we should thank him and it seems the club has.

Bin Ont Turf wrote:A legend?

Yeah Legend He took us to the next level.

The memory of Beating Sheffield Wednesday that day will never be taken away.

Its strange isnt it. All those STILL bitter are obviously admitting he was great for us and them. Otherwise they wouldnt give a ****.

Laws was fantastic for us as a player. And did his best as a manager. Yet nobody gives a **** about him. Because he was ultimately unsuccesful as manager.

bartons baggage wrote:Yeah Legend He took us to the next level.

The memory of Beating Sheffield Wednesday that day will never be taken away.

It sounds like it already has

Fair play to him for turning up. Probably time to move on with the Judas stuff. Incredible that he got that team promoted and the football was fantastic. Like it or not, he’s a big reason we are where we are, what with the parachute money etc. Obviously lightning in a bottle considering his subsequent management travails but what a time to be a Burnley fan.

As an aside, great to see Clarke looking so well. That playoff final performance will never be forgotten.

The funny thing is. There is zero loyalty in football. Yet people are stil upset over this. A DECADE on. Its not like we havent had success since!

Had we struggled and dropped back to where we cam from under Mullen and Coyle was now manager of Bolton in our position. Maybe you could understand it.

But they arent. And he was as loyal as most players and managers before and since.

Blake left twice. He even left for Bolton. Yet hes lourded.

Jay left. And he was a Burnley fan. And Ings. And Trippier. And people would still love them back. Same with Chaplow at the time.

bartons baggage wrote:Yeah Legend He took us to the next level.

The memory of Beating Sheffield Wednesday that day will never be taken away.

And I thought we lost 4-1 and 4-2 against them.

cricketfieldclarets wrote:The funny thing is. There is zero loyalty in football. Yet people are stil upset over this. A DECADE on. Its not like we havent had success since!

Had we struggled and dropped back to where we cam from under Mullen and Coyle was now manager of Bolton in our position. Maybe you could understand it.

But they arent. And he was as loyal as most players and managers before and since.

Blake left twice. He even left for Bolton. Yet hes lourded.

Jay left. And he was a Burnley fan. And Ings. And Trippier. And people would still love them back. Same with Chaplow at the time.

Have you still not worked it out, it's not that he left. It's the way he left and all the lies and deceit.

People know that Tony, just step back and realise the bigger picture and we would not be where we are now without his input in that brilliant season.

Some lad called me a cock at school 30 years ago, I don`t still hate him for it.

cricketfieldclarets wrote: Its not like we havent had success since!

Exactly. So when folk say things like.... it was my favourite Burnley team, played exceptional/ fantastic football (we scored just 12 more goals than we conceded and we scraped into the play offs on the last day of the season), did they not see Dyche's first promotion season?

There's not a Burnley fan alive that will not look on that season fondly, with it being it up there with the best.

But is wasn't all strawberries and ice cream football wise.

And you just can't get away from the man being an absolute bullsh***er.

chipbutty wrote:People know that Tony, just step back and realise the bigger picture and we would not be where we are now without his input in that brilliant season.

You see, I don't agree with that. Whatever was achieved when we went up in 2009 was all gone in no time. We'd no money left by 2013 and were sliding down with players having to be sold. So there is no bigger picture for me, what we are achieving now has nothing to do with that at all, that came and, through a lot of bad management, went.

ClaretTony wrote:Have you still not worked it out, it's not that he left. It's the way he left and all the lies and deceit.

10 years ago..

All the players there tonight had nothing but praise for Coyle. (Even though he left them in the sh**)

Vintage Claret wrote:10 years ago..

Yes, I think we know that, it's why there was a 10 year reunion

ClaretTony wrote:You see, I don't agree with that. Whatever was achieved when we went up in 2009 was all gone in no time. We'd no money left by 2013 and were sliding down with players having to be sold. So there is no bigger picture for me, what we are achieving now has nothing to do with that at all, that came and, through a lot of bad management, went.

What position do you think we’d have been in at the end of 2013 if not for the promotion Coyle achieved?

Well, whatever folks opinion on Coyle...

Great event tonight, it was a real privilege to hear some of the stories of that dressing room. You could really feel the love that group of players had for one another, and for Owen Coyle (a lot of negativity about Steve Cotterill from them all bar Wade Elliott).

Coyle appearing was a huge shock, and the room seemed shook when he arrived but mostly respectful and most people gave an ovation for him - with mild boos in the background. He gave a good overview of how the season went and his relationship with the players/Brendan Flood and Barry Kilby - significantly Paul Fletcher stopped short of going near anything about him leaving the club, which in the context of the good vibes of the night felt the right decision.

Was really fun to have a good natter with Wade, Thommo, Clarke etc who all to a man state it was the happiest time of their lives. Very enjoyable, good effort by the organisers.

Bordeauxclaret wrote:What position do you think we’d have been in at the end of 2013 if not for the promotion Coyle achieved?

I would think exactly where we were ahead of the promotion season to be honest. Any potential gain from the 2009 had gone. Where we are now is all down to that incredible out of the blue 2013/14 promotion and then, when we went down, being able to get straight back up again.

jedi_master wrote:Well, whatever folks opinion on Coyle...

Great event tonight, it was a real privilege to hear some of the stories of that dressing room. You could really feel the love that group of players had for one another, and for Owen Coyle (a lot of negativity about Steve Cotterill from them all bar Wade Elliott).

Coyle appearing was a huge shock, and the room seemed shook when he arrived but mostly respectful and most people gave an ovation for him - with mild boos in the background. He gave a good overview of how the season went and his relationship with the players/Brendan Flood and Barry Kilby - significantly Paul Fletcher stopped short of going near anything about him leaving the club, which in the context of the good vibes of the night felt the right decision.

Was really fun to have a good natter with Wade, Thommo, Clarke etc who all to a man state it was the happiest time of their lives. Very enjoyable, good effort by the organisers.

I hope you asked Thommo to recreate his celebration at Reading

Dyched wrote:I hope you asked Thommo to recreate his celebration at Reading

I discussed his goal with him and he did the celebration due to “Having no ******* clue how I just did that”.

Thommo seems a real character. Certainly had a story or two when he was on the stage

ClaretTony wrote:I would think exactly where we were ahead of the promotion season to be honest. Any potential gain from the 2009 had gone. Where we are now is all down to that incredible out of the blue 2013/14 promotion and then, when we went down, being able to get straight back up again.

Interesting. So assuming we stayed in the Championship, Who would have paid the money we owed to Man United for Eagles? Who would have covered the next years loses then bearing in mind our Championship income versus our wage bill?

Bordeauxclaret wrote:Interesting. So assuming we stayed in the Championship, Who would have paid the money we owed to Man United for Eagles? Who would have covered the next years loses then bearing in mind our Championship income versus our wage bill?

We would have cut our cloth accordingly but I remain of the opinion that any benefits gained from that first promotion had long gone by 2013.

Bordeaux, what position would we have been in if just Coyle and Sandy had left, with the signings of Holden, Weiss and Wilshere to help the next manager?

Coyle left, fair enough. He also sabotaged us in the process, taking all the back room staff, incoming signings and telling the players he left behind “sorry, you’re not good enough”. if you’re happy with that that’s your prerogative.

I’m sure they had but surely you can see that the £60m income achieved by Coyle, and that’s a very conservative estimate led to us that position we found ourselves in 2013?

If not who would have paid the outstanding bills and covered the substantial loses? Obviously they wouldn’t have been £60m but who would have covered them? Bearing in mind our cloth cutting had led us to being unable to pay our bills before Coyle delivered the Premier League?

Edit - should have quoted clarettony here.

Darthlaw wrote:Bordeaux, what position would we have been in if just Coyle and Sandy had left, with the signings of Holden, Weiss and Wilshere to help the next manager?

Coyle left, fair enough. He also sabotaged us in the process, taking all the back room staff, incoming signings and telling the players he left behind “sorry, you’re not good enough”. if you’re happy with that that’s your prerogative.

That’s a different question to the one clarettony has posed. We may have stayed up. Either way we’d have had £60m or £120m extra income versus zero extra income had Coyle not achieved what at the time seemed the impossible.

Bordeauxclaret wrote:I’m sure they had but surely you can see that the £60m income achieved by Coyle, and that’s a very conservative estimate led to us that position we found ourselves in 2013

We were in a mess in 2013. We were seriously cost cutting. We were absolutely no better off than we were in 2009. That 2013/14 was against all the odds and that was the starting point to where we are now.

ClaretTony wrote:We were in a mess in 2013. We were seriously cost cutting. We were absolutely no better off than we were in 2009. That 2013/14 was against all the odds and that was the starting point to where we are now.

We were. But surely you can see 2013 would have been a lot worse without the huge income we received on the back of Coyles promotion?

If we’d have been breaking even and then gone crazy on promotion then fair enough but that wasn’t the case.

Bordeauxclaret wrote:We were. But surely you can see 2013 would have been a lot worse without the huge income we received on the back of Coyles promotion?

If we’d have been breaking even and then gone crazy on promotion then fair enough but that wasn’t the case.

No I can’t see. I can’t see how it would have been worse. This is no pointing the finger at Coyle or anyone but I find it staggering to believe what we are achieving now is in any way partly due to that 2009 promotion.

ClaretTony wrote:We would have cut our cloth accordingly but I remain of the opinion that any benefits gained from that first promotion had long gone by 2013.

When you look at the accounts and the squad that Dyche had though this isn't the case. There's no chance we'd have been able to afford Shackell for instance.

Personally I think we'd have probably been in league one without that promotion. We were struggling financially, we'd have to have sold a few players and cut the wage bill (I don't think the directors had the appetite to loan the club much more money) and it's rate that turns out well.

So we are saying we didn’t need the income for Coyles promotion?

I got married in the early 90’s to a young lady I loved passionately. The way she treated me and left me, left me with a real bitter dislike. Sure, we had some really good times - but I’ll never forgive her. I’ve moved on and happily remarried. I wouldn’t want to be in her company again in case I said something nasty to her.

Bordeauxclaret wrote:So we are saying we didn’t need the income for Coyles promotion?

I do know that we had to borrow to sign Austin half way through the season after relegation.