The shortest of articles for now, I'll write something more later.

See link
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always be a Claret, thanks Tom

Cheers Tom.

to sum it up in one word (Guttered)

What a horrible feeling.

I really believed he’d be with us until retirement.

All the best Tom, we ain’t half going to regret this sale.

Thank you Tom for everything you have done for my club and for the memories that will last forever. Truly a sad day for every Claret.

I wish you all the best in your new venture.

https://youtu.be/1VAetQB2ebc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All things pass. Good luck, Tom; though not against us. I hope you have an utter stinker against us.

He’s been fantastic over the last six years and I’m really sorry to see him go. But life goes on, we’ve got a fantastic keeper anyway and we’re looking forward to yet another season in the Premier League.

Thanks Tom. Top bloke and great player. Good luck.

Thanks for the memories Tom. You are a star and will always be a Claret.
I’ll miss your cry of ‘STAY UP’!
In Dyche we trust
UTC

All the best Tom.

You have been brilliant.

You'll always be a claret.

Immense player and leader for us. He will be a huge loss to us Villa have got themselves the bargain of the summer.

What a signing he has been....All the best Tom! Hopefully will be teaming up with Nick Pope again by the end of the season in the England squad

There are always players you are really disappointed to see leave and Tom fits into that category for me.

Hopefully Pope is fit for the first game.

Whats that? Going down



Best of luck Tom.

Sad day,but we'll move on as we did when other heroes where sold.

Good luck TH,as long as Villa don't stay up at our expense,i hope he has a good season.

Thanks for all the great memories and performances, Tom. Will be missed by fans and staff alike, it seems. Appears as though the deal was too good to miss, and why not, at 33? Quite likely to be his final deal. Owes us nothing, a decent fee received. To square the circle, the money needs reinvesting immediately. BPF to start with, then maybe Klich? Cheers, Tom!

Feels a bit like the end of an era (and I suppose it is in a way). And while I'm sorry to see Heaton go, I don't think this is the disaster some seem to think it is. He's an excellent goalkeeper but he won't be offered the same sort of protection at Villa that he got here with the 'framework'. We've received decent money for a 33-year-old keeper in the last year of his contract.

Hopefully Pope isn't far away from full fitness. Hart really isn't a bad goalkeeper by any stretch of the imagination. Honestly, I saw players whose hearts didn't seem in it at the start of last season - I don't think our early problems were all down to Hart (though he could perhaps communicate better with the players in front of him). There were a lot of players seriously underperforming all over the pitch.

If the rumours are true about BPF, we'll have a good set of keepers competing for the starting spot this coming season. I'd just hope that we can now strengthen the area we all know needs strengthening. If we can do that, I'll be quietly confident of our chances this season with or without Tom Heaton.

Anyway, best of luck for the rest of your career, Tom (except when you play us!). You've been a great player, captain and person to have around the club.

ClaretTony wrote:There are always players you are really disappointed to see leave and Tom fits into that category for me.

HEATON !!!!

Sitting behind the goal, you prefer us to be attacking that goal, but when we are defending it, it was great to see Tom celebrating the goals with us and showing us all what it meant to us.

I know 1 player isn't bigger than the club, but he was a major part of the most successful period I have ever seen at Burnley.
I know one era is over, I just hope the other isn't over soon.

Longside4evr wrote:to sum it up in one word (Guttered)

Good choice of word. I would back this up with 'drained'

Ps. This is the only transfer I've ever known about ahead of most that it was deffo happening and none of you buggers believed me

He will always be a claret.

That must be why he chose Villa.

Very sad however inevitable it was. SD has summed it up perfectly in my opinion. He will be sad. Everybody at TM will be sad. Even though it opens the door for him, I think Nick will be sad.

A great keeper, a great great Claret, a great man.

It will be very hard watching Tom playing elsewhere, the most difficult for me since Jay left. But I'd rather focus on our good fortune to have had Tom at our club for six years. If there's another Top 50 Claret Legends in the future he will be one of the first names on the list.

Thank you Tom. For everything. Good luck for the future.

UTC

Why was he given so much game time in preseason?

Good luck Tom, and thanks for everything.
We know you'll shine, always a Claret.
NNN

ecc wrote:Very sad however inevitable it was. SD has summed it up perfectly in my opinion. He will be sad. Everybody at TM will be sad. Even though it opens the door for him, I think Nick will be sad.

A great keeper, a great great Claret, a great man.

It will be very hard watching Tom playing elsewhere, the most difficult for me since Jay left. But I'd rather focus on our good fortune to have had Tom at our club for six years. If there's another Top 50 Claret Legends in the future he will be one of the first names on the list.

Thank you Tom. For everything. Good luck for the future.

UTC

Well said ecc. A very sad day and so many great memories of Tom with 4 coming to the forefront of my mind :
- That "Gordon Banks/Pele" save from Charlie Austin at Southampton
- Brandishing the inflatable "Championship trophy" at The Valley
- Star-jumping and blocking Zlatan's point-blank thunderbolt at Old Trafford and
- That fantastic return v West Ham between Christmas and New Year....from the moment the crowd greeted him with "Heeeeaton" there was only one result in that match and it turned our season around. All capped off by a wonder-save from Carroll's header near the end.

Love the man. A genuine Claret talisman and legend.

KRBFC wrote:Why was he given so much game time in preseason?

Probably because there was no deal agreed and Villa may not have met our asking price.

Spat his dummy when he couldn't get in the team, refused to sign a contract and pushed for a move. A modern day Brian Jensen. Good riddance we have better in Nick Pope.




Joking (maybe not the bit about Nick - time will tell) he was a great servant, keeper and leader for us. Let's hope this works out for both parties (us more so though).

ICL wrote:I’ll miss your cry of ‘STAY UP’!

I hope we do!

Tom's been absolutely fantastic for Burnley and will be sorely missed - wish him well personally and
thank him for terrific performances and service for the Clarets!

cheers Tom!

UTC

No statement from Heaton yet? Apart from the Villa interview

Best Burnley keeper in my lifetime (born 87)

All the best Tom

All the very best Tom and thanks for the memories!

I wanted Pope to be Number One this season, if he was fit. We still don't know if he is though, and in the absence of that knowledge, this is a worrying transfer out.

All you can say is thankyou, as Tom has been unbelievable for us. I wish him all the best except against us.

Tall Paul wrote:Probably because there was no deal agreed and Villa may not have met our asking price.

Adding to that; maybe because Pope was carrying a knock.

KRBFC wrote:No statement from Heaton yet? Apart from the Villa interview

And?

Always a Claret. Gutted to see him go. Good luck Tom.

He's played his part and fitted in well with the ethos of the club, he's done extremely well out of BFC. He's more to thank us for than we have him.
Plucked from obscurity and given a chance to play regular first team football, trained up to become an England capped and regular squad player. Earned a decent living and the respect of the supporters.
He's now following in the footsteps of many others who have made their name here, chasing a lucrative pay day.
Ah well, all the best mate.
BFC since 1882

Gutted he's gone. Wonderful player and person at our club.

Only time will tell how good a piece of business this proves to be. I personally feel, taking everything into consideration its good business on behalf of the club. That said, Tom was the heartbeat of the club and it really is a sad day a la, Jimmy Mac, Willie, Brian, Taffy, Dobbo et all. Thanks for the memories Tom and good luck at Villa. What a ride it's been.

Absolutely gutted but something had to give. We’re not short in the keeper department and Pope will be a top keeper for us. Onwards and upwards.

Thank you Tom, many happy years watching you.
All the best for the future.
UTC!

Immense gratitude for everything Tom did while he was with us. Pure class on and off the pitch. End or an era, a sad day and a big loss.

He looked energised, enthusiastic and very happy in his Villa interview. The points of attraction that sealed his move were interesting to hear. I'm happy that he is happy, Villa have got themselves a top bloke and I wish him nothing but the best.



If he could find it in his heart to gift us a few goals when we play Villa, without making it too obvious, that would be greatly appreciated.

A huge thank you for the total commitment to the cause, on and off the pitch.

Best wishes for a superb, remaining few tears and thanks, in advance, for letting 10 a season in, when playing the Clarets.

Best of luck Tom.

Top bloke, top player, top claret.
Fantastic role-model, with a reputation for making time for fans of the club. Has made a big contribution to BFC on and off the pitch. His family, I am sure, are very proud of their man. He is now my top Burnley goalkeeper of my viewing lifetime. In time I hope Nick Pope takes that title from Tom.
All the best for the future Tom, and thanks.

Gutted he has gone but fully understandable Tom needs to be playing and he obviously has not been given that assurance that he would at Burnley.
All the very best wishes Tom, you will always be welcome at Burnley Football Club.

Steve-Harpers-perm wrote:And?

And.....it will be very nice to hear his complimentary words in return.which I'm sure he will be doing regards Burnley Fans and the whole Burnley set up in General.

Shame to see Tom go.
Probably my favourite keeper

Good luck in the future

That performance at Old Trafford was his finest day! I’m gutted he’s going. Hoping Pope can step up now but It’s a big loss !