Just how far can BFC go..?

[SmudgetheClaret]

After a long gap I found myself back at the turf season 08/09 when OC took us up to the Prem and I've been going home and away ever since and it's been a roller coaster but steady upward progress and now this small but fantastic club has survived the drop from the best league in the world ! can the progress continue? I really hope so but is there a limit or could we one day be booking flights for an away leg in the CL ?

[Saxoman]

9th downwards is your ceiling.

[DCWat]

If Leicester can win the league, there is always hope. Barring a miracle or some hugely wealthy benefactor (still difficult for a club like ours to attract top class players) the best we can really hope for is to become a mid table side with perhaps the odd cup final or at a push a Europa place. That'd do me though!!

[FactualFrank]

9th downwards is your ceiling.

9th tier is yours

[Sidney1st]

We haven't got the financial muscle to out do the top 8-10 clubs and we'd be pushed to match many others.

The key is finding the players to suit the framework, whether its this current one or the next step in the evolution.

We can go as far as Dyche can take us, in theory all the way but that would require the same amount of luck as Leicester had that season.

A cup win in the short term would be nice though.

[Saxoman]

9th tier is yours

So glad rovers did what they did when they did as it'd never be possible now. We could very well be the last town team to win a cup for generations.

[Saxoman]

We haven't got the financial muscle to out do the top 8-10 clubs and we'd be pushed to match many others.

The key is finding the players to suit the framework, whether its this current one or the next step in the evolution.

We can go as far as Dyche can take us, in theory all the way but that would require the same amount of luck as Leicester had that season.

A cup win in the short term would be nice though.

Dyche doesn't have any interest in the cups unfortunately.

[bfcjg]

Around solid mid table. We need more quality ands I still think we need to grow our paying fan base, the money for being in the Prem really means that we have to start acting like one wages wise now that Gawthorpe is finished.

[Sidney1st]

Dyche doesn't have any interest in the cups unfortunately.

Survival was the main focus this season though...

[LS7]

So glad rovers did what they did when they did as it'd never be possible now. We could very well be the last town team to win a cup for generations.

Wigan won the FA cup you bell end

[Sidney1st]

Around solid mid table. We need more quality ands I still think we need to grow our paying fan base, the money for being in the Prem really means that we have to start acting like one wages wise now that Gawthorpe is finished.

Acting like one in regards to wages?

I think we'd implode if we got relegated with a wage bill of £80million plus like Villa and Sunderland have done though...

[bfcjg]

Now most off field activity is finished the wage structure needs looking at as Dyche has alluded to the fact on a number of occasions we have missed our targets due to the market we operate in. I am not suggesting and never would risking our existence, we do though have to create a quality gap between us and newly promoted teams.

[Sidney1st]

Depends on who's bank rolling the promoted teams.

Brighton for example quite probably pay wages very similar to us already.
Same with Fulham, Reading etc.

Newcastle certainly blow us out of the water.
Derby can too and we know Boro did.

[Saxoman]

Wigan won the FA cup you bell end

They got relegated too.

[BFCmaj]

I don't get this town team thing that keeps getting brought up.

[Saxoman]

I don't get this town team thing that keeps getting brought up.

Its obviously a financial point.

[Leisure]

Its obviously a financial point.

Please explain?

[Sidney1st]

He's possibly implying a small town can't compete financially with a city club.

He's right because Walker paid for their title and cup and now the taps been turned off they're returning to their pre Walker level.

[Saxoman]

Big city, media attention, advertising deals, more fans, higher gate prices.. Need I say more..?

[OrientMascot]

For people hoping for the "next level" for Burnley, there isn't one. This is as good as it will ever get. Enjoy it!

[BFCmaj]

Big city, media attention, advertising deals, more fans, higher gate prices.. Need I say more..?

Nope, still don't get it. Why does it matter whether you're from a town or city? Look at what Leicester did last season. In my opinion a much greater feat than Rovers. They started that season looking at survival and ended up winning the Premier League. They aren't a big city club.

[mikeS]

If you follow our progress over the past 20-25 years there has been a steady improvement year on year. This season after two "seasons in the sun" where we were relegated, we've stayed up. If you remember a few years back West Brom were up down up down. (Boing boing) Now we've got ourselves established we have a better base to build on. From nailed on relegation material at the start of the season the bookies, press, pundits all got it wrong. Time to build now for next season. If Bournemouth, Watford, Leicester, Palace can all stay up, absolutely no reasonBurnley can't.

[ablueclaret]

I fancy we'll struggle big time next season if we have the heart ripped out of our defence, but I fancy in a couple of seasons we may well bounce back if we haven't over -extended ourselves by then.

[minnieclaret]

Nope, still don't get it. Why does it matter whether you're from a town or city? Look at what Leicester did last season. In my opinion a much greater feat than Rovers. They started that season looking at survival and ended up winning the Premier League. They aren't a big city club.

Leicester are bankrolled by a Thai billionaire.
I'll happily stay midtable, with the occasional cup run, to keep our current ownership and pay structure.
The team has evolved and improved every year under SD. For all the whining the eunuchs on here do long may it be thus.

[jedi_master]

The ceiling is 8th downwards as Saxo says, I can't bslieve I am agreeing with that tool but that is the realistic truth.

He will say I am being biased here, but for Burnley in this age to break into the top 10 of the Premier League on our comparative meagre resources is absolutely a comparable achievement to winning the Premier League being bank rolled in 1995.

Next season will be another struggle but we will stay up if our only big loss is Keane and we make more shrewd purchases. The long term (5-6 years say) aim should be stabilising in the 'boring section' (i.e, Stoke, West Brom, even Bournemouth now) of that mini league and looking at seriously trying to win a cup ala Swansea.

[JohnMac]

I think we will do well to survive another season at this level and any subsequent seasons. The moster that is the Premier League has no regard for history or sentiment.

Even though we are in dreamland with our finances, we are still very much feeding on scraps and our financial prudence will leave us short of the top end quality probably required to push on much further than the bottom 6 mini league.

It isn't a negative point more a reality check and if we were to stay up regardless of position it will be brilliant.

[cockneyclaret]

I agree ablue, we haven't figured plan b yet, reluctant to change (subs etc) when it's plain obvious what's going on.
Plus going to lose key players, players he bought in can't get a game over the others.
I'll be happy to finish as we are but there's a huge gap (financial) still

[ewanrob]

I can see Eddie Howe being at a much bigger club next season. If that happens I believe Bournemouth may go into freefall.

[Spijed]

I can see Eddie Howe being at a much bigger club next season. If that happens I believe Bournemouth may go into freefall.

Which club? Non of the big ones will touch him as they will need a manager with European experience.

He has non in that respect

[ablueclaret]

Is there a bigger club than Bournemouth? Not in Howe's world.

[Leisure]

Big city, media attention, advertising deals, more fans, higher gate prices.. Need I say more..?

How did a town club like Rovers manage to win/buy the league then? Oh wait on...........!

[jdrobbo]

Southampton.

Puel looking like he's leaving.

[ablueclaret]

Howe will stay put, the only club he might advance himself with is Spurs and that job won't come up any time soon.

[Clarets4me]

Some managers seem to be just the right " fit " for the Club that they're at..

Nigel Clough at Burton, Eddie Howe at Bournemouth, John Coleman at Accrington spring to mind and I think Sean Dyche for us...

I suspect the " gravel voiced wonder " has been well rewarded Bonus wise for two promotions and now staying up ( quite rightly too! )..

[ewanrob]

West ham...Southampton....Stoke. All potentially could need to replace, he will go onto better things.

[Lancasterclaret]

How far can we go?

This is as far as we can go, unless we get a cup run and end up on a European adventure.

[The Enclosure]

Can he not be banned permanently?...yeah Saxoman....he contributes nothing apart from contentious comments...and actually spoils every thread he gets involved in.stick to the championship...oh wait a minute .