mdd2 wrote:August 2013 Burnley have to sell Charlie Austin to balance the books. The only signings to "strengthen" the squad are free transfers Jones Heaton and Arfield as BFC coffers are empty. We were one of the favourites for relegation.We had one Welsh international striker. Five years on about to start our fourth season in the top flight, we are playing in Europe (for now), we own the Club's assets, we have provided two England keepers, two centre halves, a mid-fielder and have had another CH capped for R of I, another soon to be capped Austrian centre forward and have signed 4 R of Ireland, one Belgian, Icelandic, Bermudan international, two former England internationals and a former Danish international and our sole International from 5 years ago is still in the Welsh side.But just like 5 years ago we will be one of the likely teams to go down.
And we all know what a p**s poor club we have with shocking Board who had no ambition when they chose a Watford reject as manager.
What we have had these past 5 seasons cannot last but as long as it does I will enjoy it for like many more veteran Clarets this is something we never ever expected.These are some of our best years in our Clubs history IMO when we consider the steep slope now of the playing field.
Pistonbroke on another thread- I missed off signing a Scottish international (Bardsley) NZ (Wood) and Czech (Vydra)
Dyche has done an amazing job such that I think its a bit disingenuous to have to over exaggerate the state we were in when he took over. Dyche didnt make many signings that first summer and have a lot to spend but he already had the following players in his squad
Trippier, Shackell, Duff, Mee, Stanislas, Marney, Wallace, Ings & Vokes plus as mentioned he had a player in Austin who he could sell to be able to keep the rest of his squad and add a few players on decent Championship wages
The money we made off the first promotion under Coyle and the investment Howe made with the last of that money in some great prospects gave us a real foundation to build upon.
What Dyche did with that foundation is beyond belief and I doubt a Burnley manager will ever achieve anywhere near as much in my lifetime but we werent anything like the penniless shambles that we were after the ITV Digital fallout and when Cotterill took over
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