SEE PAGE 6 Issue 36 MEMBERSHIP OFFER January 2021 Inside this issue:

• ALK takeover

• Derek Gill: In memoriam

• Football without fans: 2021: a Trust member A TIME AND reports • Contract extensions

• ACV update PACE • Summer transfer window news and opinion

Photo: ALK • Jimmy Robson and dementia After months of speculation we ended 2020 and will be an early taster of what we might with the news that Burnley Football Club had expect for the future. • No fans at been taken over by ALK Capital who have But it is, of course, early days and there are the Turf bought an 84 per cent stake for £200 million. many questions we all have. We have delayed The Trust immediately welcomed the new issuing the newsletter in the hope we would have • PPV thoughts Chairman Alan Pace and the Club’s new owners, more information – indeed when the newsletter and are encouraged to hear of the new owners’ content was being collated no takeover had been • Lifetime understanding of the special place the Club confirmed and as such it was a case of ‘hold the membership holds in our communities and the passion of front page’! offer our supporters, as well as their commitment to As one of the largest small shareholders at maintaining stability at all levels of the Club the Club, the Trust Board are seeking an early while looking to provide a path to growth. We meeting with the new Chairman of the Club and are particularly pleased that they view their will be looking at building an ongoing dialogue investment as a long-term commitment. with the new owners, and looking for the answers to some of the outstanding questions. As such our Q&A meeting with Trust members is to be Fans will be waiting to rearranged – a new date will be announced see what transpires with once we have met with the new owners. If you comings and goings have not already registered interest but would like to attend our Q&A please contact our Secretary by email or just keep a look out for an email with As the transfer window looms, undoubtedly fans details of the new date. will be watching and waiting with interest to see In addition to sending a message welcoming what transpires in terms of comings and goings. the new owners, the Trust also extended our Without doubt we urgently need investment in the thanks to the outgoing Board members – notably squad but, as we all know, has a clear Honorary Trust member Barry Kilby and the long- idea of what he wants and who can fit in with his serving Clive Holt, who is also a Trust member – squad. It will be interesting to see what happens something which we reiterate now. Issue 36 January 2021

Chairman’s statement

After 2020, here’s to a new future I want to start by wishing all members injuries we started the season with a very now been admitted they have minimal of the Clarets Trust and indeed the wider small squad and struggled to get the numbers – and of course we are not yet Burnley FC family a very happy New Year results we wanted. allowed into Turf Moor. – let us hope it is much better that 2020 We also have had weeks of talks about Burnley has always been very much has been. I hope everyone had a Happy a local community team and over the Christmas even if somewhat different recent years has been well run. Finances from previous years – let us hope it does We have had a run have been tightly and sensibly controlled not lead to a big Covid increase. of success envied by and we have had a run of success that Burnley FC enters a new year with a many big city clubs has been envied by many of the big clear challenge to keep the Club out of city clubs. Now the takeover has been the relegation zone. The 2019/20 season confirmed, let us hope the new owners was, of course, unique: suspended for a possible takeover of the Club, and on 31 have the same commitment not only to couple of months and then extended well December it was officially announced. We the Club, but the Town and Community into the summer. The Clarets did very well are still waiting to learn the finer details of Burnley. in the extended period and ended up in and what is indicated for investment in Again I wish you all a Happy New Year the top half of the table in 10th position. players. Clearly the does and here’s hoping it proves to be a really It was a pity to see some players not need a lot of money and regrettably good year for Burnley Football Club. extending their contracts to complete the coronavirus has hit clubs’ finances hard. All the best, season. I cannot deny that like most fans We ended last season playing behind Up the Clarets. I expected some new players in before closed doors and have continued that in Peter Pike the close of the transfer window. With the new season. Even where fans have Chair, Clarets Trust Derek Gill, former BFC director, passes away Born 12 May 1933, Derek member of Burnley Catenians who resigned as Director in spent most of his life in for more than 40 years. 1985, was critical of final years Burnley. He married Kathleen Derek served as a Director of of Lord’s reign as Chairman in 1956 and they had seven Burnley Football Club in very including the so-called children. A trained accountant, difficult financial times – his Lowerhouse Land deal. He was he went on to set up his own stories about the early 80s era proud to be a director of the very successful business where are interesting to say the least club he had worshipped since four of his children worked. He and his diaries were a source childhood. He left the club was a Director for more than of material for a number of with huge regret even though 30 years, until May 2019. Dave Thomas books. Dave he felt that he acted for the Derek was well known as thought highly of Derek greater good of the club and a particularly good tenor Financial wizard: Derek Gill saying that ‘the financial not for personal gratification. singer and performed at wizardry of Derek Gill had seen A further quote from Dave: many venues throughout the Bowling Club, serving as club an insolvent club accumulate ‘Gill had, in fact, worked North West. He was also a treasurer for many years. He a bank balance that would miracles to get the Club keen crown-green bowler and was a parishioner at St Mary have had even Jack Butterfield solvent again but his good was a member of Ightenhill Magdalene’s RC Church and a filled with admiration.’ Derek, work simply went to waste.’.

Chairman Secretary Board Members Trust Corporate Trust Peter Pike Liam Hallinan Jane Pike Members: Officers Vice Chair Membership Officer Andy Tatchell JD Wetherspoon Terry Hephrun Martin Barnes Maggie Lishman Lancashire Telegraph Treasurer UHY Hacker Young Nigel Cotterill Moorhouse’s Brewery Issue 36 January 2021

Lancaster, a regular at games both home and away: ‘It just feels so alienated, almost like a reality TV programme that Football we are obligated to watch because of our links to the club.’ He points to games he has watched as a neutral this season that without would have been far better to watch with a crowd in the stadium, such as Bale’s winner for Spurs on his return and Aston fans is... Villa’s 7–2 pummelling of . There have been two main facets of Premier League football without different fans, for myself at least, the emotional disengagement with watching Burnley and the disillusionment of watching games as a neutral. Rarely do I turn on the television and immediately go to see what football is on. I have not watched Match of the Day all season. Without the crowd creating an atmosphere, games have become heavily reliant on exciting In the first of what hopefully will be a new newsletter feature, we football to draw enjoyment, due to the asked a Trust member to write about their experiences. Here we lack of intensity and excitement that hear from Trust member, and NNN podcast regular, George Poole a febrile atmosphere can bring. As for as he shares how he is enjoying football in the Covid era: Burnley games, I am distanced from the friends and family that I usually watch As a university student since September a goal has not in fact been scored! It has 2019, my experience of watching football been a strange experience and perhaps I feel disengaged has changed drastically. After 15 years not one we should get used to. of watching Burnley at home and around The well-known Claret, Alastair with Burnley FC and a decade of following the Clarets away Campbell, recently said on the No Nay disillusioned with the from home, both domestically and across Never podcast that he hates the piped- game of football Europe, I was now stuck behind a TV in crown noise, because he doesn’t screen watching my beloved team. The think ‘we should allow ourselves to get tight budget and first year university accustomed to watching football without with, mixed with the sub-par start to the life meant I was reduced to attending crowds’. On this point, I completely season that the Clarets have made, it has a couple of home games over the agree. While not going as far as Jock led to a total emotional disengagement Christmas period and two away games Stein in saying that ‘football without from watching the team. until the curtailment of professional sport fans is nothing’, I certainly feel it has We all watch the games, through in March. This abstraction from football been severely affected. I currently feel whatever means necessary, but I think that I had experienced is now shared by disengaged with Burnley Football Club all of us can agree that it has simply not all fans of football, due to the Covid-19 and disillusioned with the game of been the same. We should not get used pandemic. Fans were not in Premier football. I miss football, but more than to the idea of watching football without League stadiums from the beginning of the action on the pitch: I miss travelling live crowds, and while the return of fans March for nine months. to the game; I miss the pints before and to Turf Moor may not be imminent, let us Since Project Restart and the after games; I miss seeing the usual faces enjoy the return of live crowds elsewhere resumption of professional football around me at the Turf; I miss getting up and the start of a return to normality behind closed doors, we have had to at 3a.m. to travel to Brighton on an Accy that they may bring. It is not necessarily resort to watching games from our Clarets coach to watch a boring 0–0; I football that we are missing, but our own homes, with the option given on whether miss the one time in the week I can forget unique routines of following our beloved to listen to the empty stadium, or the about all the worries of everyday life and Clarets, whether that be travelling across manufactured pipe-in of recorded crowd enjoy myself with my dad and my mates. the country with our friends or walking noise. I am sure you are now picturing Football without fans is… different. through Turnstile 32 with our dad to enter the ball crashing into the side netting of This disengagement with Burnley the James Hargreaves Stand. Football the goal, while the crowd noise is played and football has been shared by many without fans has been different and the to the chorus of cheers and celebration, throughout this era of sport without sooner we can see the safe return of fans until the sound technician quickly realises live crowds, including 20-year-old Will to Turf Moor, the better. Issue 36 January 2021

Asset of New deals for the Community Turf Moor seven Value – update The Clarets Trust are delighted to see the are all pleasing, the new deals for Benson Trust members will know that the recent contract extensions given to key and McNeil are perhaps most exciting. The Trust has spearheaded ensuring members of Sean Dyche’s squad, including two young prospects are evidence of the the ground at Turf Moor is covered Christmas rewards for and young success of Dyche’s long-term vision for the by an ACV – this means that if . club. anything were to happen that we, Having put pen to paper on a new deal With the money invested to recently the fans, would have an opportunity until 2023, including an extra 12-month achieve Category One Academy Status, to buy the ground first. In light of option, Benson is one of seven Clarets to alongside the renewed focus on youth all the chatter about takeover bids sign a new contract since the end of last recruitment, Benson and McNeil show that we emailed asking you to respond season (joining McNeil, Westwood, Vydra, improvement to the first team does not to a survey so that we could gauge Rodriguez, Mee and Cork). Having faced necessarily have to come through support for a new application that fierce criticism from supporters in regard expensive transfer dealing. Although it would extend the ACV to include the to the departures of certain players last would be remiss to fail to mention the whole of Turf Moor and the Barnfield summer, including stalwart Jeff Hendrick, club’s strategic announcement of McNeil’s Training Ground. the Trust is thrilled that the long-term future extension, coming on Deadline Day of The results are in and Trust of the Burnley squad is being properly a disappointing transfer window, the members feel this is worth pursuing looked after. contracts signed by the club over the last as a resounding 98.6% of you said While the contract extensions for six months indicate prolonged Premier yes! Thanks for responding. We will Rodriguez, Vydra, Cork, Westwood and Mee League prosperity for the Clarets. keep you posted. A lone seagull swoops into Turf Moor Another summer transfer window has a whipping boy for fan complaints, he had passed, and it is another without a major been an integral member of Dyche’s squad, sale of a player for the Clarets. With that, operating both in the midfield and as a we must be pleased. The summer was right winger when required. littered with rumours of the impending Alongside the departure of the departure of the defensive colossus, James disillusioned Ben Gibson (Norwich, loan), Tarkowski, yet he remains at the club, at this left the Clarets team depleted of least for now. three outfield squad members. Though Perhaps the biggest talking point of the was brought in from Wolves to summer window was the failure to replace provide reinforcement in the goalkeeping departures that, while not major sales, department, only Dale Stephens was signed were indeed key members of Sean Dyche’s to bolster the outfield ranks. His arrival for squad. Jeff Hendrick (Newcastle), a reported £1 million from league rivals (Tottenham Hotspur), Adam Legzdins Brighton & Hove Albion provides necessary (Dundee) and Aaron Lennon () backup in centre midfield, but with the all left the squad over the summer. budding relationship between the injury We are delighted to announce Hendrick and Lennon were the most table and the pair of and that our newest honorary notable departures, having been key assets Jóhann Berg Gudmundsson, it is baffling member will be former Burnley to Dyche over the past few seasons, with to many supporters as to why such a pitiful player Len Johnrose. His new 168 appearances for the club between amount of money was spent in the summer book, Finding a Way, covers them. Hendrick had once been Burnley’s transfer window. not only his playing career but record signing upon joining the club in The Clarets squad has been left short his recent diagnosis of motor 2016 for £10.5 million. Over his time at of both quality and quantity, with a keen neurone disease. the club, he helped the club retain their eye currently being kept on the recently More information to come on Premier League status and finish 7th in the announced club takeover that may allow our Facebook page and the 2017–18 season, en route to qualifying for Sean Dyche to enjoy a more fruitful next newsletter. the Europa League. Although he was often January transfer window. Issue 36 January 2021

Clarets legend Jimmy faces up to dementia Trust members will be aware that Jimmy Robson, a member of our Championship winning team of 1960 is suffering from dementia. The issue of footballers and dementia is in the national news at the moment. Jimmy and his daughter, Dany, were interviewed recently by the Daily Mail who have kindly agreed for us to use that article.

Jimmy explained how for every goal- Trevor said my dad was always the joker. kick it was his job to flick the ball on, no ‘It was a worry that the dementia could matter how much it rattled his brain. ‘I’d turn him into something else but he’s do what needed to be done,’ he says in kept that side to him. We’re lucky in that his softly-spoken North-East accent. respect. We have a laugh. We try to keep It is 60 years since Burnley won the it light because that’s the type of family First Division and Dany suspects her we are and the type of person my dad is. father’s ability to recall details here is He is aware [that he has dementia].’ because of a trip to Turf Moor days ago. Following her dad’s diagnosis, ‘There was a big picture of the title- Dany spoke to the PFA who sent her a winning team in the Burnley Express in leaflet. ‘That’s it,’ she says. ‘It wasn’t May,’ Dany explains. ‘Dad was asking us, Alzheimer’s specific so it didn’t help a lot. “Am I on that?” There was no recognition. But when I rang the Alzheimer’s Society But when we took him to Turf Moor and they sent me about 10 booklets about all showed him a picture of the team, he the different types of dementia. They ring could name them all. Being there brought me once every couple of months to ask it all back for him. It was amazing.’ how my dad is and, nicely, they ask how That is the power of reminiscence and we are as a family. That makes you feel why the PFA should be helping to fund as if somebody is looking out for you.’ and arrange social events where former Dany says money is not the top professional players can come together, Jimmy does not priority of families of former footballers perhaps at their old stomping grounds. It mind saying of diagnosed with dementia. What they triggers memories and days after his visit Alzheimer’s: ‘It is want most is support, some recognition to Turf Moor it is heart-warming to hear and for professional players nowadays to Jimmy discuss his old friends – men he a football disease.’ know the dangers of heading the ball. clearly held in high regard and misses. ‘There’s no cure for our dads,’ she Notably, he does not mind saying of Bobby Charlton’s diagnosis, the death says. ‘It’s about getting help and raising Alzheimer’s: ‘It is a football disease.’ The of Nobby Stiles and the fact that many awareness. It’s about helping the numbers back him up, too. Of the Burnley of his old Burnley team-mates had it. generations to come. It’s about having team who won the 1959–60 title, seven To which he replied: ‘It makes me very support. Dad was a footballer and you have been diagnosed with dementia. sad because I might end up getting it, end up going to the Alzheimer’s Society Six have passed away, including Jimmy too.’ Unfortunately, it is too late for that. rather than football to help him.’ McIlroy and Ray Pointer. Jimmy was diagnosed with dementia I ask Jimmy whether it saddens him, ‘Jimmy McIlroy was the best player we almost five years ago. It started with like it does us, to see so many footballing had,’ says this wonderfully warm 81-year- forgetting where he parked his car and icons struggling with dementia, from Sir old. ‘He was top notch. He and Jimmy escalated from there. Thankfully, Dany Bobby to himself. ‘Bobby Charlton is an Adamson used to work wonderfully in adds, her father is a ‘happy’ person. icon,’ he replies. ‘I am not an icon.’ He the midfield. My job was to score goals. I Whereas some of those diagnosed turns to Dany and smiles. ‘I’ve got my played up front with Ray Pointer and we can develop nasty streaks, Jimmy has family here. They are very good to me. scored lots of goals. John Connelly, too. retained his cheeky nature. I’m doing all right.’ Burnley were a good side.’ ‘Burnley were playing Manchester City The Clarets Trust offer our best wishes Sometimes with dementia you either and it was by beating City in 1960 that to Jimmy and his family. We welcome the have to laugh or cry and one remark Burnley won the title,’ Dany says. ‘So Sky announcement to allow for additional from her dad had Dany chuckling Sports did an interview with my dad and substitutions in a game if someone has a recently. Jimmy was asked about Sir Trevor Meredith talking about that time. suspected head injury – a vital change. Issue 36 January 2021

No fans allowed at Turf Moor Prior to lockdown, the Clarets Trust Board to be unfair and are advocating that it was disheartened to see that the majority must be the same for ALL Premier League of the North West of England was placed Clubs. Not least given that fans in the in tier 4, having previously been in tier 3. North West have had life under Covid This all means that attendance at restrictions for longer than anywhere Burnley matches at Turf Moor cannot be else in the country. If teams in this area allowed. Only clubs who were in tiers 1 cannot admit fans then no one should be and 2 had been able to admit some fans able to do so. – including the big London clubs until the It is, of course, worth noting that Government announcement that moved even if Burnley were to move down to them into the new tier 4. tier 2, only 2000 fans would be allowed Of course, with new strains of Covid Turf Moor: empty for now in. Burnley currently have about 6000 and the recent introduction of another season ticket holders who would be national lockdown, it is highly likely that will be reviewed yet again. Whatever eligible to apply for tickets as only those the issue of opening games back up happens we believe the previous system living in the Lancashire area can apply! Pay per view’s own-goal Emails, please An urgent last call for email The Clarets Trust Board response on the Board was local food bank, rather than addresses. In addition to firmly believed the cost overwhelmingly shared to the TV companies. While the Trust wishing to be of the Pay Per View (PPV) among Trust members. It it is hard to measure specific environmentally friendly, matches was too expensive was interesting to look at the contributions, they have increased postage costs mean and penalised some Club breakdown of your responses. received over £37,000 since sending newsletters out has Supporters more than Nearly half said you would the start of the year, £15,000 become rather prohibitive. As others. We were delighted not watch them at all, and since September, which is a result, we have decided that when this ill thought-out idea only 4% said you were happy brilliant news at this difficult if you wish to receive items by was ditched. to pay whereas over 20% said time of year. post it will cost £5 a year. The Football Supporters’ you would find alternative Let us know if you did Please send us your Association led a strong streams for those games. something other than PPV email addresses to: campaign fighting against It was fantastic to see and which cause received [email protected] this. We polled members to that many BFC supporters – your donation? Please email: Thanks in advance, gauge opinions on PPV and around 20% – chose instead [email protected] Martin Barnes, Membership it was clear that our initial to give their PPV money to the with your story. Secretary Clarets Lifetime membership offer Trust We’re pleased to announce a 30 Deerpark Rd, Burnley, special offer – 10% off lifetime Use Code CTLIFE10 Lancashire BB10 4SD membership. Junior (0-16) regular price £75 PHONE For a limited period of time WITH 07958 143757 (Martin) we’re putting our lifetime DISCOUNT for full access EMAIL membership rates into a £67.50 [email protected] January sale! If you go online Adult (17-60) regular price £95 you can get 10% off if you WITH WEBSITE use the code CTLIFE10 at the DISCOUNT for full access www.claretstrust.co.uk checkout. Moving forward £85.50 TWITTER the Trust are planning 4 Senior (60+) regular price £60

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