Jensen
Mears Duff Bikey Jordan
Elliott McDonald Alexander Eagles
Fletcher
Nugent

UTC.

Carlisle and Caldwell still doubtful so looks like a return to CB for Bikey.

Predicted Burnley team

Jensen
Mears Duff Bikey Jordan
Alexander Elliott McDonald
Eagles Blake
Fletcher

Score = 3-0 to Burnley. We need a big win and I’m going to a Blackburn fans house for Boxing Day party so need something to talk about! Up the Clarets!

Well, I haven’t done a match report since, well, Wembley. So here is Burnley in the Premier League. And things have been going well so far. The Clarets currently sit in 14th place, with a mighty 19 points. Lots of positives and lots of negatives.

Lets start with the negatives, mostly away.

2-0 Loss – Stoke – Away
3-0 Loss – Chelsea – Away
4-0 Loss – Liverpool – Away
3-2 Loss – Barnsley – Carling Cup – Away
5-0 Loss – Tottenham
3-2 Loss – Blackburn – Away – Soooo upsetting.
3-1 Loss – Wigan – Home
5-3 Loss – West Ham United – Away
2-0 Loss – Porstmouth – Away
2-0 Loss – Wolves – Away

They are the results. Other negatives are Chris McCann, Martin Paterson and JayRod all out injured, hopefully all back for Old Trafford.

Right, lets hold our heads up now. Positives.

1-0 Win – Manchester United – Home
1-0 Win – Everton – Home
2-1 Win – Hartlepool – Carling Cup – Home
3-1 Win – Sunderland – Home
2-1 Win – Birmingham – Home
2-0 Win – Hull – Home

3-3 Draw – Manchester City – Away
1-1 Draw – Aston Villa – Home
1-1 Draw – Fulham – Home
1-1 Draw – Arsenal – Home

More of the positives: All new signings – Bikey, Fletcher and Mears have been brilliant. Nugent and Guerrero (both on loan) have also played very well. We have yet to see from Brian Easton, David Edgar and Richard Eckersley but they look great and will definitely help Burnley out in the future.

Anyway Bolton are the next visitors to Turf Moor on Boxing Day. Lets just hope the old Burnley curse of form after Christmas doesn’t turn up.

I promise to be back either Christmas Eve or early Boxing Day to give you team news and all the gossip from Turf Moor. UTC, Matt

I can’t give the time to write for the blog but have enjoyed every last moment of writing. I would like to thank Daryl for responding to every email I have sent him almost straight away.

I would like to use this time to ask for any Burnley fan to join up and give Daryl a buzz at daryl@theoffside.com and read this post – http://www.theoffside.com/want-to-write-for-the-offside.

I will still be milling around on the comment boards and will be helping whoever decides to become the next writer of the Burnley Offside.

Also, please help stop Accrington Stanley from going into administration. They need to raise 308k in 8 weeks. Please donate 1p to the whole 308k at http://www.saveourstanley.co.uk. No-one likes to see a club go under.

So, tomorrow In promise I will update you with all things Claret.

Stoke vs Burnley
Burnley vs Man Utd
Burnley vs Everton
Burnley vs Hartlepool

The first 5 games contain 3 of the big 4 and a home game against Everton. This is not going to be easy. The first game of the season, will be down at Stoke on the 15th August. The Potters were promoted from the championship last season so they are in the same boat as us. Next we have the champions Manchester United. United will be the first game to be played at Turf Moor. Hopefully they will be bad at the start of the season like normally.

We then have a tough home game against Everton. The toffees were due to visit the Turf on Saturday 22nd but have a EUROPA league match. If they lose, this will affect their morale and we can win. If they win they will be on a high.

Last years premiership scalp Chelsea will have nightmares when we come and visit them at Stamford Bridge. They have a new policy “NO COINS ALOUD!”. Next a trip to Anfield where we can hopefully cause an upset.

Something to look forward to is Blackburn at Ewood Park 17th October and the 27th March for the Turf. I just love local derbies. Aspecially now we can beat them 2 games in one season.

Below are the full fixture list.
Burnley FC: 2009/10 Barclays Premier League Fixtures
Sat Aug 15 Stoke City A
Tue Aug 18 Manchester United H
Sat Aug 22 Everton H
Wed Aug 26 Carling Cup 2
Sat Aug 29 Chelsea A
Sat Sep 12 Liverpool A
Sat Sep 19 Sunderland H
Wed Sep 23 Carling Cup 3
Sat Sep 26 Tottenham Hotspur A
Sat Oct 3 Birmingham City H
Sat Oct 17 Blackburn Rovers A
Sat Oct 24 Wigan Athletic H
Wed Oct 28 Carling Cup 4
Sat Oct 31 Hull City H
Sat Nov 7 Manchester City A
Sat Nov 21 Aston Villa H
Sat Nov 28 West Ham United A
Wed Dec 2 Carling Cup 5
Sat Dec 5 Portsmouth A
Sat Dec 12 Fulham H
Tue Dec 15 Arsenal H
Sat Dec 19 Wolverhampton Wanderers A
Sat Dec 26 Bolton Wanderers H
Mon Dec 28 Everton A
Sat Jan 2 F.A . Cup 3
Wed Jan 6 Carling Cup Semi-Final (1)
Sat Jan 9 Stoke City H
Sat Jan 16 Manchester United A
Wed Jan 20 Carling Cup Semi-Final (2)
Sat Jan 23 F.A. Cup 4
Tue Jan 26 Bolton Wanderers A
Sat Jan 30 Chelsea H
Sat Feb 6 West Ham United H
Tue Feb 9 Fulham A
Sat Feb 13 F.A. Cup 5
Sat Feb 20 Aston Villa A
Sat Feb 27 Portsmouth H
Sun Feb 28 Carling Cup Final
Sat Mar 6 Arsenal A F.A. Cup 6
Sat Mar 13 Wolverhampton Wanderers H
Sat Mar 20 Wigan Athletic A
Sat Mar 27 Blackburn Rovers H
Sat Apr 3 Manchester City H
Sat Apr 10 Hull City A F.A. Cup Semi-Final
Sat Apr 17 Sunderland A
Sat Apr 24 Liverpool H
Sat May 1 Birmingham City A
Sun May 9 Tottenham Hotspur H
Sat May 15 F.A. Cup Final
Copyright © and Database Right 2009 The Football Association Premier League Ltd / The Football League Ltd. All rights reserved.

People to look out for at the Turf are Fabio Capello looking to give Jay Rod a cap for England and Rhys Williams is supposed to be coming back to us to fill in the right back slot. As Burnley made it to the premiership for the first time ever, after 33 years of being relegated from the old first division, and its all down to these people.

1. Diego Penny
2. Graham Alexander
3. Christian Kalvenes
4. Michael Duff
5. Clarke Carlisle
6. Steven Caldwell
7. Kevin McDonald
8. Joey Gudjonson
9. Ade
10. Martin Paterson
11. Wade Elliot
12. Brian “Beast” Jensen
16. Chris McCann
18. Alan Mahon
19. Jay Rodriguez
20. Robbie Blake
21. Rhys Williams
23. Steven Jordan
27. Alex McDonald
30. Steven Thompson
33. Chris Eagles

And not forgetting the backroom staff
Owen Coyle, Sandy Stewart and Steve Davis. Also a big shout to the phsios and scouts of Burnley FC although their names escape me.

Full season review to follow UTC

The shirt is a simple v-neck claret shirt with blue sleeves. I really like the simple looking shirts and this one is a definate buy. The front of the shirt has Cooke our new sponsers for next season. Cooke is a gas seller who are located in Padiham near Burnley and are big Burnley fans (unlike Wigan’s new sponser). Also the kit maker Errea have moved their logo to the right sleeve so the shirt has a more 1960 look. The kit has white shorts and claret and blue hooped socks.

The away kit is white and has a claret and blue rim around the neck and sleeves. The black shorts work really well with the rest of the kit and the socks are white with 2 claret and blue rings around the top.

UTC
Matt