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They came to the Turf with a new manager, Martin Hinshelwood, who was in charge for the first time after replacing the Legend Peter Taylor who walked out when he realised there wouldn’t be a fortune to spend.
Hinshelwood was naturally delighted with the performance from his team and of course with the result and said after the game,
"I am very pleased because the team has worked hard in pre-season. I have only had four weeks in charge and this is a great start. We knew it would be difficult because we knew what their strengths were and I though my defenders were magnificent today. It was a shame about the late goal because I thought my back five deserved a clean sheet.
"We are looking forward to the season and we have not talked about fourth from bottom. We want to get out of this league by going up but we know mid-table would be good for us. It is a great result for everybody, the players, directors, coaching staff and the supporters."
Needless to say Stan was not happy with our performance and in particular the performance of Robbie Blake who was making only his second start for us since his signing from Bradford City last January. His not so complimentary words were,
"It was a very poor start for us, we didn't play well and the basic fundamentals of our game were missing. We were lethargic and we started off that way. We deserved to be beaten, they were far and away the better team.
"Whether the players felt that they could just roll Brighton over I don't know. I've been down that road with Bury, getting two promotions. They were well organised and worked hard. Dimitri Papadopoulos looked lively but Robbie Blake was hopeless and I told him so. He looked like he had divers boots on.
"I have spoken to the players at length. Just because we didn't strengthen the squad and they feel there is no competition, they are wrong. If I don't get a better performance in the basic fundamentals of football, they won't play. I will put the kids in if I have to. I have done it before and I will do it again.
"Saturday's performance was just not good enough for me and the players owe a debt to the fans. I am at a loss for words over a performance like that but the ultimate responsibility is mine because I pick the team. If we play to our potential we are a pretty good side and I have told the players I normally stand up for them - but not if they play like that. The display surprised me big style and there is only one place we are going if we don't improve on that! I have to shake them up.
"That was just a ridiculously bad day at the office, it is not the fact of losing but the way we lost. We just weren't competitive but you can bet your bottom dollar that win, lose or draw we will be better than that next time."
And on the incident that saw Arthur Gnohere sent off Stan was hoping to look at video evidence although it does appear the cameraman missed the incident,
"I need to see the incident before I decide whether to appeal the decision. Some people are telling me that Arthur showed intent and that means a red card. I have told the ref I will be looking at it and he said he will as well if I decide to appeal.
"If I had seen it I would comment but I didn't. I had a chat with Arthur and he said he didn't touch him. If he did I will deal with him very severely internally."
Burnley’s summertime blues
by Pete Oliver (Sunday Times)
FEW clubs in the First Division have felt ITV Digital’s collapse more acutely than Burnley and their gloomy summer was intensified by a crushing defeat to Brighton in Martin Hinshelwood’s first game in charge of the newly promoted club.
The Burnley manager, Stan Ternent, has been unable to make a single addition to the squad that missed out on the playoffs by a solitary goal last season and even player of the year, Dean West, has been restricted to a monthly contract.
Yet Brighton found a similar handicap far less of a burden and the side that clinched a second successive promotion in the Second Division last year left Ternent to berate the players at his disposal. "I’ve said to them that just because we haven’t been able to strengthen the squad and they feel there’s no competition for places, that if I don’t get a better performance . . . they won’t play. I will put the kids in if I have to."
Hinshelwood has also been prevented from bringing in any new faces, but fortunately, he has retained prolific striker Bobby Zamora.
The 21-year-old scored 56 goals in two years to propel Brighton’s ascent from the basement division and he has handled the step up well.
Steve Melton set the visitors on their way from a Zamora pass after 29 minutes before limping off and Burnley’s task was made even harder when defender Arthur Gnohere was sent off for aiming a butt at Gary Hart six minutes into the second half.
Paul Brooker put the result beyond doubt with a solo effort 14 minutes later and within moments Zamora had opened his account when following up a Paul Rogers header.
"I have got some quality up front that will cause people problems this season," said Hinshelwood, who included his teenage nephew, Adam, in the centre of a makeshift defence which was only breached by Lee Briscoe’s stoppage-time token.