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Home again for first game
Jon Harley was the first to sign and this time it is a permanent move after loan spells with the Blades in each of the last two seasons.
That deal was completed on Monday 21st June but three days later he was joined by his Fulham team mate Barry Hayles along with Sheffield Wednesday pair Alan Quinn and Leigh Bromby along with Andy Liddell from Wigan. And a day later Blackpool keeper Phil Barnes made it six in four days.
It took another month for the seventh and last deal to be completed when Warnock added Paul Thirlwell to his squad after the midfielder had been released by Sunderland.
There have been departures to make room for the new signings and they include Mark Rankine, Mike Whitlow, Wayne Allison, Steve Jagielka, Peter Ndlovu and defender Robert Page who looked all set for a Turf Moor move before signing for his home town club Cardiff.
It will be something of a different visit for Neil Warnock this time round. The problems between him and our former boss Stan Ternent were well documented but Warnock said of our new manager, “I like Steve. A couple of years ago he was going to be one of the brightest young managers in the country and maybe things happened too quickly for him but I think he is in the right place to make things work.”
Some of the Sheffield United fans have been worried about the pre-season form but Warnock has reassured them and said that his side will be ready and thankful that the pre-season is finally over and they can get on with the real games.
Team news from Sheffield is difficult to confirm but they will certainly be without four of their players. Striker Steve Kabba (he who destroyed us in the 6-5 throw one in at Grimsby) and Chris ‘Stretch Jnr’ Armstrong are long term casualties whilst Jack Lester and Rob Kozluk are both ruled out with knee and foot injuries respectively.
Six of the seven new signings are expected to start whilst Phil Barnes will act as goalkeeping cover on the bench.
Clarets boss Steve Cotterill is all set for his first competitive game in charge and he is the only manager in the division who was not in charge of his club on the last day of last season.
It appears that there is one player who could miss the game with a niggling injury but Cotterill is giving no clues. However, in the last two days he has handed squad numbers to both youngster Ryan Townsend and coach Mark Yates to boost the numbers.
Should everyone be fit then I expect the Clarets to line up:
Danny Coyne, Michael Duff, Frank Sinclair, John McGreal, Mo Camara, Richard Chaplow, Tony Grant, Micah Hyde, Graham Branch, Robbie Blake, Ian Moore. Subs from: Brian Jensen, Lee Roche, Matt O’Neill, Joel Pilkington, Paul Scott, Ryan Townsend, Mark Yates.
Last season the Clarets won the corresponding game 3-2 after what could be described as an influential debut by Blades keeper Lee Baxter. He was substituted at half time and never played for the club again.
He had something of a nightmare and gifted us a couple of goals. We led 1-0 through Ian Moore but then fell behind after goals from Nick Montgomery and Mike Whitlow. Ian Moore and a Robbie Blake penalty completed the scoring by half time.
The teams were
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Lee Roche, Mark McGregor, Arthur Gnohere, Mo Camara, Glen Little, Richard Chaplow, Tony Grant, Luke Chadwick (Paul Weller 45, Dean West 86), Robbie Blake, Ian Moore. Subs not used: Joel Pilkington, Matt O’Neill.
Sheffield United: Lee Baxter (Alan Fettis 45), Phil Jagielka, Chris Morgan (Mark Rankine 72), Mike Whitlow, Alan Wright, Nick Montgomery, Michael Tongue, Stuart McCall, Michael Brown, Peter Ndlovu, Wayne Allison (Mr Karren Brady 72). Subs not used: Robert Page, Dries Boussatta.
Previous 20 Seasons | |||||
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
1992/93 | FAC | a | 2-2 | 23,041 | Heath(2) |
| . | . | h | 2-4 | 19,061 | Heath Monington |
1994/95 | 1 | h | 4-2 | 11,475 | Robinson Hoyland Davis Gayle |
| . | . | a | 0-2 | 13,349 | . |
2000/01 | 1 | h | 2-0 | 16,635 | Payton(2 1pen) |
| . | . | a | 0-2 | 20,013 | . |
2001/02 | 1 | h | 2-0 | 13,166 | Taylor Cook |
| . | . | a | 0-3 | 19,003 | . |
2002/03 | 1 | h | 0-1 | 12,868 | . |
| . | . | a | 2-4 | 17,359 | Taylor Blake |
2003/04 | 1 | a | 0-1 | 20,967 | . |
. | . | h | 3-2 | 11,452 | Blake(2 1pen) I Moore |
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to see more results against Sheffield United right back to our first meeting in an FA Cup tie in 1890.