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This will be just the second time in the last seven years that we've been away on the opening day, the other being a trip to Crewe in 2005. That game was lost, and so the last time we won our opening game away from home was back in 2001 against Sheffield Wednesday. That was a 2-0 win with goals from Gareth Taylor and a twice taken Paul Cook penalty that upset some of the home fans.
There will be a big Burnley following and there is a lot of confidence amongst the fans with six new players in the squad. Now it all starts for real.
Sheffield Wednesday could be under new ownership in a matter of days and that will be good news for a club that has struggled financially in recent years, probably since they lost their place in the Premiership in 2000.
They suffered a second relegation in 2002 but came back up two years later. After coming close to the play offs in 2007 they finished a disappointing 16th last season, only three points above relegated Leicester. However, that was something of an achievement given that they lost their first six games, although so close was it that had they lost on the last day of the season against Norwich they would have gone down.
Over the summer manager Brian Laws has brought in just two new players, and one of those is on loan. The loan player is Chelsea midfielder Jimmy Smith who has previously had experience at this level with both Queens Park Rangers and Norwich.
The permanent signing needs no introduction to Burnley fans. James O'Connor opted to sign for Sheffield Wednesday after he decided to move on after a stay of over three years at Turf Moor, and he'll be going into the game with praise from his former manager ringing in his ears.
Steve Cotterill was a massive fan of the Irish midfielder but so was Coyle who started him in every single game after bringing him in for the game at Ipswich on the Saturday before Christmas.
Coyle said this week: "I like James, he is a terrific player and, equally, a terrific man. I've got a lot of time for him and still speak to him.
"At the time we made an offer, and I think he felt he wanted to try pastures new. So, after a week or so, when he couldn't commit, we decided to take the offer off the table. But it was very amicable, we still speak and get on very well, and he will be a huge success at Sheffield Wednesday, I have no doubt about that. I wish him nothing but the best, except against us."
Wednesday haven't lost any of their regular first team players and are hoping to have a much better season than last time. Much will depend on what is available to Laws once the takeover is complete.
American right back Frankie Simek is definitely ruled out for Sheffield Wednesday. He's on his way back to fitness having been out since December but isn't ready to start in the first team. Another out long term is Francis Jeffers who hasn't played since their FA Cup 3rd round tie in January, but having come through a behind closed doors game he could get a place on the bench.
The team is virtually picking itself at the moment although Steve Watson and Ettiene Esajas are pushing for a place. However, McAllister and Johnson are expected to start ahead of them.
Their expected line up is: Lee Grant, Richard Hinds, Richard Wood, Mark Beevers, Tommy Spurr, Marcus Tudgay, James O'Connor, Sean McAllister, Jermaine Johnson, Akpo Sodje, Deon Burton. Subs from: Rob Burch, Peter Gilbert, Jimmy Smith, Steve Watson, Ettiene Esajas, Leon Clarke, Francis Jeffers.
Burnley have got their biggest squad, in terms of numbers, for some time and Owen Coyle has a number of options. With Bes Berisha having gone out on loan today it reduces the squad to 23 which is further reduced with Clarke Carlisle suspended and goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly clearly not being considered having not featured in any of the pre-season games.
If you take the three youngsters, Adam Kay, Alex MacDonald and Jay Rodriguez, out of the equation it gives us 18 and I believe that is the 18 from which the squad will be named with just two of them missing out on a place on the bench.
We've all spent time trying to determine the formation we might play and I suspect it will be similar to the one that beat Inverness last week which is just about a 4-2-3-1 formation.
If so we could line up: Diego Penny, Graham Alexander, Michael Duff, Steven Caldwell, Christian Kalvenes, Remco van der Schaaf, Chris McCann, Wade Elliott, Chris Eagles, Robbie Blake, Martin Paterson. Subs from: Brian Jensen, Stephen Jordan, Kevin McDonald, Joey Gudjonsson, Alan Mahon, Steve Jones, Ade Akinbiyi.
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For once it was never going to happen as we got our first real Robbie Blake master class since his return from Leeds. He scored in the first half and then set up Chris McCann early in the second half to secure a 2-0 win.
Gabor Kiraly made the first serious save of the game but within a minute any confidence the home side might have had disappeared as Robbie latched on to a ball from Wade Elliott. In one turn he beat his defender with ease and gave himself the space to hit home into the corner leaving goalkeeper Lee Grant helpless.
Once in front we controlled the first half and Wednesday's early surge after the break was quickly extinguished as Robbie robbed Frankie Simek in the corner before coming in along the line from the left before laying the ball back for McCann to score.
That was just about it. There was no way back from the home side and the Clarets, without ever being anywhere close to their best, won this one with some ease.
It took us to sixth in the table and with a game in hand because of the postponement of the home game against QPR. And four days later we were set to visit early league leaders Bristol City.
The teams were;
Sheffield Wednesday: Lee Grant, Frankie Simek, Steve Watson (Richard HInds 45), Richard Wood, Tommy Spurr, Wade Small, Kenny Lunt, Glenn Whelan, Etienne Esajas, Francis Jeffers (Deon Burton 60), Akpo Sodje (Marcus Tudgay 60). Subs not used: Rob Burch, Jermaine Johnson.
Burnley: Gabor Kiraly, Michael Duff, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Stephen Jordan, Wade Elliott, Graham Alexander, Chris McCann (Joey Gudjonsson 74), Kyle Lafferty (John Spicer 82), Robbie Blake (Ade Akinbiyi 83), Andy Gray. Subs not used: Brian Jensen, David Unsworth.
Previous 20 Seasons | |||||
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
2000/01 | 1 | h | 1-0 | 16,372 | Davis |
| . | . | a | 0-2 | 20,184 | . |
2001/02 | 1 | a | 2-0 | 21,766 | Taylor Cook(pen) |
| . | . | h | 1-2 | 16,081 | Taylor(pen) |
2002/03 | 1 | a | 3-1 | 17,004 | Taylor Little I Moore |
| . | . | h | 2-7 | 17,435 | Blake(2 1pen) |
2005/06 | C | h | 1-2 | 14,607 | G O'Connor(pen) |
| . | . | a | 0-0 | 24,485 | . |
2006/07 | C | a | 1-1 | 22,425 | J O'Connor |
| . | . | h | 1-1 | 12,745 | Elliott |
2007/08 | C | a | 2-0 | 18,359 | Blake McCann |
| . | . | h | 1-1 | 15,326 | Akinbiyi |