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At Christmas, the Premiership was there for us: we could touch it, feel it, sense it. In a quiet moment, it was easy to drift off and imagine Thierry Henry at Turf Moor, or visualise taking a seat at Old Trafford for a league showdown with English football's uncrowned royalty. Yet just as all that seemed to be within our grasp, we let it slip away through our fingers, and the dream was shattered.
At times our fall during the second half of the season has appeared inexplicable; it has always been frustrating. As the likes of Sheffield Wednesday stormed Turf Moor and left clutching three prized points, discontentment surfaced at Turf Moor, as the chance of life with the big-league was snatched away. Sometimes, the last three four months have seemed more like a relegation campaign than a promotion one.
But if anyone was in danger of remembering these negative emotions at the expense of the heady optimism and elation of Autumn, then the rousing, and defiant, ovation afforded to the players at full-time after Sunday's choking near-miss will surely have dispelled them. That ovation was well deserved, at the end of a season in which the players rarely failed to give everything, and played some memorable football.
The second season at any level usually proves more difficult than the first – look at the plight of Ipswich, and to some extent Preston, who after reaching Europe and a play-off final respectively last season, have found things more difficult this time around – as teams gradually work out how to combat a team and come to respect them a little more. Instead of treating a trip to Turf Moor with a touch of complacency, teams now pay close attention to stopping Burnley playing, and hope to nick something on the break – and Burnley's understandable failure to combat this has been chiefly responsible for their slide down the league since Christmas. In Burnley's case, some reconstruction of an ageing team was inevitably going to be necessary – and Arthur Gnohere, Alan Moore and David Johnson are looking like long-term replacements for Steve Davis, Paul Cook and Andy Payton, although the Frenchman may spend a couple of years learning his trade alongside the skipper. This has been done whilst establishing ourselves as, according to Gordon Strachan, the best passing team in the first division, aside of Manchester City. For these reasons, maintaining last season's finishing position of seventh is an achievement which should not be underestimated.
But Stan will not be happy, and this could prove to be an interesting summer. Sunday's lap of honour has already proved to be a last hurrah in claret and blue for Kevin Ball and Mitchell Thomas, who have been joined at the exit door by Lenny Johnrose, John Williamson, Tony Ellis and Luigi Cennamo. In some respects it is surprising that Ball, who has shown versatility by filling at centre-back this season, has been released ahead of Gordon Armstrong and Paul Cook (who was given a new deal some months ago), who have barely figured in the past few months. If new clubs can be found for them, Graham Branch and, more controversially, Andy Payton could also be packing their bags.
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There is though a choice to be made. Expectation levels at Turf Moor have risen exponentially during the Ternant years, and in order to give the Clarets the most immediate chance of top-flight football, Stan could be forgiven choosing to sign a more experienced quick fix, such as Watford's impressive transfer-listed performer Allan Nielsen. However, this week rumours have abounded that Luton's young prospect Matthew Spring is on his way to Turf Moor. Spring has great potential, and is regarded at Luton as a future Premiership performer, but he is inexperienced and would have plenty to learn about first division football – in short, he might well achieve more than Nielsen in the long-term, but he might not be able to match expectations next season. If Stan is to build a young team who would, in time, provide the basis for a Premiership Burnley team, he would need patience from the fans, and expectations might have to be lowered in the short-term – it is unlikely that enough money would be available to sign two expensive performers.
Stan will also want to make other signings, which may prove to be more of a cut-price effort. The first priorities will be to sign Marlon Beresford and David Johnson permanently. Another left back to compete with Lee Briscoe is required, and Paul Heckingbottom – another player of promise – has already been touted as a possibility. Another centre half will probably be on the shopping list – a personal choice would be for Nottingham Forest's Riccardo Scimeca or Barnsley's Chris Morgan, both at clubs who need to trim the wage bill – and if money allows, someone who can play both down the left and in the centre of midfield would be useful. It would also be good to see Brad Maylett, Tony Shandran and Dimi Papadopoulos come through next year.
That we want to sign so many players is testament to the fact that, this year, we weren't quite strong enough to make the grade – and rather that being a criticism, it is a compliment that we were so close. Next season, with a stronger squad, we might be able to sustain a challenge, but it might take time for some new signings to adapt to the first division, and life at Burnley.
So, to the 2002-03 season. Both Leicester and Derby have financial concerns to address following relegation, but assuming they don't mount an improbable escape from relegation, expect Ipswich to succeed in division one. Like Watford, Preston and Millwall before them, someone will come through from the second division to challenge, and perhaps someone from lower down the league will come good. Apart from that, it's the usual suspects, apart from the team who go up through the play-offs. That includes us these days. And it's a long time since we could say that.