|
Just over the border in Yorkshire, Bradford City and Robbie Blake were looking forward to kicking off in the Premier League at Middlesbrough, a game they won 1-0. They were two divisions above us, now ten years on they sit three divisions below us and in a poor state of health.
After struggling with us behind the goals last season they decided to move the Burnley fans back into the stand on the side, allocating us the first two blocks initially. They must have been expecting a few hundred but, and not for the first time at Bradford, the stewards struggled to cope with the numbers.
Over 2,000 Burnley supporters turned up to see our first game as a Premier League club and whilst some stewards were trying to move us out of the third block there were already fans taking seats in the fourth.
On getting in I was told that we'd appointed a new coach in John Henry but there was no sign of him on the pitch [he starts on Monday I later learned] but a quick count of the players showed no signs of either Chris Eagles or Chris McCann. Both apparently have suffered in training and were left out as a precaution.
The other twenty players were out there, the new professionals were not included, and all of them got on at some stage during the game with manager Owen Coyle making seven half time changes and two more during the second half.
Two of the three new boys were in the starting line up; David Edgar sat out the first half. We kicked off with Brian Jensen in goal and a back four of Tyrone Mears, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell and Stephen Jordan. The midfield four were Wade Elliott, Graham Alexander, Kevin McDonald and Robbie Blake whilst new record signing Steven Fletcher partnered Martin Paterson up front.
We set off like a house on fire and the first player to really impress was Fletcher. They say first impressions count, and if so I like him. He's got some pace, he's got excellent control of the ball and he certainly has an eye for a pass to play players in.
It wasn't just Fletcher though in the opening stages, we totally dominated proceedings. In the very first attack we probably should have scored. Fletcher played in strike partner Paterson who blazed his shot over.
The opening was one way traffic and it was no surprise when we took the lead with just over twelve minutes on the clock. Alexander and Caldwell did well before the ball was played to Jordan in the left back position.
He in turn played a superb ball across the pitch for Blake on the right wing. The former Bradford City hero controlled the ball brilliantly before treating us to his first Lionel Messi routine of the new season before releasing the ball for Alexander who hit home a crisp left footer from just outside the box.
The lead didn't last long when midway through the half Bradford equalised out of the blue. It was Alexander who gave the ball away allowing the Boulding brothers, Rory and Michael, to combine to set up James O'Brien to score from close range.
It really stung us and we aimed another onslaught at the home goal. Elliott had a shot saved, Fletcher ballooned over with a right foot shot and Paterson crashed a shot against the underside of the bar, joking with the assistant that it had crossed the line.
An inevitable second goal was surely not far away, and it wasn't, but at the other end. A mix up allowed Michael Boulding through and he slotted the ball past Jensen.
I don't know whether I should really be worried about the older Boulding playing against us but is name still fills me with dread after he destroyed us in that vital game at Grimsby in April 2002. It all but ensured we didn't make the play offs whilst Boulding's form at the time won him a deal with Aston Villa.
He'd done us again and scored, and this proved to be the winner with what turned out to be a disappointing second half to follow. Our only two efforts of any note came from McDonald and Remco van der Schaaf in a rare appearance. McDonald hit his shot straight at Jay Rodriguez whilst van der Schaaf, after making space for himself well, put his effort into the upper tier of what used to be the Charlie Brown Stand.
At the other end, Diego Penny was largely unemployed but made one terrific save to keep out what looked certain to be a third for Bradford City.
It wasn't quite Wembley, the tension had certainly gone and it was very much a more relaxing afternoon. Incredibly there was moaning from some fans at the end. "Get it sorted Coyle," I heard from one fan.
It wasn't an enjoyable game of football but it was good to be back, I'm still buzzing almost seven weeks after Wembley and I'm certainly not going to come back down to earth because we lost a friendly at Bradford City just nine days into pre-season training.
All the players got time on the pitch, as I wrote further up the article there was an impressive first period for Fletcher, and now I'll be at Morecambe for the next stage. We lost the first one a year ago against the Cary Railhawks, and then look what happened.
The squad is not complete yet, I'm expecting more signings and I reckon there will be at least one more before we disappear to California on Thursday. As for 'Get it sorted Coyle', I thought he did, or did I just imagine Wembley.
Finally, we played in the new away kit yesterday - the same colours as we wore back at Maine Road on 2nd May 1960. It looked impressive then, and it looked impressive at Bradford.
The teams were;
First Half
Bradford City: Matthew Convey, Jonathan Bateson, Luke O'Brien, James O'Brien, Steve Williams, Matthew Clarke, Joe Colbeck, Lee Bullock, Rory Boulding, Michael Boulding, Chris Brandon.
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Tyrone Mears, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Stephen Jordan, Wade Elliott, Kevin McDonald, Graham Alexander, Robbie Blake, Martin Paterson, Steven Fletcher.
Second Half
Bradford City: Alan Mannus, Paul Arnison, Louis Horne, Jordan Hadfield, Zesh Rehman, Simon Ramsden, Luke Sharry (Luke Dean 75), Grant Smith, Gareth Evans, James Hanson, Leon Osborne.
Burnley: Diego Penny, Tyrone Mears (Remco van der Schaaf 63), Michael Duff, David Edgar, Christian Kalvenes, Wade Elliott, Kevin McDonald, Joey Gudjonsson, Robbie Blake, Steven Thompson (Adam Kay 69), Jay Rodriguez.
Referee: Clive Oliver (Northumberland).
Attendance: 3,917 (including 2,020 Clarets).
