Ex-Clarets leading the way in Division One again

Last updated : 25 August 2002 By Tony Scholes

Danny Sonner - scored his first Walsall goal
As we look back at yesterday’s action in the division we can also again review the ex-Clarets who found the net. There were four yesterday and still every league goal scored by an ex-Clarets has been in this division.

There were two in one game as Rotherham picked up their second away win of the season. With all but the Clarets having played two away games the Millers are the only side to pick up maximum points.

They went a goal down early in their local derby at Sheffield Wednesday and it was former Burnley loan player Craig Armstrong who scored for Wednesday. Just before the half hour though Alan Lee scored his second goal of the season, this one from the penalty spot to equalise. A stoppage time winner gave them their win and also ensured that the Clarets were only a point behind next to bottom.

Another side picking up a win with a stoppage time goal was Walsall at home to Forest, the 2-1 win being their first win of the season. Earlier in the game Danny Sonner had given them the lead, also with a penalty.

The last former Burnley player to score was Andy Cooke and this was in a remarkable finish at Deepdale. After trailing 3-1 Cookey equalised for Stoke in time added on only to see Richard Cresswell go straight down and give Preston the lead again to win 4-3.

Elsewhere Gillingham finally lost the last 100% record in the division with a 1-0 defeat at Norwich and that has seen them slip to fifth place with the top four all a point clear of them with ten points.

Those four undefeated clubs are Wolves, Norwich, Portsmouth and Coventry and that is the order they take in the league table on goal difference. Wolves scored a stunning 4-1 win at Pride Park against Derby yesterday and this after Derby had held them for 77 minutes.

For those with promotion hopes the Clarets are now ten points behind the leaders. Last season the gap was never that great until 30th January when we slipped ten points behind leaders Manchester City. At the time though we were fifth with 51 points. We ended the season 24 and 14 points respectively behind the top two.

Besides the defeat the attendance yesterday must have rocked the Turf Moor board, the lowest for a league game for over two and a half years, and that a midweek game played in atrocious conditions.

We are better than some though and the two troubled clubs in the division were once again recording poor attendances. At the New Den, with a sizeable Ipswich following, there were only 8,099 there as the restrictions on who can and cannot go hit them hard.

Best of all though was the fictitious 2,522 supposedly watching Franchise FC against Brighton at Selhurst Park. According to reliable sources the reality was far removed from this artificially high attendance figure given out.

Well done too to the Brighton fans. Despite this being their nearest away fixture they supported the real Wimbledon fans with many of them staying away and instead attending the AFC Wimbledon fixture. Brighton fans you are a real credit, it is brilliant to see football fans helping out football fans.

With serious questions now being asked about the evidence given to the commission and with the FA’s Chief Executive Adam Crozier describing the decision this week as "Appalling" there is still hope that the Milton Keynes move can be stopped.

The brilliant support the old Wimbledon fans have had so far from the supporters of Gillingham and Brighton has been wonderful.

Burnley supporters will have their chance to show their disapproval soon when Franchise FC visit Turf Moor. This is not a game that anyone is expecting Clarets fans to boycott but it is hoped that a demonstration will be held against franchising in English football. There will be more on that soon.

For now though as we go into the midweek fixtures it is Wolves at the top and Burnley at the bottom. Early days though but let’s hope for a change of fortune and soon.