Happy New Year from Clarets Mad

Last updated : 31 December 2006 By Tony Scholes

That's one point less from one game fewer than at this time last year when, following defeat against Sheffield Wednesday, we were ninth with the same number of points as Preston and Cardiff.

For the Clarets it has been a year of down, up and then down again, the year starting poorly after the sale of Ade Akinbiyi and ending in not so good form following the injury to Andy Gray who was bough with some of the money from the Ade sale.

On Clarets Mad it has been a superb year, it was just a year ago today that the idea of fundraising for the youth team was put to me and after the launch of Year of the Youth in March we have already raised over £14,000.

We've had numerous events and get togethers, we even had a Clarets Mad team went to Italy for the pre-season tour and there is much more planned for the New Year. October brought us the worst news of all with the very sad loss of David Evans (Eli) at the age of 65 and we will be holding an event in his memory during next year.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have been of such great help to me with the web site during 2006. To Richard Oldroyd, who is currently enjoying himself on a three month trip in the southern hemisphere, to Andy Ashworth who has reported so well and so often from youth games, and to John Robertson who contributed during last season with his match previews.

To add to that there have been all the guest match reporters, all the positive contributors to the message board and all those of you who visit the site. The support you have given is very much appreciated.

I would like to wish all of you and your families a very happy and prosperous 2007 and would wish to extend that to everyone connected with the one thing that brings us all together, Burnley Football Club, and to all football supporters across the world.

I will leave you with some of our pictures from the last year.

Up the Clarets
Tony