Pugh link wide of the mark

Last updated : 12 October 2011 By Tony Scholes

Eddie had taken advantage of the break to visit family back home in Bournemouth with his new born baby Harry and it was no surprise that he opted to watch the game at Dean Court.

It could have been just a matter of going to the game or indeed he could have been watching with one player in mind. He has some links with both clubs, having previously been at Bournemouth and being good friends with Rochdale boss Steve Eyre.

Inevitably the link was with Pughy, just as it has been since January when Howe first became Burnley manager but that, I believe, is as far as it goes, speculation.

Pugh was the last player at Turf Moor to win a three year scholarship. During that time he made the first team bench but never got as far as a competitive debut, although he did score at Turf Moor in Stan Ternent's testimonial game.

Having not won a contract at Burnley he moved on to Bury, Shrewsbury and Hereford before Howe signed him in the summer of 2010, taking him to Bournemouth for an initial fee of £60,000, decided by a tribunal, which has just recently, based on appearances, reached its maximum of £100,000.

He did well last season for Bournemouth and was one of the first of their players to be linked with us when Howe made the move to become Clarets' boss as Brian Laws' replacement in January.

He's certainly been in impressive form again for them this season and has scored no less than six times in league and cup games.

Marvin Bartley, Jon Stewart and Danny Ings have followed the manager from Dean Court to Turf Moor, but it would be a big surprise if Pugh was to follow them.