The renascence of Sam Vokes

Last updated : 23 March 2016 By The Editor's Chair

Sam Vokes recently was named PFA Fans' Player of the Month for February, 2016 in the Sky Bet Championship. 

Voting for the March award opens later this month and on his current form it is far from inconceivable that Big Sam will not be selected again. 

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Big Sam Vokes is back to full fitness and back to his very best goal scoring form.  Sam has already found the net 13 times this season in the SKY Bet Championship as the Clarets’ look to return to the Barclays Premier League at the first time of asking.

As part of the Vokes/Ings combination that helped Burnley win promotion in the 2013-2014 Championship campaign, Sam netted 19 times. The prolific pairing bagged 39 goals in total, Sam’s partner in crime, Danny Ings (now of Liverpool) adding the other 20 to his account.

The new kid on the block Andre Gray bought from Championship rivals Brentford in August 2016 for a reported fee of £6 million plus add-ons has already bagged 22 times in the SKY Bet Championship this season.

Vokes and Gray have struck up a formidable striking partnership and have already acquired a total of 35 goals at the time of writing. Sean Dyche in recent interviews alludes to an exaggerated fee in the football media and claims somewhat tongue-in-cheek that Gray’s fee was nearer to £127 million and not the £9 million currently being speculated!

Sam recently extended his contract at Burnley Football Club and looks set to get his opportunity in the Barclays Premier League with the Clarets who are the SKY Bet Championship’s form team. The Clarets unbeaten in their last 15 games, head off next to Brighton for a promotion showdown with the Seagulls, following the resumption after the International break ends.

Sam’s contract with the Clarets now runs until summer 2019, he previously had a loan spell at Brighton & Hove Albion in 2012. He was at that time attached to Wolverhampton Wanderers. He played 14 times for the Seagulls on loan, netting on 3 occasions

Vokes was seriously injured following damage to a cruciate ligament during a 2-0 home defeat to Nigel Pearson’s Foxes in 2014. A victory which almost assured Leicester City would end the campaign as Championship winners of the 2013-2014 season.

The injury meant he missed the prospect of Premier League Football but was ready to rejoin the Clarets return to the SKY Bet Championship following Burnley’s immediate relegation from the Barclays Premier League in theseason of 2014-2015.

Sam Vokes looks likely to be an integral part of Chris Coleman’s Wales Euro 2016 adventure. Big Sam has been capped already an impressive 37 times for the Welsh. I hope he participates in the Euro finals and upon his return, let’s hope he is ready for a second crack at the Barclays Premier League with the Clarets?

 (TEC)