Well done Chappy

I was vocally supporting him as he waited to come on for what seemed like and age and some people made some very nice and favourable comments after he had bagged a well-taken goal.

I’m rather glad he scored, as otherwise people may have taken me for some sort of nutter. (No comments, thanks!) I’ll try and sum up the day without getting TOO hysterical and emotional, starting with what the programme said about him. (He was also on the front cover, by the way!)

“Midfielder Richard made significant progress last season, staking a claim to a regular place in Burnley’s first team and earning England recognition at both Under-19 and Under-21 levels. His Under-21 appearance came as a substitute in the friendly with Holland in February. A fierce competitor, he loves to join in the attack.”

Now, usually, I think programmes are full of a right load of tosh, but they got it right this time, with him bagging a goal as he did, and then earning himself a yellow card following a rather clumsy, lunging challenge a few minutes later. This was to be the only negative on a wholly positive day for the young Claret.

England were the better side throughout, and yet for all their first half domination, they didn’t threaten the goal too often. The two chances came when the England number 11 missed a penalty after 14 minutes, and moments later, the England number 9 hit the post with a header following a good cross from the right.

The second half saw Burnley’s finest come into the game virtually from the moment he stepped onto the pitch. He was at the heart of a lot of the attacking moves, running through the heart of the Dutch defence after neat inter-passing, only to be denied on several occasions by some quality defending.

His passing was crisp and accurate – especially a peach of a touchline-to-touchline ball which rightly earned applause from the 5,000+ crowd.

Richard looked assured, and played with a maturity beyond his years. "Championship” football is obviously helping him to progress, and these sort of games will do him no harm at all.

Well done, Richard, we the supporters of Burnley Football Club – your team – are almost as proud of you as I’m sure your parents are. Long may it continue!