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On my way in I noticed the first team training pitch was looking in top condition whilst the new 3G pitch looked immaculate, even when I set foot on it, and is already in use and has benefited the first team.
There is no other work in progress at the moment, but work will start in October on a new indoor training area whilst the existing building will be improved and extended to provide better facilities for the players.
Gawthorpe today was a hive of activity with the first year apprentices doing some training whilst the development squad, or what remains of it in the absence of Alex-Ray Harvey, Wes Fletcher and Kevin Long, were working with their coach Ash Hoskin.
The starting eleven for the Clarets were, as expected, all second years apart from goalkeeper Ben Woodhead, and the only new face for me was of Belgian Mehdi Lazaar who was in the side after spending the end of last season out injured.
Although we were beaten in this game, we did play some good stuff and for much of the game were the better side. Unfortunately we went behind early in the game and from there it was always an uphill battle.
Burnley started well but there were only five minutes gone when Barnsley took the lead with a goal on the break. It could, and should, have been worse but the visitors missed the chance of the day soon after.
It looked then as if it was going to be a difficult ninety minutes although that proved not to be the case and we soon got into our stride. Joe Jackson twice came close and there is no doubt in my mind that we should have had a penalty when Lazaar went through only to be brought down in the box.
Somehow Barnsley remained in front to the interval band then, against all the play, they doubled the lead in the second half. It came following a mistake from Woodhead who hesitated with a clearance with the Barnsley forward just about forcing the ball home.
Jackson had threatened continuously and pulled one back when set up by Tommy Taylor, and Joe McKee twice came close with long range efforts.
The impressive Dave Lynch came as close as anyone to bringing us level with a long ranger that thumped the bar but then disaster struck with another soft goal at the other end with Woodhead failing to deal with a cross.
By this time we'd made a number of substitutions; and thanks to Vince Overson for confirming their names. The first of the changes had seen Shay McCartan replace Lazaar, and it was the young Newry recruit who pulled us right back in with around three minutes to go.
He headed home from a Steve Hewitt cross, but despite some late pressure we just couldn't get a third.
The Burnley team: Ben Woodhead, Dean Overson (Desmond 75), Curtis Woods (Alex Coleman 75), Steve Edwards (Tom Anderson 75), Ed Williams, Ross Wilson (Steve Hewitt 67), Joe McKee, Dave Lynch (Alex Mullin 72), Tommy Taylor (Adam Evans 67), Mehdi Lazaar (Shay McCartan 64), Joe Jackson.