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How the powers that be expected the fans to react we do not know but I am certain they will not have expected the reaction we have had since yesterday afternoon when the news was confirmed. Supporters were initially stunned but as the news sunk in it turned to outrage and we were bombarded with requests for more information on the move.
Nothing has been confirmed by anyone but there were strong rumours that Robbie Blake was also close to leaving and also that Gareth Taylor actually turned down a move. Surely that could not have all been true.
In the short term Burnley will benefit financially, the absence of Little will have no effect whatsoever on gate receipts at the last four games. Season ticket holders have already paid and there is virtually nobody paying at the gate any more, just 300 last Tuesday.
March has been a nightmare. It started with a win despite and truly awful performance at Stoke and has since seen our league season collapse, a totally embarrassing exit from the FA Cup and now the loss of the one player the crowd love to see.
The Burnley crowd can be unforgiving and although there will be no short term financial loss there are already enough suggestions that the £100,000 the club boasts of saving (are you surprised how much the club can save in such a short time with the loss of just one wage?) will soon be wiped out with loss of ticket sales for next season.
Burnley Football Club are not awash with money, we all know that, but judging from the reaction yesterday, was the departure of Little really the right thing to do? Only time will tell.
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But they have been building well and are doing very well, so much so that Hell-Wood of the Unprofessionals has this week spoken. It reminded me of what a good laugh we are missing out on now they are no longer with us.
When they departed they were still suffering under the management of Carlton Palmer but he had been given a vote of confidence to get things right. They were all set to have a brilliant 2002/03 season as they chased promotion back to the First Division.
We have to report that they are currently in 18th place, some 32 points behind the promotion places with just seven games to go. But Hell-Wood is impressed with Palmer. Since he was appointed manager the Unprofessionals have played 67 games and won just 16 of them whilst losing an incredible 40.
This week Hell-Wood applauded the work of Palmer saying that most managers take three years to build a good side and Palmer has created an excellent side in just over a year. This news comes just a few weeks after they had to bring in John Hollins to help out.
But it is the astute work from Palmer in the transfer market for which he should be applauded. He signed Blackburn striker Ben Burgess last July for £400,000 and after four goals in nineteen games for them he was able to persuade Legend in his own mind Peter Taylor to pay out £100,000 for him. Top management that Carlton, losing 75% on a player in just a few months.
In what has been another grim week for Burnley Football Club it is refreshing to know that life really is still such a good laugh in the Land of the Unprofessionals.
Third place has been close with the Turf Moor boo-boys, Tuesday’s referee Colin Webster and Craig Bellamy (yes the obnoxious Craig Bellamy) coming close.
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The way they play their football is the sort of stuff that will turn people away from the game. They push referees to the limit with their constant niggling, time wasting, yard pinching and are certainly very quick to over react if anything goes against them.
They go out of their way to turn games into something nasty and apparently Arthur became the 15th player to be sent off in games involving Bradford this season although this has now been reduced with Reading’s Nathan Tyson having his red card last week quashed.
At the Bradford & Bingley Pulse Valley Parade Stadium back in September they had two players sent off, had the audacity to appeal against both, but all Law could talk about after the game was Papadopoulos’ diving and the bad referee.
Only last week Lincoln City’s youth coach John Schofield accused the Bradford youth team of roughing them up - click HERE to see that.
There is no question that Bradford deserved to beat us on Tuesday but there is also no question that this is not how football should be played.
It has been the busiest week for some time with most of your nominations arriving during yesterday afternoon and evening reflecting the attitude of fans to the goings on at Turf Moor.
Next week it would be good if the votes moved the award away from Turf Moor and with yours and the club’s help it can. Just send us your NOMINATIONS by midnight next Thursday.
The winners so far,
Week 1 – Roy Keane (Manchester United)
Week 2 – Jeff Winter (Referee)
Week 3 – Football League’s Football Disciplinary Commission
Week 4 – Alex Ferguson (Manchester United Manager)
Week 5 – Luton Town supporters
Week 6 – Barry Knight (Referee)
Week 7 – Burnley FC Showboaters
Week 8 – Tony Livesey (Editor Sunday Sport)
Week 9 – The Directors and Owners of Franchise FC
Week 10 – David Sheepshanks (Ipswich Town Chairman)
Week 11 – David Davies (Football Association)
Week 12 – George Boeteng (Middlesbrough)
Week 13 – Andy Hall (Referee)
Week 14 – Craig Hignett (Coventry City Loan Player)
Week 15 – Garry Flitcroft (Blackburn Rovers)
Week 16 – Craig Bellamy & Alan Shearer (Newcastle United)
Week 17 – Peter Kenyon (Manchester United Chief Executive)
Week 18 – Lee Bowyer (Leeds United)
Week 19 – Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Week 20 – Gerard Houllier (Liverpool Manager)
Week 21 – Gerard Houllier (Liverpool Manager)
Week 22 – Stockport County Football Club
Week 23 – Andy Todd (Blackburn Rovers)
Week 24 – Farnborough Town FC
Week 25 – John Mackie (Reading)
Week 26 – Alex Ferguson (Manchester United Manager)
Week 27 – Jean Tigana (Fulham Manager)
Week 28 – Mark Cooper (Referee)
Week 29 – Rodney Marsh (Sky Clap-trapper)
Week 30 – El-Hadji Diouf (Liverpool)
Week 31 – Burnley Football Club