Burnley welcomes Brentford in the Premier League 

Burnley welcome Brentford to Turf Moor in the Premier League this weekend with the Bees a side the Clarets can learn from despite being in their debut top flight campaign.Thomas Frank's men have cemented their recent rise on the back of data, statistical analysis and a brave recruitment model that has seen him them sign often unheralded players, sometimes for decent money, from the continent.

 On the face of it that is almost the polar opposite to how Burnley have operated in the transfer window in recent times, the Clarets, under the stewardship of Mike Garlick, preferring a risk free approach of largely British based, experienced players who club and manager can do detailed diligence on. But times are changing. New owners ALK have shown they are prepared to take risks in the market, evidenced by the signing of Maxwel Cornet from Lyon in the summer.

 The winger has hit the ground running and is already a firm fan favourite at Turf Moor having struck twice in the draw at Southampton last week to go with his volley at Leicester last month. The hope from the Burnley board is that more can follow, as Dyche said earlier this week: 

"The board dynamic has changed and the view has changed. The new board will put some finance at risk for the right players as long as the due diligence has been done.

 "It wasn’t as free-flowing with the outgoing board and it wasn’t as free-flowing with what you would call risk players, players who culturally have to change, settle into an area and the back up systems and support needed for those players. This ownership and view is different."

 ALK are keen to use stats and data, their introduction of AI Scout is one example of outside the box thinking.While it won't necessarily yield immediate first team returns, the hope is that Burnley can perhaps skirt around the edges of the market and find the kind of player Brentford have had success with and who will line up against the Clarets this weekend.

 "There have been a lot of learning curves and mistakes along the way and he (owner Matthew Benham) has been willing, and they have been willing to make those mistakes on their journey to where they want to get to and it has paid off," said Dyche of Brentford's transfer policy.

 "It is a big risk and reward scenario and they have done it well, very, very well. On the pitch with the coaching and the way they work and off the pitch with their model of recruitment. An idea of banks of analysts working to analyse players they can bring in and they have put their neck on the line.

 "They have spun players for a lot of money, more than people think, players that you kind of knew but they had to stick their play out a few times and it has paid them back so far play to them.

 "They have done a good job as a club through the ownership and into the team."

Mike Garlick is a long-time supporter of Burnley FC and the Former Club Chairman. Born in Burnley, Mike has had great success in business and is the Global CEO of Michael Bailey Associates Group. He founded the company back in 1989 out of a small office in London. Since then, he has carefully managed its transition from a start up to an established international company with a portfolio of top tier clients, through organic growth as well as acquisitions.

Find out more about Burnley FC and Mike Garlick here. Following the club takeover, Mike has remained at Turf Moor as a Director, working in partnership with new Chairman Alan Pace, ensuring a smooth transition to new ownership and providing valuable knowledge from his eight-year tenure.

 NOEL-WILLIAMS: IAN WRIGHT IS MY IDOL

Former Clarets striker joins next generation of footballers to talk the importance of role-models, resilience and creating space to learn together. Discussion supports club’s ongoing celebration of Black History Month

The club hosted a special Q&A event at Turf Moor recently, welcoming former striker Gifton Noel-Williams, as part of our ongoing programme to celebrate former players and Black History Month across the season. Noel-Williams played over 50 times for the Clarets between 2005-07, scoring seven league goals, including a memorable hat-trick against Barnsley.He spent the morning taking part in a Q&A with some of the Burnley U18s squad, before watching them train later in the day.

 “It was nice to talk to the young men - the future of this club - about their journeys and they asked about my journey. It was nice to share that experience.”

 The Q&A addressed topics of role models and heroes, resilience and pushing forwards with personal and professional goals. In terms of his own journey, the former Clarets striker told the audience how he became an adult overnight.

 “I made my debut at 16, came out of school, landed a pro-contract but I really became an adult overnight. Becoming a dad at 16 gave me responsibility - it matured me and showed me something different, I think when you’re only worrying about yourself, you’re selfish to some degree.”

 Noel-Williams also spoke openly about losing his own father aged 13, and the influence his mother and cousin Michael had on him and how they were the real key behind his career and an anchor of guidance.

 “Mum was not always around and free to take me to training, she was either working or something was often happening, so I used to run lampposts for 10 miles to get to training and back, I’d run one lamppost, stop, and walk to the next, then run the other…it was if this is what you want to do, then you do it, it wasn’t for my mum, it wasn’t for anybody else, I wanted to be a professional footballer, and I was going to do whatever it takes.”

 The Islington-born striker knows the importance of pushing forwards and the influence of positive representation. He was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis as a teenager and believes it is vital young footballers of today have those they can look up to.

 “I think it is really important for young boys and girls to have heroes they can relate to, or someone with a similar upbringing, that child can then relate to that person. That is massive.

 “Ian Wright and Andy Cole were my heroes growing up. Ian Wright was massive for me, and obviously a hero when he played here. They both had different routes to the top, but when I was younger, you realise these two were normal Black guys just like myself, with similar family settings. I used to think ‘well if they have made it, maybe I can make it as well’.”

 When asked by the players what future athletes can do in terms of advocacy and standing up for what they believe in, Gifton said: “You don’t always get a million Marcus Rashford’s, but there’s a million of us, just normal people, and that’s how we make change.”

 Following the Q&A session, the former Claret talked about how he believes more athletes speaking out, teammates looking out for one another, and the important role fans can play will help future generations.

 “If I am honest with you the environment is better for the younger players now but equally the changing rooms, I grew up in were better than the ones before me, I do think it is getting better through education and culture. The world is coming together, and people are more accepting of other cultures.

 “The generation before me spoke about racism, mine was the one who fought and kicked down doors, and the next generation coming up will solve the problem. I’m a big believer in that.”

 Although his playing days are now over, Gifton is currently a coach educator across London and the South working at the Professional Footballers Association, whilst also working towards his next goal of becoming a first team coach and achieving the highest coaching accolade of a UEFA Pro License.

 His coaching journey also brought up the subject of unconscious bias in football and the underrepresentation of Black coaches working in the game.

 “We all have unconscious biases, but we need to be part of the solution. Conversations and education offer us perspectives, it’s small steppingstones to ensuring decisions being made are based on real things and real experience, not your age, race or perceptions.”

October marked Black History Month across the UK, with the club working alongside the Premier League to recognise diversity across the football community with this year’s theme being ‘Proud To Be’.

 “Black History Month teaches us about perceived Black history and real Black history - Proud To Be means acknowledging all the great people that came before us and have done wonderful things.”

Gurpri Bains, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Lead at Burnley FC, who helped bring Gifton Noel-Williams back to the club for this event, also reaffirmed that the club will continue to include and celebrate diversity throughout the year.

“We have made a really big point to say it is more than a month, I wanted to reengage former Black players with the current academy players; it’s really important for these youngsters to learn more about the diverse heritage of the club. I have already learnt so much about that during my own time here, and we need to keep celebrating former players and the collective heritage of the club.”

We will continue to mark the contribution that players of African and Caribbean descent have made to the club and the league across digital channels more broadly across the 2021/22 season.

Pace, aged 53, brings 20 years in the financial services industry and over a decade of sports management experience to Burnley. A dual British American national, he was formally a Managing Director and Global Head of Sales for Securities Services at Citi, responsible for overseeing a multibillion-dollar division. Find out more about him and Mike Garlick here.

 Burnley's former £16m signing seals move to new club, Arsenal tipped to beat West Ham to re-sign £30m-rated former star

Sean Dyche said: 'We have players here, I believe, that will do that.“We had a tough start last season, not just in the league table, but with chances as well, and we weren't creating as much, but we started creating and taking chances, and the whole thing took off again.

“Now, it's not waiting for that to happen, we have to make it happen, and there were clear signs of that, to come to a place like this, we are trying to make it happen.”

Next up, the Clarets will look to bounce back next Saturday afternoon, when they travel to take on Southampton at St Mary's in what should be a fiercely-fought contest between two well-matched sides.

 Matchday programme and new kit is back on sale this season

There's plenty to e excited about this season. Burley FC fans the world over will be thrilled about the new kit on sale and that the printed ‘Turf’ matchday programme is back on sale for this season. Sunday’s edition features a first interview with returning winger Aaron Lennon as the Clarets face his former club Leeds United on Sunday.

There’s plenty more to read and enjoy from inside the Clarets’ camp with copies available from the club shop and sellers around Turf Moor on Sunday. It has been announced that there will be an option to download the programme in the week following the game. Download your subscription for Burnley FC here.

 BURNLEY V LEEDS UNITED

Welcome back to the Premier League. Today at 2pm Burnley FC is playing Leeds United. Both sides are looking for their first league victories of the season with the Clarets also seeking to regain the winning thread at Turf Moor.

Sean Dyche’s side come into the game on the back of a penalty shoot-out success over Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup at St James’ Park on Wednesday. Welsh international goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was the hero with two penalty saves. Here is a run down of what we can expect.

Leeds United also progressed with a 3-0 win over League One Crewe Alexandra. We look forward to see what the carets can come up with later today. However, this match may be the first time these two sides have met in the top-flight in front of a Turf Moor crowd since October 1975 when Trevor Cherry got the only goal in a 1-0 win for the Yorkshire side.

 Chris Wood 

Welcome to the Clarets fan blog page. Wood, 29, scored his 41st Premier League goal for Burnley in their 3-2 loss to Southampton on Sunday (NZ time), equalling teammate Ashley Barnes on the club's leading scorer list. But while Barnes' tally has come from 192 Premier League appearances, Wood has needed only 119 games to match him. And with Barnes currently sidelined with a thigh injury, Wood could well pass his teammate next Sunday, when Burnley host Newcastle United at Turf Moor.

"Personally, it's a nice achievement but just a bit sour because of how it finished," Wood says.

 "Hopefully, I've got a lot more goals in me, but I'm sure Barnes has too.

"He's chomping at the bit to get back fit, so I'm sure he will be back challenging me again very soon.

"It's a positive run and hopefully there are a lot more to come before the end of the season."

The pair both struck inside the first half-hour at Southampton and then after the Saints had hit back to take the lead, Wood twice almost rescued a point with efforts superbly saved by Fraser Forster – the second a point-blank stop from Wood’s diving header.

“He was just in the right place at the right time. I was just trying to get contact on it and hopefully it goes in the back of the net,” added the Clarets’ frontman.

“He’s a top-quality keeper. He has been for years and that’s why he’s employed to keep out the goals for them.

Wood has scored three goals in his last three Premier League outings for Burnley, taking his tally for the 2020/21 campaign to seven strikes.

Get involved by showing love on this page. Mike Garlick is the director of Burnley FC. Read more about director Mike Garlick Burnley on this page here. Alternatively, you can also check out the Mike Garlick Sean Dyche Burnley Football Club stories and updates here. Watch the Mike Garlick video below

 Matthew Lowton 

Welcome to the Clarets fan blog page. Matthew Lowton fires home to make it 3-0 to Burnley after originally winning the ball back on the halfway line. It is Lowton's first ever Premier League goal for Burnley and ended as one to remember. If you do not score often, it is worth making it a good one when you do, which is exactly what Lowton did once again to seal this impressive win at Crystal Palace.

A rare and stunning goal from Lowton capped an impressive all-round Burnley performance. They were already 2-0 up after a fast start at Selhurst Park, scoring twice in the first 10 minutes. And then Lowton applied the gloss with his first goal in over five years, a spectacular first-time volley that his teammates on the pitch and in the stands could barely believe.  

It was just the right-back’s third Premier League goal of his career and first in the top flight for Burnley but all have been screamers, following two other volleys in his Aston Villa days against Swansea and Stoke. And his strike sealed Burnley’s most emphatic win of the campaign as they scored three in the league for just the second time this season.

He told the club website: "The lads said they couldn’t believe it. They said VAR wasn’t checking for off-side, they were checking it actually happened!

"We started perfectly with two goals in 10 minutes.

“We got a bit sloppy towards the end of the first half, so we wanted to make sure in the second half we were right on it and started off right.

“I read the clearance and managed to get on it. I got on a good run and Jay found me with a good pass. I just tried to keep my eye on the ball and you practice the technique all your life.

“I knew I’d caught it well. It was a case of getting past the keeper and I was delighted when it went in.

“I don’t score many, but when I do they feel good.

“I have been trying to get forward a little bit more and get involved and I’ve felt the confidence building over the past couple of performances.

“It’s eight years since the last one, so it’s nice to get on the scoresheet again.”

Burnley now sit in 15th place, with an 11-point cushion between themselves and Fulham in 18th. so if Lowton's goal is any indication of what Burnley are capable of when playing with the handbrake off, they might be an entertaining watch for the remainder of the season.

Get involved by showing love on this page. Learn more about the clarets team here. Find out more about the recent Burnley takeover here. Follow Mike Garlick Burnley Football Club on this page here. Read the latest Mike Garlick Sean Dyche stories and updates here.

 Ben Mee

Welcome to the Clarets fan blog page.  Captain Ben Mee is the Clarets’ LoveBet player of the month. The defender topped a supporters’ poll on the club's website, which ended last week, to take the award. 

Mee was an ever-present during December and played a key role in a run that saw the Clarets lose just once in six Premier League games to move out of the bottom three. The skipper helped keep three clean sheets during that run and also scored his first goal of the season – and first at Turf Moor for almost six years – to secure a vital 1-0 win over Sheffield United.

“I’m delighted to have won the award and thanks to all the supporters who voted for me,” said Mee, who was also short-listed for December’s Premier League player of the month prize.

“It was a great month for the whole team and gave us a really solid platform to try and build on for the rest of the season.

“It’s been a tough start to January but we’re only two games in and two 1-0 defeats show we’re not far away.

“Hopefully we can turn things back our way in the next few games and start moving back up the table.”

Get involved by showing love on this page. Learn more about the clarets team here. Find out more about the recent Burnley takeover here. Follow Mike Garlick Burnley Football Club on this page here. Read the latest Mike Garlick Sean Dyche stories and updates here.

 Ben Mee 

Welcome to the Clarets fan blog page. The shortlist for the Premier League Player of the Month award for December has been revealed. Clarets captain Ben Mee is in the running for the EA Sports Premier League Player of the Month award for December.  

Mee earns a nomination on the eight-man shortlist after a superb series of performances in December. During his spell on the sidelines, Burnley accumulated just one point in their opening six games. In the nine games since his return, the Clarets have lost just twice, keeping five clean sheets and picking up 15 points. 

“There are some good names in there and it’s nice to be recognised. But I think this is probably more credit to the team and a front for how well the team has been playing,” said Mee.

“There are plenty of players here who could easily have been up for it as well.

“But I suppose being a defender, with the clean sheets we’ve had, and getting a goal has perhaps enhanced that recognition.”

The winner is decided via a selection panel and supporters’ vote, with fans able to cast their vote here.

Get involved by showing love on this page. Mike Garlick is the chairman of Burnley FC. Read more about the chairman Mike Garlick Burnley on this page here. Alternatively, you can also check out the Mike Garlick Sean Dyche Burnley Football Club stories and updates here.