Bid to set up ‘University of Football’ in Burnley

Just months after Burnley first became a ‘university town’, it could soon be home to a second seat of learning, devoted to the beautiful game.

One side of the historic ground could become East Lancashire’s largest rock concert venue, housing up to 4,000 fans.

Prince Charles surveyed the ambitious package during his Burnley tour on Friday and club bosses want to work closely with his charities in turning the blueprints into reality.

Plans for the redevelopment of the David Fishwick Stand have been substantially overhauled, with a futuristic ‘stadium-arena’ pencilled in for the Cricket Field End.

And the Weavers’ Triangle, Burnley’s long-abandoned cotton industry mecca, is being talked of as a student village for the venture.

The university concept is the brainchild of development director Brendan Flood and is being pursued by chief executive Paul Fletcher, whose firm StadiaArena is responsible for some of the world’s most high-profile stadiums.

Behind the new stand at Turf Moor would sit the football school, on land currently occupied by Burnley Cricket Club.

Talks have been talking place between football and cricket officials over the prospect of the latter moving to a new purpose-built facility in Towneley Park, on the site of the soon-to-be vacated Unity College.

Club chiefs have been in discussions with Liverpool’s John Moores University about launching the football university but no details have been discussed about potential courses to date.

Supporters of the scheme hope that it will provide a catalyst for the regeneration of nearby Yorkshire Street, with the town’s famous Straight Mile canal linking the university and a student hub in Weaver’s Triangle.

Club chief executive Paul Fletcher said: “If you dare to dream, dream big and this is not just about Burnley Football Club, this is about the whole town and potentially leaving a massive legacy brought on by promotion to the Premier League.

“We want to open a football university - the first ever in this country.

"There are plenty of places where you can study football itself but nowhere you can learn about the basic financial, commercial and social aspects of the game, from advertising and pitch technology to the business side.

“We think we are better placed than most to do this, as one of the founder members of the League, known throughout their world for our contribution to football.”

Club officials admit that they cannot make their dreams come true alone - the cricket club relocation is said to be ‘key’ to the deal and the Clarets need the backing of Burnley Council to consider releasing their Weavers’ Triangle holdings for the plans.

Clarets bosses are also throwing their weight behind the campaign to reinstate the missing 300 yards of track at the Todmorden Curve which would provide half-hour train journeys to Manchester city centre.

Mr Fletcher said it was vital, if Burnley wanted to create a ‘cosmopolitan’ atmosphere, befitting its twin-university status, that rail links were brought into the 21st century.

He has worked closely with chairman Barry Kilby and development director, property magnate Brendan Flood, and Pendle-based Barnfield Construction are expected to be official partners in the works.

Clarets management have not put a figure on the development costs but the stadia-arena and university will be multi-million pound assets.

No official timescale has been issued for the plans either.

The scheme supercedes a previous two-phase package, which promised a hotel and conference accommodation for the David Fishwick Stand and a £2.25million three-storey player and media centre.

Under the stadia-arena concept, the seating within the new stand could be moved to create a 1,500-capacity exhibition hall, hosting conferences and Asian weddings, or a 4,000-strong rock concert venue, which could attract leading music names to Burnley.

Mr Fletcher was previously chief executive of the £113million Ricoh Arena, home of Championship side Coventry City.

The 32,500 capacity venue, which incorporates a major exhibition hall, opened in August 2005.

A spokesman Liverpool John Moores University said: “We’re pleased to be working with Burnley Football Club and helping them in any way that we can to improve the futures of young people in the local area.”

Council leader Gordon Birtwistle said: “It is a fantastic idea and all credit to the club for coming up with it.

"It is really ambitious and that is the sort of thing we want here in the town.

"It’s yet another step to taking Burnley forward and I am firmly in favour of it.”

Officials have confirmed that discussions have taken place between the university and the football club but that proposals were still at an early stage.

John Stubbs, chairman of Burnley Cricket Club, said that talks had taken place between Mr Fletcher and himself about a possible relocation.

The cricket club owns its Belvedere Road ground and officials there are waiting to examine plans drawn up by the football club for Towneley.

Currently many fans use the cricket club site for parking on matchdays and it is not clear what alternative provisions will be made at this time.

Mr Stubbs added: “We have only had one committee meeting about it and we have left it to the football club to put something together and explain exactly what their proposals are.

“If it is the right for the long-term future of the cricket club then it will happen.”

The approach by the football club is not the first time that it has been suggested the cricket club could move to Towneley over the past 20 years.

>> Fans' reaction

Michael Forrest, 18, Burnley College student, Briercliffe: “The plans sound really good and with Burnley’s passionate people I think they would be successful. Since promotion we have been put on the map and I think a university for football would take us further.”

Elliot Smits, 18, Burnley College student, Cliviger: “The history and passion around Burnley football club is great and I think a football university would fit right in here. We are the sort of people who follow football even when our team loses. It would bring more people to the town as well.”

Rocky Mills, from Woodend Road, a salesman and die-hard Claret: “The new structure would be brilliant and could bring millions of fans to the town. We need to get behind the club and any plans to support Burnley so I think the university would be great. It’s good news for us after a tough couple of months.”

Graham Harrison, 48, Rishton: “I think the idea is a good one and it would be well placed in Burnley. We certainly have enough history in the town to inspire young people to study the game. I’m all for it, I think it would be a positive step.”

Bruce Payne 49, Horwich: “I’ve followed Burnley all my life and I know there is enough going for the club to do something like this. However, I would not have thought the town would attract a lot of young people to study the game, but the club think there is something good about the plans, so there must be.

Matthew Payne, 19, Horwich: “It would certainly be attractive to young people myself included. Studying the background of the game in a town like Burnley would be great. People say that the town is identified by the club, and that is true here in Burnley because football is loved here.”