Cumings and Goings by Stephen Cummings CAST your mind back to March. Burnley had just come off the back of successive Turf Moor humiliations at the hands of Gillingham and Manchester City.

The players had lost the supporters. The manager appeared to have lost the players. And the Clarets looked well on their way to losing Division Two status.

Then Stan Ternent announced he was to meet chairman Barry Kilby. Crunch time. For 36 hours the town held its breath.

In a parallel universe, the chairman wielded the axe. Ternent was dismissed. With only a few games remaining a new boss was appointed. Unfortunately, it wasn't sufficient to halt Burnley's slide. The Clarets were relegated to Division Three.

A dismal summer followed as Steve Davis, Glen Little, Andy Payton and Micky Mellon led the exodus of players from Turf Moor. Season ticket sales dropped, as did morale and Burnley Football Club faced an uncertain future.

Thankfully this disturbing plausible scenario did not occur. Stan stayed. The Clarets rallied. And the team became invincible over the last 11 games of the season, finishing 15th and restoring some dignity.

That Ternent remained in post and was allowed to guide the Clarets to safety is thanks in no small measure to Barry Kilby. Ostensibly, Burnley FC appears to be in safe hands.

Under Kilby's chairmanship, the club has taken the kind of strides which would have been unimaginable prior to his instalment.

Significant improvements include the appointment of Andrew Watson as general manager. The club, as a brand, has been pitifully undersold down the years. But encouragingly, there are signs that Watson is addressing this.

A prime example is having the new strips in stock a month before the season kicks off, a feat which historically has proved more difficult than mounting a promotion challenge. Yet Kilby's finest hour so far remains the renaming of the East Stand in honour of the club's greatest player Jimmy McIlroy. The touching reunion between McIlroy and the club is significant for a number of reasons.

Chief among these is Kilby's commitment to honouring the ex player at the expense of financial gain. Corporate sponsorship would have boosted the club's coffers, but as a piece of public relations, the Jimmy McIlroy stand is priceless in its own way.

In short, the business side of the club is looking rosy. All we need now is for Stan Ternent and his charges to match the progress in the boardroom with equally good results on the pitch.

The signs are encouraging. Ternent has spent the summer assembling something which Burnley has lacked for many a season - a strong squad. For the first time in years, there is genuine strength in depth.

The sole position for which there is no proven cover is goalkeeper, the untried Craig Mawson being the only other shot stopper on the club's books.

Of the summer signings, Mitchell Thomas has been outstanding. His centre half partnership with Steve Davis must be the rock on which the side is built. Dean West has been quietly efficient at right back, while the strength and pace of prodigal son John Mullin will be a huge asset. And, at long last, Cooke and Payton have genuine competition in the shape of Alan Lee.

Given the quantity and quality of options Ternent has at his disposal, there is no reason why Burnley should not be looking to challenge for promotion. With Fulham and Manchester City out of the way, no one team stands out as obvious promotion contenders, although Wigan may be strong. There is a growing sense around the town that this could be Burnley's season. Why can't it be? See you at Wycombe.

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