Cummings and Goings - a fan's eye view, with Stephen Cummings

HAPPY New Year from Turf Moor? Well, that's certainly open to debate. Traditionally a time for both considered reflection and contemplation of what might lie ahead, the claret and blue faithful have little to celebrate on either score, be it on or off the field of play.

The past 12 months have seen Burnley go from being genuine promotion contenders to prime relegation candidates. The Clarets will see in 1998 anchored to the bottom of Nationwide Division Two. This is a scenario which even the most dour gloom and doom merchant would have failed to predict following Chris Waddle's appointment as manager last summer.

A vastly experienced back-room staff, a not inconsiderable cash injection and a host of supposedly quality signings have all failed to inspire a promotion chasing season which many of us spent last summer dreaming about. Instead, the Turf Moor masses face the nerve-shredding tension of a good old-fashioned relegation battle. There again, it beggars comprehension that a team capable of attracting almost 11,000 for a fixture against Chesterfield should be anywhere near the bottom four.

Moving away from the playing side of things, what is to be made of the current state of the board? A cursory examination of what little facts we are allowed to know does not do much to engender a sense of heady optimism. I cannot and indeed do not claim to speak for the supporters of Burnley Football Club, but the overwhelming feeling on the stands seems to be that the current board of directors has perhaps taken the club as far as it is able. The time may well have come for Mr Teasdale and his colleagues to stand aside.

The way in which they have handled potential takeover bids is far from encouraging. What does the average supporter know about the kind of packages offered to the club by would-be investors? The board claim they are acting in the best interests of Burnley Football Club. Yet how are the fans to be sure?

Unless and until the Board are completely open with the fans about the likes of Ray Ingleby and Apax Partners and Co, we are likely to remain if not suspicious, then certainly sceptical with regards to the board's motives for refusing potential big-money offers.

Once more, it is an abject lack of communication from the board which has let them down again, and could yet prove to be their downfall in the long term.

Finally, a very Happy New Year to you all.

Previous sport story

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.