Lack of Ambition or Measured Growth?

Befitting of the clubs approach through much of last season, Burnleys transfer activity has been quiet and fairly unnoticed. Which, as their promotion to the Premiership will testify, means that it should not be discounted.

However, on the face of it, the calibre of the signings evokes memories of previously promoted clubs who exceeded their own expectations and landed in the Premiership.

Whilst Owen Coyle speaks admirably of avoiding risking the clubs future, there is a conservatism about the signings. To date, the club have made five signings- Tyrone Mears, Steven Fletcher, Brian Easton, David Edgar and Richard Eckersley. The names themselves may not be familiar, but names were never something that Burnley were going to associate with retaining Premiership status. The problem is the lack of Premiership experience amongst the quintet. Mears is the only one who has ever played in the Premiership for any distinct period of time. Whilst Fletcher comes with a club record £3m transfer fee and a very solid reputation in scottish football, he remains an unknown quantity at this level.

There is a marked contrast with Stokes signings last season, which ultimately rewarded them with retained Premiership status. The majority of Stokes signings were modest enough to not appear to impose unnecessary burden on the clubs future. Yet, players such as Thomas Sorensen, Abdoulaye Faye, Dave Kitson and Danny Higginbottom came with Premiership reputations.

The signings have worrying precedents with Watfords failed Premiership campaign of 2006-07. Whilst pragmatism and future stability are aspects that any club in a similar position should adhere to, the signings appear to be those of a team with Championship play-off aspirations. To wit, exactly the kind of team Burnley would have aspired to this time last year. All of which suggests that Burnley are prepared to have a go at Premiership survival but are acknowledging that they have already come far further than they could have anticipated and are trying to ensure that, when they do fall back, they dont fall back quite as far.