The Longside Reference

• The end of the century and a season of records and first’s.

• Andy Payton scores the last Burnley goal of the 20^th century and the first goal of the 21^st.

• Payton wins the Golden boot after scoring 27 League goals.

• Ian Wright, Wright, Wright signs

• The first season that squad numbers were used in the football league.

• 5 named subs were allowed, 3 could be used in any one game

• The official opening of the Jimmy McIlroy stand.

• And on a sunny day on Humberside, Burnley win promotion.

Stan Ternent had truly arrived, and unlike his first season, where 40 players were used, this season even with the new 5 named subs, Stan kept his side to the regular 15, with new signings Dean West and Mitchell Thomas, along with the 2 loanee’s who came in towards the end of last season, Cowen an Cook who had both signed on permanently.

Twenty five wins, twenty seven goals for the Padiham predator, hundreds of Claret Santa’s in the 23,000 crowd at Derby in the FA Cup, the twentieth century had gone and the 21^st would bring success and heartache under Stan the Man, who if cut would bleed Claret and Blue.

Wycombe Wanderers were first up, a 1-1 draw down at Adams Park, and Burnley would languish in 9^th place, the lowest league place Burnley would see all season. The 1999/2000  season would be a success both on and off the pitch, with crowds rising with every win, but the scoop of the season was when Stan Ternent convinced Ian Wright that he would love Burnley, and Burnley loved Wright.

Wigan would be Wright’s debut, a sell out (in the home end), and with Burnley fans desperate to see Ian Wright would loss there colours and file into the Away end at Turf Moor (me included). But it would be an anti-climax a 0-0 draw, no goals for Burnley’s newest son.

But his presence would matter in  his 15 games (11 of the bench) Wright would notch 4 goals, all important and equalizer away to Gillingham, a winner at home to Notts County, with another in the 3-2 win against Brentford, and one in the 3-0 demolition of Reading.

 

Scunthorpe would be the last game of the season, with Burnley level on points with Gillingham, who would play former Claret Brian Flynn’s Wrexham side whose season was over. Play-offs looked the likely scenario. But in a season of records and firsts, Burnley with 21 minutes on the clock go a goal down, as did Gillingham 10 minutes earlier, as half time approached Mickey Mellon let fly and it was game on Burnley with the point which would take them up automatically with Gillingham still losing to Flynn’s Wrexham. But with the thousands inside Turf Moor watching on the Big screen (7,270 fans gathered inside Turf Moor). On 73 minutes Glen Little smashed the winner, the last 17 minutes were nail biting with Burnley up courtesy of old boy Flynn’s miracle in Wales, and Stan’s never say die team.

Burnley were back! (Again) but this time it’s personal!

Stan was back and he craves Burnley to be among the elite.