The Longside Reference

Name: Tyrone Mears

Date of birth: 18 February 1983

Place of birth:    Stockport

Position Right Back.

Fee: £500,000 (rising to £600,000 with add ons)

Signed by Owen Coyle

Previous Clubs: Manchester City, Preston North End, West Ham United, Derby County, Derby Count, Marseille (loan), Burnley, Bolton

Burnley Debut:

Last game for Burnley:

International Honours: Jamaica 1 Cap

Claret Stats:

Claret Stat: Mears came through the ranks at Manchester City and signed trainee forms in August 2001.

Tyrone's only appearance for City was when he replaced Stuart Pearce in the 84th minute against Nottingham Forest in March 2002 while City were a Championship side. When Manchester City won promotion to the FA Premier League in 2002,Tyrone's  first-team opportunities became limited and he was sold to Preston North End for a fee of £200,000. He signed a three-year contract and was expected to provide cover for Graham Alexander, the now Burnley Centre Midfielder.

While at Preston, Tyrone made over 70 appearances in 4 years, which included the ten month forced layoff with a stress fracture.

In 2006 Tyrone or "Tye" as he had printed on his shirts signed for West Ham for an initial £1 million, rising to £1.9 million depending on appearances and possible future international recognition with England?? He eventually played for Jamaica it was John Barnes gave Tyrone his first taste of International football, when he selected the right back against Nigeria on the  11 February 2009.

Derby County was the next port of call, when Mears West Ham future looked shaky, he managed only 6 appearances in the Claret'n'Blue of West Ham. Derby first took Tye on loan, before Billy Davis paid West Ham a cool £1 Million for the right backs services.

Davis left Derby, and soon after Mears did too, moving to French Giants Olympique de Marseille on Loan, the move was full of controversy, as Derby manager Paul Jewell, Jewell take on the situation was that Mears moved without the Club or managers consent, Jewell fined Mears six weeks wages, and stated that Mears will never play for the club again whilst he was in charge!

Mears signed a 3 year deal with Burnley on the 30th June 2009, making Tyrone the first player to sign for Burnley as a Premiership club.

That Premiership season Mears was one of the outsnding players, evne being touted as the next England International right back, but even with his lung busting runs down the right flanks he couldn't prevent the relegation Burnley suffered after the manager who signed him Owen Coyle left for Bolton and was replaced by Brian Laws, Burnley and Mears fate was sealed, with Laws coming in and his tatics Mears and England were never mentioned again in the same senetence!

Mears who looked unhappy during the time Laws was in charge, in a pre-season photo Mears seemed aloof of the other players, it seemed only a matter of time before the right back leff for pastures new! The arrival of Eddie Howe seemed to rejuvinate the full back, but at the end of the season with a bid of £3 million on the table for Mears and Eagles, the Burnley Board had no other option but to sell to former Burnley manager Coyle, Both Mears and Eagles had one year left on their respected contracts and could have walked for free in the summer.

Tyrone Mears will always be regarded as one of the best right-backs since the great days of the sixties, and will always be remebered fondly by the Burnley faithful for his proffesional attitude coupled with his excellent performances.