The Longside Reference

Name: Ross Wallace 

D.O.B: 25th May 1985

Place of Birth: Dundee

Position: Left Winger/Left Midfield

Previous Clubs: Celtic, Sunderland, Preston North End, Burnley

Signed by Brian Laws

Fee: Undisclosed .

Contract: 3 year deal, signed July 2010, runs till 2013

International Honours: Scotish Youth / U21 international

2011/12 Squad Number: 7

Claret Debut:

Claret Stat: "He is one of the best left sided players in the  Championship...." said Manager Laws on capturing the winger with both English and Scottish Premier experience.

In the 2009/10 campain Wallace started fourty games for Preston North End scoring seven goals in the process, a truly consistent preformer. Burnley seem to have found the missing link.

Not since David Eryes have Burnley had the luxury of a consistent preformer on the left side, few have attempted Steve Jones, Alan Mahon, Alan Moore and even Robbie Blake! for over fifteen years Burnley and with Manager's with the calibre of Ternent, Cotterill and Coyle it seem's the Brian Laws is the man to finish the puzzle.

Wallace born in Dundee started his career with Celtic under manager Gordon Strachan, Ross made his debut as a sub in the League Cup against Inverness Calidonian Thistle on 23rd Septempber 2002 aged just 17. Along with Craig Beattie he was one of the stars of the Under-18 team back in 2002/03. He scored his first goal for Celtic in a 5-0 win over Dunfermline Athletic in the Scottish Premier on 8th November 2003.

Towards the end of the 2005–06 season, new signing Mark Wilson replaced him at left back even though it is not his natural position. Wallace did, however, play the whole of the Scottish League Cup Final at left back because Wilson was cup tied.

August 2006 saw Ross move south to Wearside and Sunderland for half a million pounds, along with former Burnley loanee Stanislav Varga, on his debut for the Black Cats Ross netted the winner against Derby County. He played over 50 games on Wearside scoring 8 times, including Sunderland's first ever goal in Arsenals new stadium 'the Emiraties'.

In 2008 Alan Irvine took the Scottish U21 Left Winger on loan for 12 months, making such an impression after the loan finished Preston signed him, a tempremental Left sided player looking at his disaplinarary record, but still a consistant preformer, on his day Ross Wallace is a match winner.

Preston North End, allowed Ross to sign for Burnley in 2010 for an undisclosed fee, and with a true left sided player Burnley should have the balance to make a realistic attempt to bounce straight back up. On the pitch Burnley did have a balance with Wallace on one side and Eagles on the other, but for reasons placed firmley at the managers door, Burnley didnt go up and with manager Laws sacked, Ross saw himself with a new man at the helm, Eddie Howe.

Burnley and there expensive aray of talent finished outside the play-offs, and with Eddie Howe trimming the squad, the following season may have been a battle, but with the quality of the Wallace, Rodriguez, Trippier and Austin to name a few, safety was sercured in early Feb, and with safety Eddie used his squad to the max, Ross Wallace with his pace was used as left back as Burnley tried out different formations.

Wallace was handed the number 7 shirt by Howe, and in Eddies first full season Burnleys number 7 played in all but 2 league games, scoring 5 times including goal of the season contender when he almost came to blows with Amougou on who took a free-kick against Blackpool! Ross won that battle and the Blackpool keeper was beaten all ends up as a 30-yarder flew in giving Burnley a much deserved 3-1 victory.