OWEN Coyle’s decision to walk out on Burnley left a bitter taste in the mouth.

The man who preached loyalty and integrity to his players showed little measure of either when he opted to desert Turf Moor this week.

In March, Coyle told Clarets fans: “I’ve no intention of going anywhere, I love this football club. I didn’t bring players into this football club to be up and leaving at the first opportunity. I’m here for as long as the club want me. There’s a job to be done here, and I want to do it.”

Hollow words from a man people respected ... a man likened to the legendary Bill Shankly, a man who was up there with God in the pecking order of worship for many Burnley fans.

Little wonder Coyle’s face has been scratched out on the giant poster outside Turf Moor, with the word ‘Judas’ emblazoned across. It’s a biblical reference Coyle, a devoutly religious man, understands only too well.

Perhaps Burnley will receive a little more than 30 pieces of silver in compensation from Bolton, but it will take a long time before the feeling of hurt and injustice subsides.

Especially when a national newspaper journalist - one of Coyle’s closest allies in the media - suggests the Scot could walk away from Burnley for nothing, but won’t because “he wants his old club to get a £1m compensation deal from Bolton in an extraordinary final gesture”.

Talk about rubbing salt into the sizeable wounds he’s already publicly opened.

But now it’s time for closure.

More to the point, it’s time for Burnley to once again demonstrate the heroic qualities that took them to the Premier League and drove them to famous victories overthe likes of Manchester United.

Make no mistake, they’ve got the quality and the fight to succeed in this division.

Burnley chairman Barry Kilby and operations director Brendan Flood face the biggest week in the club’s recent history.

Their decision on Coyle’s successor will determine whether the Clarets will be playing Premier League football next season.

But they should be confident. All they have to do is look around them. The leaders are there both on and off the pitch. They will make sure the Clarets will move forward and keep their place in the top flight. They can shove Coyle’s hollow promises down his throat.

Kilby is an astute chairman, and he will pick the right man for the job.

On the pitch, veterans Graham Alexander and Steven Caldwell will keep everyone’s heads up.

And Burnley continue to have one of the most loyal and vociferous set of fans in the country.

In fact, nothing much has changed, except for Owen Coyle.

And let's face it, who wants him around any more.