Deary backs Clarets to home in on first away points (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Deary backs Clarets to home in on first away points

5:14pm Friday 21st September 2012 in Sport By Suzanne Geldard, Burnley FC reporter

JOHN Deary knows a strong away record isn’t essential for a team to do well.

After all, he was part of the Burnley side that won only four times on their league travels in 1993/94, yet still went on to win promotion via the play-offs.

But the former Clarets midfielder stressed there are better recipes for success.

Burnley go into tomorrow’s game at Derby County waiting for their first away point from three games.

Clarets of a certain vintage will recall the class of 93/94 losing their first five games on the road.

Although that doesn’t bear thinking about now, Deary believes it is too early to panic, adding that he has already seen enough from his old club this season to know they are better than their current lowly league position suggests.

The 49-year-old, who spent six years at Turf Moor, was back at his old stomping ground to watch Burnley take on Bolton Wanderers on the opening day, and was blown away by their performance that day. He is confident it wasn’t a one-off.

“They were brilliantly organised against Bolton,” he said. “Everyone was on song and I thought if they keep that level of performance up they’ll be at least knocking on the door of the play-offs,” he said.

“They haven’t done too well since then. Obviously Martin Paterson got injured, which was a disruption, but it’s only early days.

“Obviously they’ve got to pick up points to start climbing the table. If you have any aspirations of getting into the play-offs or going up ideally you have to have a half decent away record. You can’t just rely on your home form.

“But it can soon be turned around.”

Deary knows the Clarets broke all the rules in 1994, relying on their Turf Moor fortress, where they lost only twice in the league, to secure a top six finish.

“We snuck into the play-offs,” he recalled.

“We found it tough away, but we kept picking up points at home.

“We were very confident at Turf Moor.

“Having the Burnley public behind you, certainly helps.

“It’s a great advantage over teams that go there, and picking up points at home relieves the pressure when you go away.”

Deary believes it’s important for Burnley to break the spell tomorrow and get back to basics at Derby.

“Sometimes you’ve got to have a starting point. Going there and getting a 0-0 daw could be a good starting point for Burnley,” he said.

“More or less the same team that beat Bolton has been the one struggling away from home. But I saw a lot of promise in that game.

“Maybe we shouldn’t have expected them to get anything at Leicester. When teams are at home they are pushing and can nick it with a single goal. It is going to be tough.

“But if Burnley could get a point away from home and work from there that would be good.

“They have shown what they are capable of already this season, and I believe they can do it again.”

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