9:34am Monday 23rd November 2009
By Gary York
OWEN Coyle celebrated his second year in charge of Burnley yesterday – but insists the club shouldn’t get caught up re-living past glories.
The Clarets manager was within four minutes of celebrating a memorable anniversary victory over Aston Villa at Turf Moor on Saturday.
Steven Caldwell gave the home side a sixth minute lead and that looked to be the winning goal until Emile Heskey’s late header stole a point for Villa.
Even so, Coyle was content that another point goes a long way to sustaining Burnley’s Premier League status.
And, on the weekend where the Scot marked his second year at Turf, he said the club must avoid looking in the past if they are to continue their fairytale.
“It’s been a remarkable two years,” said Coyle.
“Somebody said to me, ‘Can you quite believe it?’ but the simple answer to that is yes.
“Nobody has gifted us anything – we’ve earned everything to be where we are now.
“We’re here on merit. I’ve said to the players that we shouldn’t look back.
“It is nice – it is romantic to reminisce and all that, but we can effect what is in front of us and we have to try and establish this club as a Premier League club.
“If we do – as I’ve said before – it will be against all the odds.
“It will totally surpass the achievement of getting here, with Wembley and everything else, because in terms of finance it’s a total mismatch with everyone else in this league.
“But we have a belief, quality and an appetite for hard work.”
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