THIS time last year, Andy Carroll had scored the sum total of four Championship goals. Right now, Chris Iwelumo has 10.

We ponder then, which of these strikers was sold for £35m on transfer deadline day, and which was linked with a loan move to another Championship side having failed to entirely win over his club’s fanbase.

In the end Iwelumo remained at Burnley, where he is still comfortably their top scorer in the league this term. But he must surely be a frustrated man.

No-one is suggesting that Iwelumo is anywhere approaching as good as Carroll.

After a slow start to last season, Liverpool’s new signing ended Newcastle’s promotion campaign with 17 league goals and has added 11 more in the Premier League this term, earning his first England cap in November.

But speak to many outside Burnley and they are somewhat staggered to discover that no shortage of Clarets fans were calling for Iwelumo to be dropped long before he was eventually left out of the starting line-up, despite his goal tally this season.

Perception is everything.

Iwelumo will forever struggle to shake off the ignominy of that Scotland miss against Norway and at Burnley he has suffered from his association with a style of play that was increasingly unpopular under Brian Laws.

Fans felt the Clarets went direct to Iwelumo too often, but that appeared more the fault of the tactics than the player.

Mobile and stylish he is not, but goals are goals, and he has more than most.

With increasing competition from new signing Charlie Austin, Iwelumo has his work cut out to win his place back.

But, if Burnley do make the play-offs this season, his contribution should not be overlooked.