THE Clarets started their pre-season with a very comfortable 3-1 win over Stade Nyonnais in Switzerland on Friday, after a good week of training in Evian.

Andre Gray showed he has not forgotten where the goal is with his strike and it was good to see Ashley Barnes on the scoresheet and looking sharp as well.

It looked like beautiful surroundings for the players on the shores of Lake Geneva, although the weather could have been better.

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I can remember in my playing days, I think it would have been around 1965 or 66, we went on a tour to Switzerland in pre-season around Lake Geneva.

On a day off we went out onto the lake in rowing boats and it was so hot a few of us decided to take a dip in the water.

Andy Lochhead had stayed in the boat and all of a sudden he shouted ‘there’s a fin in the water over there’.

Well I must have broken some kind of world record as I swam back to the safety of the boat. I also remember one of the coaches counting us back in after a night out and writing down ‘one pint too many’.

I’m sure it wasn’t like that last week.

The lads are back down to earth quickly now and tonight they head to our own little holiday resort for a pre-season game against Morecambe.

Sean Dyche has said he is still trying to add to his squad but I think the transfer market has gone completely mad.

Chelsea have signed N’Golo Kante for over £30million and there is talk of John Stones going to Manchester City for £50million.

What chance have the young lads coming through the system got of making it when clubs are trying to buy success?

In the past Burnley had scouts looking for young players all over the UK, and they never paid a fee for a player.

If memory serves me right Frank Casper was one of the first players Burnley paid a fee for in 1967, and what a success he was both as a player and a manager. Now some transfer fees in the game are quite incredible.