A fan's-eye view from Turf Moor, with Stephen Cummings

ONLY three months into the job, and already the combined, positive influence of Messrs Kilby and Ingleby are being felt in and around Turf Moor.

For example, the recent appointment of a general manager is a move to be applauded. It is not so much the appointment itself which gives cause for optimism, rather the message it sends out.

For years the supporters have been far from happy about certain aspects of the running of Burnley Football Club. A prime example is the under-exploitation of Burnley as a brand name. For instance, a visit to the club "superstore" (a misnomer if ever there was one), hardly leaves one fizzing with enthusiasm.

There seems to be more "Adidas" product than Burnley merchandise on sale. This is all well and good for the sports clothing giant, but not too clever for Turf Moor fanatics who want to eat, sleep and drink in Claret and Blue. Hopefully, the new general manager will address issues such as this. Another good move is encouraging supporters to have a say in the design of the away shirt for next season. It is a sound decision for a number of reasons. The fans are allowed to feel as though they have a say in one aspect of the way the club is run. Also as it is the supporters who will wear the strip, there is a convincing argument that they should have some input into how it looks. And, most importantly, the fans are surely more likely to shell out £40 for a kit which they like the look of.

This is just one example of how good public relations can lead to bigger profits for the club. One minor quibble might be why the supporters were not consulted over the choice of the home strip for next season. However, bearing in mind the feelings of attrition and lack of dialogue between the board and the supporters in recent years, we should perhaps just be thankful that at least things appear to be moving in the right direction.

Staying with strips, there is one sure-fire way that Kilby and Co can get the supporters on side and achieve hero status. And that is to ensure the strips are in stock and on sale before the season kicks off. Now that would be an achievement almost on a par with promotion next season.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.