"PURE JOY" was how Alan Pace described getting the keys to Turf Moor.

Fourteen months' worth of negotiations with outgoing chairman Mike Garlick came to fruition at the end of 2020 as a new era dawned for Burnley Football Club.

New chairman Pace admitted the process had not been without bumps in the road, and questioned whether such a bold move was a good idea at all in the midst of a pandemic.

He admitted that the economic consequences of Covid-19 had contributed to second thoughts.

“Probably every other day for a year!," he said.

“When we went into lockdown last year we had to think what it was going to look like."

But he insists not even a global crisis could deter him from wanting to commit to the Clarets.

“Project Restart really helped us to understand what was going to be possible," said Pace.

“There have been a lot of different emotions over the last few weeks, but I would say the over-riding one is pure joy in the fact we finally came to a conclusion. The excitement that we’ve had to finally get here is coming to fruition.

“The disappointment is that we are now back in another lockdown. We were certainly not expecting or hoping (for that) but at the end of the day we are where they are.

“But that doesn’t change the excitement that we’ve had to get here and the last couple of weeks have really kind of brought that home.”

Pace admitted that there were obvious concerns about buying a football club at a time when games continue to be played behind closed doors, but added: “It worries me a lot more for how people are suffering.

“From a personal perspective this is my third lockdown here in this country and it’s not at all pleasant. The first two were in a small flat in London and that is really hard.

“The first one I was lucky enough to be with my daughter for the whole time, the second one was without family, and this one I’m here with some of my partners and we’re working.

“It’s hard if you’re by yourself.

“But what I am very excited about is that at least this time - I have already burned through everything on Netflix and Amazon - so I’ve got live sport to at least watch. If they had taken that away as well that would have been even tougher.

“I don’t think this (lockdown) is pleasant for anyone and this is a tough one so I hope this gets done as soon as possible and we get vaccinated as quickly as possible."

And Pace insisted that communication with fans is key, now more than ever.

“It is hugely important," he said.

“I think it is like family. Everyone can relate to not being with loved ones.

“I very much understand that people love this place and this (Turf Moor) is their family and their home and they are not being allowed in so that has to be tough.

“The really important thing is to keep the communication.

“We have to do a really good job of sharing things that are happening so they feel part of it."