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Welcome to Gazza
Hello to David Johnson
Hats off for Gareth
In the Observer again
Thoughts of Paddy
We're on the telly again!
Click here for March 2002 comment entries
17 March - Blimey - Paul Gascoigne!
Well, what can we possibly say that hasn't already been said about Paul Gascoigne? Unless you've been enjoying a long weekend on Mars, you'll be aware that Gascoigne has joined the Clarets, with us having taken over his contract from Everton. That contract runs until the end of the season.
Gascoigne, of course, is an internationally famous player, and the parallels with the signing of Ian Wright two years ago are obvious. Then, Wright's presence at the club gave us a boost, got people through the turnstiles and served as a statement of the club's intent to pursue promotion. In one or two moments on the pitch, Wright also played a vital role in bringing about some of the wins that took us up. Gascoigne's arrival now is clearly intended, similarly, to catalyse our campaign to get to, and succeed in, the play-offs.
Gascoigne's signing, like Wright's, is a declaration of our willingness to go for it, and as such is welcomed. Coming in the same week that David Johnson arrived on loan, it is clear that Stan is strengthening his squad and the board are enabling him to do so. We might wish we had done so sooner, when the club was still in an automatic promotion position, but that's gone now, so let's not be churlish. It's an imaginative signing, it captures the imagination of Burnley supporters, and it will probably be good news commercially too, so hats off to those involved for pulling it off.
As for Gascoigne, you all know his history. Funny, but I always had a feeling he might end up with us one of these days. He brings with him a certain amount of baggage, but all Burnley players start with a clean slate as far as we're concerned, and Gascoigne is no exception. He's a Claret, so he has our support, and he also happens to be a player blessed with exceptional talent. Although Wright proved it needn't always be the case, stars often don't succeed at Burnley. chris waddle exemplified that. In signing Gascoigne, we're hoping that history will repeat itself. So, here's hoping. Even if it doesn't, life will be more interesting for having Gazza about the place. On behalf of the London Clarets, welcome.
For more on Paul Gascoigne, take a look at the Gazzamania website.
12 March - Welcome, David Johnson
Well, after a while in which not much has happened off the field (Paul Gascoigne, indeed!) we at last would seem to have some bona fide transfer news to report. We welcome David Johnson to the club on a month's loan from Nottingham Forest. Forest, you will recall, bought him from Ipswich for £3m only last year, but then found out that they've got no money. Doh! Such are their financial problems now that they are apparently prepared to let him go on a free, and he has just recently been on loan at Sheffield Wednesday.
It was all going so well for Johnson a couple of years ago. He was a big success at Ipswich following his move from Bury, but then due to the fine form of Marcus Stewart he lost his place in the team.
He was sold to Ipswich, of course, by Bury's then Manager Stan Ternent, who gave Johnson his break in football as Stan's Bury side went from Third to First Divisions. Johnson looks like a player who's lost his way, and if anyone can get the best out of him now, I suspect it's Stan. Johnson is still only 25, so if he can get his career back on track, he should still have a lot to offer.
He's signed for a month's loan initially, although it's possible a permanent deal will follow if he impresses. With the excellent Gareth Taylor set to miss two games through suspension, there's a need for more firepower, so here's hoping Johnson fits the bill.
12 March - Hats off to our Gareth
Gareth Taylor has gained recognition for the great season he is having in the form of a call up for the Wales squad. Wales play the Czech Republic in Cardiff on Wednesday 27 March. Let's hope that useless Wales manager does the right thing for once and picks him. It's curious that some Clarets don't rate Taylor, who has scored 15 goals this season, which can't be far off one for every two games he's played - and that's a good strike rate. International recognition is well deserved. The even better news is that he won't miss any games as a result of the call-up.
In praise of Gareth Taylor
12 March - Who's Knapps?
Once again the London Clarets graced the pages of this Sunday's Observer following our win at Stockport, and as usual, to satisfy your curiosity, this is what we said.
Was it a good match?
It's hard to judge because Stockport are clearly the worst team in the land. They are awful in every respect.
Who played well / who had a nightmare?
Knapps [eh?] took his goal well. Palmer was hilariously bad... not a clue. A superb leader of a very dirty team.
Look, if you wondering who Knapps is, we don't know either. It's not a new nickname. Honestly, we said Cox. We even spelled it out. Heaven knows, we make enough mistakes on this site as it is, but for once, this one wasn't ours - OK?
8 March - Why do they always phone Patrick?
One or two people have asked what London Clarets regular Patrick O'Neill said about the Norwich home game in last Sunday's Observer. Not least Paddy himself. So, for the record:
Was it a good match?
No, not really - you wouldn't have thought these were two teams going for the play-offs. After Glen Little was injured we went into our shell.
Who played well / who has a nightmare?
Little, until he was carried off, and Dean West did reasonably well. Marc Libbra looked classy for them.
So now you know.
1 March - On the box again
If you're going to the Norwich match on Saturday, try and make some noise. We should try to give a good account of ourselves because we're on the telly... in Norway.
Norwegian Claret Olav Gjesteland writes to say, "Just wanted to let you know that the match against Norwich will be shown live on Norwegian telly on Saturday, so please behave in front of the cameras. I myself just returned from a pilgrimage to your fair island, having watched the games against WBA, Watford and Barnsley, and I'll be over yet again for the Bradford and Sheff U matches." Clarets all over the world!
Secondly, I'm sure all our members would like to thank me in passing on my best wishes to Steve and Julia Baker, who have just left the Sparrow Hawk. Steve has been a real friend of the London Clarets, and the Sparrow Hawk became our true home from home. We wish Steve and Julia well in their future. They set an incredibly high standard.
March 2002 comment entries
Cynicism on hold
Bickering and booing
In praise of Gareth Taylor
Buy a seat for Bury
Wave goodbye to Stockport
Autumn comedy special announced
March diary
April 2002 news and comment archive
Archive main menu
As with all articles on the site, the
views expressed in this section are those of the individual contributor, and do not
necessarily reflect the view of the Burnley FC London Supporters Club.
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