Away Day Wiz Diaries #21 – Blades 1-2 Burnley

Bitter in Burnley, after another away defeat for the Blades.

Alan Pickard

Is there a less inspiring away day in the current Championship? I'm not so sure. Luton runs it close, and a slice of luck with holiday planning meant I missed that. But Burnley, ugh. It's just a bloody awful place. I suppose, when you look at it, we're the lucky ones. At least we got to leave.

If the above sentence sounds bitter, it's because it is. It's that bitter that I've just received a text message from Stones asking if I'd like a job at the brewery.

Anyway. Let's put some words on the page! Why are you doing this to yourself if you've even made it this far in the report??

My first visit to Burnley was the Lee Baxter fiasco. I've been four times in total before today. I'm yet to see us gain so much as a point. Maybe I'm the problem? Surely today it can't be five defeats in five. Surely?

Quick overview then. Coaches going at 11:30. Stopping in Bacup en route. A bit about Bacup, actually. It's hardly what you'd describe as glamorous, but all four pubs are very welcoming, and it has the added bonus of being the only place in Britain that inflation has forgotten about. £3 a pint, roughly. However, the bar staff are hard-working, honest, and bloody grateful for you spending money. That's all you can really ask.

Tom Gregory absolutely dominated the pool table in the British Queen’s, and I fulfilled everyone's hunger with a Morrisons rotisserie chicken and breadcakes – don't start, that's the correct word. Young Jack Scabs doing his best impression of the carvery chef serving them up. We had a fab day out. And that's all that matters in the end. Who actually cares about football anyway? It just kicks you in the teeth, time after time.

Now, remember last week I told ya – we need to get off Tom Cannon’s case because we just never pass it to him? Well, it happened. Gus slid him in, and he finished past the Burnley keeper with aplomb. He could be the difference if we can get him in form. Kieffer winning the headers – that was refreshing. And Gus busting lungs to find an answer late on. AFC Goole seemed really happy about Leeds' promotion.

All in all, the best two teams have been promoted. Leeds, as proven again, are excellent at the top end of the pitch. Burnley are excellent in the defensive third. We're the third-best team in the league, a more "all-rounded" outfit if you like, but in the big games against those two, we needed more.

Nonetheless, we're the best team in the playoffs. So let's lose this mentality of looking at the past, shall we? Turn up. Sing your genitals off, and let's show them boys in Red and White the appreciation that they deserve for putting the season we've had together, on the back of a complete rebuild!! Positive pants on, Blades. This is our year.

Alternative MOTM – Tom Gregory. Bacup pool table champion, 21/04/25. Well done, mate!

See you at Stoke, Wiz!