View from Afar

By Dave in Mauritius
October 19 2004

A match played at Turf Moor shown live on TV is a great event to all Clarets fans living overseas. It is not a weekly occurrence but happens once in a year or even more. With abated breaths we seize the golden opportunity by both hands. We make ourselves feel that we are in the midst of our own people and mingling our voices and encouraging our players to give the best of themselves .

My memory lane brings me back to recollect some matches that I have seen live on TV .

1. It may happened a decade or more when I was in Capetown on holidays. I felt overwhelmed with joy when I read in the morning paper that the match Burnley v/s Liverpool was to be shown live in Supersports. I had programmed for an excursion along scenic Cape Route. I asked the driver to drive me back at a given time so that I would not miss even a fraction of a second of the match. I enjoyed the match thoroughly and the high flying Liverpool having made many conquests in Europe could not beat the brave players of Burnley. The match ended in a draw 0-0.

2. The match Burnley-Blackburn was also shown live in Supersports, an South African TV Channel. Because of gross defensive errors we lost by 2-0. We got our chances to score but our forwards did not take advantage. Losing against our bitter adversaries made me spend a sleepless night .

3. I was in England when we qualified for the quarter final in the FA Cup against Watford. I enquired for a ticket but unfortunately I was told that it was difficult to procure one. I had to content myself for a live match on the TV. I expected that the players would live to our expectations and provide a grand show. Unfortunately their performance was dismal and to be forgotten.

We hope that the match against Derby County would be something great and to cheer. I understand that there would be a special section in the stadium for the singing fans. Turf Moor will be lively and agog with entertaining activities. Although I am separated by thousand of miles, definitely my mind would fly to that wonderful stadium called Turf Moor .

If God willing I would be there next year. I may be a Mauritian by birth but I only wish the best to the people living in that beautiful town called BURNLEY and all connected with mighty BURNLEY FC,the most historical of all clubs .

DAVE from Mauritius.