Burnley project

[JoshuaSmith17]

I decided to start a season with Burnley knowing that I was more than likely going to get relegated. My plan was to strengthen for the return to the Championship and then strengthen further in hope I would return at the first attempt. I finished 20th, I won alot of games but only drew about 5, the points from the draws I missed out on would of kept me up but I wasn't bothered as my plan was moving onto the next stage. In the first season I bought Mads Albaek, a youngster from Denmark who plays in France, for roughly £4 million. That was all my transfer and wage budget used up. He didn't have an amazing season but the potential is there. I also agreed to sign Andrej Kramaric on a free at the end of his contract but what I didn't realise is that he won't be joining untill 2017... :S

So I got relegated and Boyd and Trippier requested to leave, I sold them both for £11 million and that was followed by the board letting me know the club is now debt free! This was then followed by my budgets for the season which was roughly £8 million, after letting a few contracts expire and selling Vokes and a few more, I managed to ruffle up around £13/14 million. With this I bought:

Luke Hyam - Ipswich
Sam Byram - Leeds
Rob Hall - Bolton
James Tompkins - West Ham
Maya Yoshida - Southampton
Patrick Bamford - Free
Will Keane - Free
Dele Alli - Loan
Michael Lumb - Free

In: £14,550,000 Out: £11,340,000

Although I thought bringing in so many new players at once would be detrimental to my team, it seems to have worked. I've said I will win the league and I'm currently lingering in 5th after a few dodgy results lately, maybe because of my progession in the Capital One Cup.

The main reason I posted this is to show this project, for me personally it's the first time I've taken a small club and built it up with young, English talent (mostly), added to Heaton, Mee & Ings. My aim is to potentially sell them on for huge profit and then improve youth and training facilities and try to make Burnley an established Premier League team and then push on from there!

Has anyone else ever done this and how did it work, as I know it's going to be a long road to what I want to achieve!

 

[addug]

Interesting approach and I always enjoy people taking a considered realistic attempt, rather than buying Balanta and Romero and winning the league. How did the board handle you getting relegated? Must admit I've never experienced it having generally managed my favoured Liverpool.

I'm currently in my 10th season (started unemployed with no exp or badges), and have been managing Berwick Rangers in Scotland for 8 seasons. I managed 3 promotions in my first 4 years and managed to win the SPL at 3rd attempt. I'm going through a similar process trying to totally evolve the club infrastructure although my facilities are only adequate so I've had to focus on international scouting and free transfers to start to bring in the money.

My long term aim is to improve the rep of the Scottish game both through my own European challenges but also trying to invest in Scottish talent with the profits on my own player sales. There's a bit of a contradiction in that ultimately I need to improve the teams around me to boost the league on the whole.