Burnley fan groups demand answers after another turbulent week at Turf Moor

Burnley’s leading fan groups are beginning to turn up the heat on Alan Pace and the club’s owners.

It comes in the wake of another turbulent week at Turf Moor, where the sacking of Nicky Hayen and subsequent swift appointment of Fabio Celestini was overshadowed by the emergence of financial and administrative issues behind the scenes.

The club’s parent company, Velocity Capital (UK) Holdings, was hit with a compulsory strike-off notice in relation to its overdue financial accounts.

The warning, issued by Companies House, means the company is at risk of being struck off the official register and dissolved.

Velocity, the sports investment arm of ALK Capital, has failed to file a single set of accounts since it was incorporated in March 2023. Its first accounts were due on Christmas Eve 2024.

Now the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), established last year to strengthen oversight of the game, has confirmed it is seeking answers about the circumstances surrounding the notice.

The regulator is also in active discussions with the English Football League (EFL) as concerns grow over the club’s parent company and its failure to meet financial reporting deadlines.

The club's owners insist they are in direct contact with Companies House and are "fully committed" to bringing their accounts up to date as quickly as possible.

Despite this, Burnley fan group Clarets Trust has spoken of its “anger” and “deep concern” in a lengthy statement, in which it points to “serious problems” in the club’s leadership and direction.

The statement subsequently speaks of “serious financial concerns” and whether or not the club is capable of remaining competitive while selling off many of its top talent “without adequate replacements”.

The Trust also calls for “direct public accountability” from Burnley chairman Pace, rather than relying on “controlled” published minutes from meetings with the Fan Advisory Board.

Burnley FC Independent Supporters Association (Burnley FC ISA), meanwhile, states its members are worried about the “big questions” - the long-term viability of the club and the growing feeling of disconnect.

The group continues to survey its members to get an accurate view of how they’re feeling about the situation. Burnley FC ISA have managed to secure a meeting with the regulator to discuss the issues further, while they also intend to meet with the club before the end of the year.

“It has been a long time since supporting Burnley has been this difficult,” it penned in a statement of their own.

“As we sit in our lowest league position in almost 30 years with our second head coach of the season, it’s now been a full calendar year since we last won a league match at Turf Moor.

“Off the pitch, the club has gone from cash in the bank to £142m in debt, according to the latest accounts. That is the fourth-highest external debt in English football behind Spurs and Everton, who built new stadiums, and Manchester United, after a similar leveraged buyout, all with far higher revenues than ours.”

While keen to maintain channels communication with the club, Burnley FC ISA insist they remain committed to “safeguarding the club’s future”.

“We will always be constructive. But constructive doesn’t mean quiet,” the group added.

All the while, fan discontent continues to grow at games. Chants of “Alan Pace, get out of our club” have been sung in the past two fixtures against Wolves and Lincoln City respectively, where flags and banners have also been unfurled.

Burnley FC has been approached for comment.