Food for thought - David Edgar on a frustrating season

The Canadian international defender, 24 next Thurday, was handed only his fourth start of the campaign, and first under new boss Eddie Howe.

And he walked away with the man of the match champagne after a composed display of defending against Cardiff and one of the most feared strikeforces in the Championship.

The former Newcastle man has endured a difficult first two years at Turf Moor, but beamed: “I loved it. I think if anyone was watching me you could see a smile on my face.

“I just loved being out there, especially the football we played, it was really enjoyable and hopefully enjoyable to watch.

“The only way to sum up this season is frustrating.

“But I’ve hopefully put some food for thought into the gaffer’s head for over the summer and we’ll see what happens next season.

“We’ve got some meetings this week to do a general sum-up of the season so hopefully mine’s positive and we go from there.

“He told me I was going to play (on Saturday) and to take my chance.

“I’ve been saying all along it’s all about getting that chance.

“And I felt right because I obviously played in my own position – I wasn’t left back or right back – so I felt good and confident.”

Edgar was signed for a tribunal set fee of £300,000 from Newcastle, but has made only eight starts under three managers, with only five in the league.

He shone at Manchester United in Brian Laws’ first game in charge, but hasn’t started at centre back in the league since, and only filled in there once, last February at Fulham after Leon Cort went off injured.

However, he hopes next year could be his year: “Hopefully. That’s the way you’ve got to look at it.

“I’m going to go away – I’ve got a tournament for Canada (the CONCACAF Gold Cup in June) so it’s not going to be a leisurely summer, I’m going to be playing football and staying fit.

“I’ll go home and see some family and enjoy playing for my country.”

Canada face hosts USA on June 7th in Detroit, before taking on Guadeloupe four days later in Tampa, and then Panama on June 14th in Kansas City, with the top two teams going through too the quarter-finals, as the two best third teams from three groups.

And he is pleased to be staying busy: “Definitely. Pre-season is going to be massive next season. You’ve got to come in and stay sharp and that’s the time you show the manager what you want to achieve next season. That’s your benchmark.”

Edgar hopes too play a role in what coulld be a new-look young Burnley side, if the team in the last game is anything to go by, and he said: “I was thinking it was a young team in the second half when Brian Easton was playing centre half with me.

“We had a good laugh at half-time about it.

“When you think about it there were some young players out there but everyone coped and I thought we played the better football and deserved the win.”

Easton has been in a similar boat to Edgar having also seen little action since his arrival in summer 2009, and Edgar added: “He did excellent when he had his chance through Foxy’s injury and through no fault of his own he was back on the bench or out of the squad.

“Foxy’s done brilliant all season.

“We’ve confided in each other a lot this season because obviously your head goes but you’ve got to stay focused and keep training well.”

• BURNLEY wore their 2011/12 home strip on Saturday, and the new Puma design is now available from the Clarets Store.

The Puma brand again adorns the breast of the home shirt, which changes significantly from the current design.

The Puma King shirt, retaining the branding of club sponsor Fun88.com, has a V-neck with a blue collar, and carries two eye-catching white stripes on both shoulders.

The new replica home shirt will be accompanied by white shorts and socks, both with claret trim.

The two stripes on the shirt are inspired by the famous story involving Johan Cruyff, in which during the 1974 World Cup Final, he removed the third Adidas stripe from his Holland shirt, out of respect and loyalty to his boot sponsor Puma.

Cruyff refused to be associated with Puma’s major competitor and as his country’s captain, talisman and one of the most gifted and inspirational footballers of all time, was relatively confident he wouldn’t be dropped by the team for his actions!

This single show of loyalty is something Puma believe all Burnley fans can relate to, and as such, the two stripes embody and exemplify something far more than a simple design feature.

The King name derives from the most iconic football boot associated with Puma’s long football heritage.

The original King boot was worn by Eusebio in 1968 after his heroics as the ‘King of Wembley in the World Cup in 1966

Full 2011/12 kit prices are: Shirt - Adult: long sleeve £42.99, short sleeve £39.99, Junior: long sleeve £33.99, short sleeve £31.99; Ladies £39.99; Shorts - Adult £15.99, junior £12.99, Socks - Adult £9.99, junior £8.99, child £7.99; Baby kit £29.99

• CLARETS Development Draw: £1,000 winner - K. Mottershead (B6241); £100 winners - S. Bland (C4090), C. Whitehead (Y5508), Mrs Fallows (F5732), Mr Logan (W1626). Jackpot numbers 14, 16, 17, 32, no winner, next week £2,500.