Lancashire Reunited after Burnley are relegated

Burnley’s relegation means they will come up against old Lancashire rivals Preston North End, Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool for the first time since the 1960/61 season.
By Chris Boden
Published 24th May 2022, 15:00 BST
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Back then, the sides were in the old First Division, the top flight of English football, with the Clarets defending champions after claiming their second title win at Maine Road, and Burnley would also go on to play in the European Cup that season, reaching the quarter-final.

It was also the season after Tom Finney retired, and it didn’t end well for North End, with them relegated from the First Division after finishing bottom, and they have yet to return to the top flight since.

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Burnley finished fourth in the First Division that year, with Blackburn eighth and Blackpool 20th.

Burnley's Scott Arfield scores the winning goal Photographer Dave Howarth/CameraSport Football - The Football League Sky Bet Championship - Blackburn Rovers v Burnley - Saturday 24th October 2015 - Ewood Park - Blackburn © CameraSport - 43 Linden Ave. Countesthorpe. Leicester. England. LE8 5PG - Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 4147 - admin@camerasport.com - www.camerasport.comBurnley's Scott Arfield scores the winning goal Photographer Dave Howarth/CameraSport Football - The Football League Sky Bet Championship - Blackburn Rovers v Burnley - Saturday 24th October 2015 - Ewood Park - Blackburn © CameraSport - 43 Linden Ave. Countesthorpe. Leicester. England. LE8 5PG - Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 4147 - admin@camerasport.com - www.camerasport.com
Burnley's Scott Arfield scores the winning goal Photographer Dave Howarth/CameraSport Football - The Football League Sky Bet Championship - Blackburn Rovers v Burnley - Saturday 24th October 2015 - Ewood Park - Blackburn © CameraSport - 43 Linden Ave. Countesthorpe. Leicester. England. LE8 5PG - Tel: +44 (0) 116 277 4147 - [email protected] - www.camerasport.com

The Clarets will look to extend an unbeaten run against Blackburn which extend over 12 years, and seven games, all under Sean Dyche, with Burnley winning the last four meetings.

The last time the Seasiders met Burnley in a competitive fixture was in 2014, when a Michael Kightly goal gave the away side a 1-0 victory at Bloomfield Road, and virtually sealed promotion to the Premier League.

Preston’s last visit to Turf Moor was on a wet afternoon in December 2015, with Will Keane, up against twin brother Michael, and Daniel Johnson scoring in a 2-0 victory.

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The reverse fixture late in the season saw the Clarets win 1-0 with a Joey Barton free kick, which again left Burnley on the verge of promotion back to the Premier League as Championship winners, finishing the season 23 games undefeated.

With Wigan Athletic promoted as League One champions, there will be a strong North West feel to the Championship in the 2022/23 campaign.

Further north are Sunderland, who won the League One play-off final on Saturday, providing another trip up to the North East, in addition to the visit to Middlesbrough.

Rotherham were runners-up behind Wigan, the Millers continuing their yo-yo pattern between the second and third tiers.

Watford and Norwich’s relegations are not travel-friendly for fans, particularly Norwich, while this coming weekend, one of Nottingham Forest or Huddersfield will go up to the Premier League.

Related topics:BurnleyPreston North EndLancashireBlackpoolBlackburn Rovers