Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Dyche sold Austin to keep lights on at Burnley
SEAN Dyche insists memories of selling Charlie Austin to keep the lights on at Turf Moor will keep Burnley grounded as they threaten to gatecrash the Premier League elite.
Victory over Bournemouth on Wednesday left the Clarets in sixth place, sandwiched unexpectedly between Liverpool and Tottenham after 14 games.
That has defied even the loftiest aspirations of a club who finished 16th last term, with whispers of European football even starting to emerge.
But Dyche does not indulge flights of fancy and his recollection of allowing Austin to join QPR for £4 million in August 2013, simply to keep the club’s cashflow in order, is an important touchstone.
“We’re not shouting from the rooftops,” he said.
“We know we have to work for every inch of what we get in this division.
“There’s a humble side to this team, we know we’re not the real deal. We are moving forward and progressing but we know we’re not the real deal.
“I know thousands of fans who know where we’re at, they know the realities, I’m pretty sure of that.
“Don’t forget about five years ago we were selling a player to make sure there was electricity going through the building.
“I don’t think they’ve forgotten. I think they’re enjoying the ride at the moment.
“We’re still earning the right to belong in the Premier League but we’re doing a good job of that at the moment.”
The Clarets head to Leicester tomorrow having won four of their last five games.