Burnley FC: Playing with a Fight Club mentality
In the Hollywood cult classic Fight Club Brad Pitt’s character proclaims: “The first rule of fight club is… you do NOT talk about fight club.” So, when the chatter outside Turf Moor in Burnley starts predicting the clubs return to the Premier League as a foregone conclusion, those in charge are quick to extol Mr. Pitt’s counsel. The first rule of promotion is… you do NOT talk about promotion! It’s an attitude that starts at the top of Burnley FC.
You can’t blame Claret loyalists for the optimism. Their club sits eight points clear atop the Championship and have not lost a league game since the first week of November. The most recent match saw Burnley stave off defeat from Watford claiming a point on Valentine’s Day in added time courtesy of recently activated Michael Obafemi.
I recently had the chance to venture North to see the city of Burnley in all its glory and take in a sold-out Turf Moor home fixture against Preston North End. Being approved for an interview with club Chairman Alan Pace made the trip a must, and as London faded into the distance, I found my mind searching for the perfect opening question. Why Burnley? Especially when other American owners and investors have found success with bigger and more well-known clubs. The first fact that became immediately apparent, other than getting to Burnley is no small feat, was Alan Pace is unique. He is not your average chairman, investor, financial wizard, or CEO. He has surrounded himself with great people and implemented changes that he feels will make a difference. So far so good.
Pace arrives in Burnley after extensive work and residency in Los Angeles, Venezuela, New York City and Barcelona. He carries an undergraduate degree from U.C.L.A. and an MBA from the prestigious IESE School of Business in Spain. He was at the helm when Real Salt Lake won the MLS Cup in the U.S. in 2009 and is currently the managing partner at ALK Capital. He is fluent in Spanish and he and his wife Kristen are the parents of three daughters.
Sports Gazette: Of all the teams you could have been involved with, why Burnley?
Alan Pace: We looked at a lot of different clubs in the UK and we were looking for something different and unique. My father served as a missionary in this part of the country when he was 19 and always spoke fondly of his love for the communities in this area. This was just one of the clubs that fit into the vision that we have of being more holistically involved with a club that’s at the center of the community and not just on the side of it. At any given day we have 20-25% of the entire community at our game.
SG: How does football in the UK differ from your experience with RSL in the States and the MLS?
AP: There is a passion for the game in the U.S. in and around the day of the game where here it almost penetrates to core of someone’s existence. It’s often referred to as almost being religious in nature. There is a different connectivity that goes well beyond other sports in America. The closest you would get to it would be college sports in America. But here its every single day. It’s just a different level of engagement.”
SG: How much do you think about getting promoted back to the Premier League or is that something you stay away from?
AP: We have a plan for several scenarios and yes, we do have plan for being promoted to the Premier League and knock-on wood we see that come to fruition this year. But yes, we do have a very thoughtful plan ready to go.”
SG: Is it realistically possible for a team that has been relegated in the past 2-3 years to come back and win the Premier League? Or with club finances the way they are and bigger teams with more money, that’s just not going to ever happen?
AP: I would say that it’s highly unlikely that we will ever see that in our lifetime. Is it possible? Yes, but it would have to be a miraculous run and I’m not sure what that would look like. We are going to give it a good run, that’s for sure!
SG: With success are you constantly fending off raiders who want to take your manager or a star player?
AP: That’s always the case. Those that cannot build steal. But I am sure there are plenty of people that think we’re doing the same thing. You have to be constantly embracing the people you have but you can’t stop them from having ambitions of their own. You can love a player, want a player, need a player but it’s definitely difficult to hang on to them.
SG: Could you have imagined 20 years ago that you would be living in the UK and the chairman of Burnley?
AP: Life just changes, and it goes on in different ways. I never really imagined life going on this way in this day, but that’s the great thing about life, it takes you on a journey and your dreams change with that journey.
SG: In 20 years will I still find you in Burnley?
AP: I certainly hope so. I told the folks here when we first came that you’ll probably bury me somewhere around here, but I hope that’s not in the next 20 years, let’s hope that’s more like 40!
Alan Pace is the first to praise those around him. As mentioned, he has brought in some very talented people. His partners, Stuart Hunt, and Michael Smith. Burnley’s coach Vincent Kompany. Plus manager of match day operations, Russell Ball. Even the players notice the change.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis, a centre-back on loan from Manchester City, told me the mood in Burnley is different. “You can tell that the owners are determined to get back up there and that rubs off on the players and every single staff member that’s in the building.”
So, after a convincing 3-0 win over Preston and with a near sold out crowd leaving Turf Moor happy for the 10th match in row, it became evident that something good is happening in Burnley and it’s not just the wins. There is a culture shift taking place and the Clarets seem to be taking the town along for the ride. They just won’t talk about the next move, because as anyone will tell you, that’s the first rule of promotion. You do not talk about promotion.
