Burnley, a real working-class town in the North of England. It feels like it is always cold and raining. The football club completes it all. Burnley FC is a real people's club and Turf Moor is a beautiful old-fashioned stadium.
Some people say you will no longer find proper English football in the Premier League. Many clubs have state-of-the-art stadiums which are packed with tourists and where players are alienated from the crowd. Like it or not, Burnley has a very different story. The Lancashire club is doing well, without doing anything crazy, with a large English core and few tourists. It's quite weird how the club does not attract more tourists, however, because a visit to Turf Moor is a must for any fan of English football.
It was a major disappointment for many Burnley supporters when the club's new owners made it clear that they 'have no plans whatsoever for a new stadium'. This is fortunate for us because it would be a real shame to lose Turf Moor, England's second oldest professional stadium (only neighbours Preston North End’s Deepdale is older). It is relatively small, with just under 22,000 seats, but there is an authentic English atmosphere. It is also located in the heart of the city, and therefore in society. But it is obvious that Turf Moor could use an upgrade and a splash of paint here and there.
Tip from our gastronomic (read: alcoholic) committee: In the stadium, try the 'benny-and-hot', the northern French liqueur Bénédictine with hot water, typical of Burnley. It was taken by the soldiers returning from the front after the First World War. Outside of France, it is most popular in Burnley.
You can hardly avoid it when you walk towards the stadium. Just under the viaduct you suddenly see a familiar face on your right in a special outfit. It is the striking head of former Burnley manager Sean Dyche but is depicted like a kind of stately portrait of Henry VIII. The pub, The Royal Dyche, is the ideal place to have a good pint before the game. What's even better, you can drink 'Royal Dyche Lager' there.
The pub used to be called The Princess Royal, but after Dyche guided Burnley to European football for the first time in more than 50 years in 2018, the owner and season ticket holder Justine decided to give the place a different name. Much to Sean Dyche's delight by the way, although the red-bearded manager himself hoped that the pub would be renamed 'The Handsome Ginger Fella'.
Behind the Jimmy McIlroy Stand is a park dedicated to the club, the Turf Moor Memorial Garden. Here those who passed away are being remembered, and a few in particular. For example, 'Mister Burnley' Brian Miller has his own memorial here in the form of a reserve bench. There is also a memorial to the Clarets who lost their lives in the First World War and a statue of the legendary former player Jimmy McIlroy will soon be placed.
Burnley is one of those clubs where it is relatively easy to get tickets, for Premier League standards. Just create an account on the official website and you can then get tickets for many matches, even when the big clubs come to visit. We recommend a spot high up on the James Hargreaves Stand, from where you have a beautiful view of Burnley workers' cottages.
The Clarets' stadium is within walking distance of Burnley town centre. Walk east out of St. James' Street, continue on Yorkshire Street and at the viaduct you will already see the stadium ahead.
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