Burnley: We bored our way to the Premier League – Josh Brownhill
Josh Brownhill himself even joked that Burnley have “bored our way to the Premier League” after the 2-1 win over Sheffield United on Monday evening confirmed their return to the top flight.
Brownhill was referencing the fact the Clarets are set to become the best defence in Championship history having conceded just 15 goals this season, smashing the record of 30 goals allowed by Watford in 2020-21 and Preston in 2005-06.
They have also kept 29 clean sheets, beating Wigan Athletic’s EFL record of 27 in League One in 2017-18.
With 12 goalless draws and 15 of their 26 wins by a one-goal margin, Scott Parker’s side has been largely built on remarkable defensive stability and consistency.
But that takes nothing away from the fact Burnley are on course to reach 100 points and match Reading’s record 33-game unbeaten run in the second tier set in 2005-06, should they win their final two games against QPR and Millwall.
Top goalscorer Brownhill led by example at Turf Moor against the Blades – as he has done for much of this season – with two goals to help his side to the victory that sealed Burnley’s place in the Premier League for the 2025-26 campaign.
‘It takes a whole team’
“I’m speechless. All that hard work this season,” the 29-year-old told Sky Sports.
“We’ve been written off so many times, people calling us boring. We’ve bored our way to the Premier League.
“It takes a whole team – it’s not just a back four, a goalkeeper, it takes everybody.
“I don’t think a lot of the lads will sleep. I’m so buzzing for the lads that haven’t played Premier League football.”
Head coach Parker said the “ambition and target at the start of the season was to get back to the Premier League”.
“We’ve managed to do that so I’m hugely proud of the squad,” he told BBC Radio Lancashire.
“It’s come down to real, pure commitment from every one of the players, their dedication and the sacrifice that they’ve made, that leads us to this point.
“I explained to the lads there is emotion from me because I see the commitment that everyone has brought.
“We live in a world where you win or you lose and you get judged and at the end of the season you’re either promoted or not and that’s how quickly people will judge it.
“I’m just delighted that all that work, all that effort, all that sacrifice has been worth it and people can see it. The facts are if you don’t get promoted people can see it.”
‘This one feels special’
Parker was appointed Burnley boss in the summer following 15 months out of management, having been sacked by Belgian side Club Brugge in March 2022 after just 12 games in charge.
The 44-year-old said his third promotion as a manager means “everything” and said the journey Burnley have been on is “nothing short of incredible”.
“This one feels special,” he told Sky Sports, having previously won a place in the top flight with Fulham and Bournemouth.
“I’ve had some bumps in the road as a manager, not to make this about me. I decided to take a year out and came back to this, I knew it would be a challenge.
“The spotlight often shines on the players and myself but the sacrifices that families make – they fully deserve it.”
There are only two games of the season remaining but with both Leeds and Burnley tied on 94 points, Parker says they are still aiming to win the title.
“We are going to go for it,” Parker said. “That’s the aim and that’s exactly what we are going to do.”
Burnley chairman Alan Pace described Parker as a “living legend” who has “outperformed anything he could have possibly said” before he was hired.
“He’s shown multiple times that he knows how to handle this league and how to bring a group of men together and accomplish great things,” Pace told Sky Sports.
“Even when there was negativity at the start of the season from others, it never stopped him.
“He’s amazing and we are so, so grateful, thankful and blessed to have him here.”
Midfielder Josh Cullen said promotion feels “absolutely amazing” and added: “This is a day I’ll never forget.”
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