A pub and a beer named after a coach: this is Espanyol's new sibling

BurnleyThree-quarters of an hour from Manchester, on a train journey through rolling pastures and picture-postcard villages, lies Burnley, the smallest municipality in the Premier League. With fewer than 80,000 inhabitants and no specialty coffee shops, it often goes unnoticed by tourists visiting northwest England. In fact, it doesn't even have city status because it lacks a cathedral: it's a townWhat it does have are pubs. The most famous of all is The Royal Dyche, halfway between the station and the football ground. On match days it's packed.

"It used to be called The Princess Royal, but when we qualified for Europe we named it after the manager, Sean Dyche," says one of the waitresses, who, like almost all her customers, is wearing a red chevron on her shirt; it's the poppy remembrance which commemorates the British soldiers and civilians killed in wartime. The price of beer, always a reliable indicator, confirms that Burnley is not Manchester. The combs of real aleA traditional English style, they cost £2.80, almost half the price in the neighboring town. Club shirts and vintage beer labels hang from the ceiling; one of them features the face of Dyche, who was sacked in 2022 after ten years in charge.

An American in Burnley

Alan Pace meets the Royal Dyche"He's not your typical owner who controls the club from another country. He lives here, and he really enjoys mingling and talking to the fans in the pubs and the Fan Zone. He's very popular with the supporters," says Sam, a fan. clear Despite the autumn chill in Burnley, he wears shorts to show off the club crest tattooed on his calf. Like him, some of the club's supporters viewed the arrival of an American at such a local club as Burnley with suspicion. Until ALK Capital bought it in 2020, Burnley had always had owners with ties to the area.

"Things have changed, but it was necessary. It was seen as a somewhat outdated club, with a squad made up mainly of English players. Now they're looking for players from abroad, who are cheaper, and there's a desire to bring it closer to the North American market." especially with JJ WattBut, in essence, Burnley remains a traditional, homegrown, and authentic Lancashire club. This will never change,” explains Matt Scrafton, a journalist for the Burnley Express

Turf Moor: A Journey to the Past

Alan Pace has faced criticism for selling some players and for the leveraged buyout he used to acquire the club – the deal was financed with the club's existing debt. What no one disputes is his significant investment, especially in Turf Moor, the stadium where the team has played since 1883 – the oldest in the Premier League – and which was quite run-down before his arrival. Despite the improvements, it's not the typical modern ground, with all the amenities but lacking mystique. Turf Moor exudes history. It is British Like no other, a trip back in time, everything one imagines when thinking of a Premier League match from the 90s. The same goes for the fans: one tackle A corner kick in their favor is celebrated almost like a goal. And the fuck It's said endlessly. Even so, the atmosphere is deeply familial. From grandparents to grandchildren and from parents to children. In that, it's very reminiscent of Espanyol.

Located in a residential area with typical English terraced houses, made of ochre-colored brick with white windows, the stadium holds 22,000 spectators, almost a third of the town. It consists of four metal stands, all different and very steep, which are not connected to each other; the corners are open, which is why it's so windy: it's freezing cold on Turf Moor.

From the top of the North Stand, the highest stand, you can see the ever-grey Lancashire sky and theskyline of the municipality: slate roofs and chimneys of old factories, reminders of Burnley's textile past and working-class tradition. The town was an important center during the Industrial Revolution, which originated in the same county. It was also instrumental in the establishment of professionalism in football, after working-class clubs in the north of England clashed with those of the London gentry. On the main facade of the stadium, there is a plaque commemorating Burnley as one of the founders of the English league, which it has won twice (1921 and 1960). For some months now, He is related to another historical figure, in this case from the Spanish league.

The first Espanyol-Burnley match of the Alan Pace era

“I like that we have a relationship with Espanyol. We can both benefit. For now, we’ve already loaned them Koleosho,” says Steve, a 70-year-old man who has run a stall specializing in Burnley collectibles at the village market for over a decade. The fans’ main fear is that Pace will neglect his club to focus on Espanyol. Initially, he plans to spend two to three days a week in each place, as he explained at a meeting with club members. light-colored.

"In families, each sibling is different. They are two completely independent clubs, but there will be synergies. We haven't brought many people from Burnley to Spain – only Bradley Spiby and Antonio Dávila – because each club will operate on its own," explained Pace at his official presentation at the RCDE Stadium. He even knows how he would handle a hypothetical clash. He also hinted that they would play friendlies. One has already been confirmed: it will be played in the Under-14 category at the 1900 Cup tournament, which Espanyol organizes at its training ground during Easter week. It will be the first-ever meeting between Espanyol's youth teams and Burnley, the last romantic club in the Premier League, which is now a sister club of Espanyol.