Brownhill: Fans Back Meant A Lot

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Midfielder relishes fresh start as supporters return to Turf Moor

2021-05-19T22:43:00.000Z

Brownhill: Fans Back Meant A Lot

Midfielder relishes fresh start as supporters return to Turf Moor

2021-05-19T22:43:00.000Z

Midfielder relishes fresh start as supporters return to Turf Moor

Josh Brownhill praised the impact of the returning fans as he finally got the chance to start a game in front of a Turf Moor crowd.

Brownhill’s only previous experience of playing in front of the home supporters following his arrival from Bristol City in January 2020 had been as a substitute in his early days as a Claret.

But after becoming an important part of manager Sean Dyche’s plans in the games played behind closed doors over the last 14 months, the midfielder got the welcome he deserved despite a 3-0 defeat to deposed champions Liverpool.

Brownhill: Fans Back Meant A Lot - Image 1

Brownhill said: “The result didn’t go our way which is disappointing. I thought we played some really good stuff and created some good chances.

“But it was a special night – having some of the fans back in. The atmosphere was really good and for me personally, not playing in front of the home supporters before, it meant a lot to me.

“The atmosphere was really good and the fans got behind us throughout the game, even when the result wasn’t going our way.

“It was nice to have them back in and hopefully there’s more to come.

“It makes a massive difference. Whether you do something well or not they get behind you and put pressure on the away team.

Dyche: We Weren't Clinical Enough - Image 4

“The whole atmosphere is just a lot different when the fans are back in and it has a massive impact.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t have anything for them to celebrate tonight but hopefully when everything is all good we can give them a lot more to cheer about.”

The maximum permitted capacity of 3,500 saw the Clarets suffer a 10th successive home game without a win as Liverpool moved into the top four and closed in on a Champions League spot with one game to go.

But Dyche’s men never made it easy for the Reds with chances of their own to reward the patience of the fans.

PRE-SEASON PREVIEW: BLACKPOOL V BURNLEY - Image 3

And Brownhill believes they have plenty to look forward to in the future with the Clarets having secured a sixth successive season of top-flight football.

“I’m proud of the boys and the season we’ve had. We’ve been excellent at times,” he told Clarets+

“We didn’t start the season the best but we’ve turned it around and we’ve deserved to stay in the Premier League for next year.

“The boys put in an excellent shift and worked hard and you never fault that with this team.

“If it’s not going our way we will always work hard. We tried really hard to give the fans something to cheer about.

“Hopefully they can be happy with the performance – maybe not the result – but there are good things to come.”