LOAN WATCH: PART ONE (2023, 11)

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Agyei gears up for international duty as Thomas claims big three points with Tykes in promotion push

2023-03-20T08:30:00.000Z

LOAN WATCH: PART ONE (2023, 11)

Agyei gears up for international duty as Thomas claims big three points with Tykes in promotion push

2023-03-20T08:30:00.000Z

Agyei gears up for international duty as Thomas claims big three points with Tykes in promotion push

16 Clarets players are currently out on season-long loan deals across nine leagues and three countries, including the Premier League, Vanarama National League North & Belgian Pro League.

That tally includes nine players from the academy here at the Club, with Bobby Thomas this week picking up a huge three points with Barnsley in their promotion push. Elsewhere, forward Enock Agyei will head out on international duty this week.

Here’s a round-up of how the first eight loanees, in alphabetical order, have fared with their Clubs over the last week. Make sure to look out for ‘Loan Watch: Part Two’ to keep up to date with how the other eight fared.

Bobby Thomas (Barnsley)

Centre back Thomas – who has been a Claret since 2017 - is vying for promotion in Sky Bet League One with Michael Duff’s Tykes.

Saturday saw him keep a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory away against fellow play-off contenders Wycombe Wanderers. The Reds are now nine points clear in the play-off spots with games in hand to come, and are unbeaten in 11 with wins in nine of those.

This week’s game(s): TUE – Sheffield Wednesday (H)

CJ Egan-Riley (Hibernian)

In the Scottish Premiership, Egan-Riley played the full game on Saturday as Hibs made the trip to league leaders Celtic.

The Bhoys ran out 3-1 winners despite the visitors leading 1-0 at the break having had a man sent off early on. Celtic are now nine points clear of 2nd-placed Rangers and 42 clear of Hibernian themselves in 5th.

Able to play as both a defender and midfielder, Egan-Riley – who joined Burnley last summer - now has a week without any match action during the international break.

Dane McCullough (Hyde United)

Northern Ireland youth international full-back McCullough, like Thomas, is involved in a promotion push with his loan Club.

Hyde are currently 3rd in the Northern Premier League Premier Division following Saturday’s narrow 1-0 defeat at home against runaway leaders South Shields, with 2nd to 5th come the end of the season going into the play-offs.

This weekend coming, McCullough – who has been at Burnley since August 2020 – could face fellow Clarets loanee Sam Waller as the Tigers travel to Lancaster City.

This week’s game(s): SAT – Lancaster City (A)

Dara Costelloe (Bradford City)

Irishman Costelloe, from the southern side of the border, is another chasing promotion this term with Bradford currently hunting down the automatic spots in Sky Bet League Two.

Saturday saw the versatile attacker substituted off late on as the Bantams drew 2-2 with Hartlepool United at Valley Parade. City are now four points clear in the play-offs, and six behind Northampton Town in 3rd. 20-year-old Costelloe has been a Claret since February 2021.

This week’s game(s): TUE – Carlisle United (H)

Enock Agyei (K.V. Mechelen)

Young forward Agyei joined the Club in January and immediately headed out on loan to Mechelen in Belgium where former Claret Steven Defour is in charge.

The 18-year-old watched on from the bench as ‘De Kakkers’ took an early lead away at 2nd-placed Union St Gilloise in Pro League action yesterday. They would go on to lose out 2-1, with Agyei coming on for the final 13 minutes.

This week, he will link up with Belgium’s U18 side on the international front for a seven-day training camp in Medulin, Croatia including three friendly matches.

This week’s game(s): WED – Switzerland (N), FRI – England (N) & SUN – Croatia (A)

Finn Armstrong (Curzon Ashton)

Armstrong joined Burnley when he was 12, and is currently with Curzon in the Vanarama National League North.

The full-back saw Tuesday’s scheduled home game against AFC Fylde postponed due to a waterlogged pitch before coming on for the closing 14 minutes away at AFC Telford United on Saturday, helping to close out three points in a 3-2 victory.

This week’s game(s): TUE – Banbury United (A) & SAT – Chorley (H)

Harry Moss (Padiham)

Goalkeeper Moss, a second-year scholar, is the furthest down the pyramid of the loanees with Padiham in the Premier Division of the North West Counties Football League.

He also saw a home game postponed last Tuesday due to a waterlogged pitch when Kendal Town were scheduled to be the visitors, before playing his part in a 1-1 draw at home to Congleton Town on Saturday afternoon.

This week’s game(s): SAT – Winsford United (A)

Joe McGlynn (Kidderminster Harriers)

Striker McGlynn, like Armstrong, joined the Clarets aged 12. A Scotland youth international, he’s also in the Vanarama National League North this season with Kidderminster.

Struggling with injury at present though, McGlynn wasn’t involved in the Harriers’ 1-1 draw away at Gloucester City on Saturday. Russell Penn’s side had led from the 8th minute onwards at the TigerTurf Stadium but conceded a leveller in the 92nd minute.

This week’s game(s): SAT – Alfreton Town (H)