PLAYED FOR BOTH: STEVE CALDWELL

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Ahead of Saturday’s trip to Newcastle United we caught up with the former Clarets and Magpies defender

2023-09-29T10:01:35.796Z

PLAYED FOR BOTH: STEVE CALDWELL

Ahead of Saturday’s trip to Newcastle United we caught up with the former Clarets and Magpies defender

2023-09-29T10:01:35.796Z

‘Burnley was the best move I ever made in my whole career’ were the words that Steve Caldwell said when asked about his time at Turf Moor.

Caldwell joined the Clarets in January 2007 from Sunderland and made over 100 appearances in Claret & Blue across his three-and-a-half seasons at the Club including a promotion to the Premier League.

Ahead of Saturday's clash with Newcastle United at St James' Park, the former centre-back reflected on his time in east Lancashire and has nothing but special memories.

Speaking to burnleyfootballclub.com, Caldwell said: “Burnley was the best move I ever made in my whole career, the best decision. My time was up at Sunderland and Burnley were front of the queue.

“I went and had no real big expectations; I didn’t really know much about the club overall and we were in a tough run in the Championship at the time.

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“But it really was the best three-and-a-half years of my life, I’m so glad I did it. It’s a wonderful football club, with great people, great fans and great players.

“I had two great coaches in Steve Cotterill and Owen Coyle and we really had tremendous success during my time there.

“We made that club realise that they can be in the Premier League and that they do deserve to be there & can compete there.

"I’m really proud of my time there and it's a special place that I will always remember and it's great to see them back in the Premier League."

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Before Caldwell's move to Burnley, the defender had spent three years at Sunderland and had loan spells at Bradford City, Blackpool and Leeds United from his first ever club, Newcastle.

At just 14-years-old, Caldwell arrived at Newcastle United after moving from Scotland and after spending six years in the north east, the Scotsman said: "I first went there when I was only 14, so I was a really young kid but it just really grabbed me in.

“It was such a great time for me there. It was my first club, which is always important after leaving school and moving to a new city.

“When I went to Newcastle, they were a massive club, which they still are, they were competing for Champions League and really competitive to break through.

“I only have great memories of my time there. Playing at St James’ was always special and the supporters were amazing. I remember we would train and in the school holidays we’d have open sessions and could have over 10,000 there just watching training."

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“In the end I just wanted to play football on a regular basis and that’s why I ended up moving on. I really loved the football club; I still follow them closely now.

“I got experience to see it all first hand and see the real size of the club, which I will always be grateful for."

Caldwell added: “They’re on the up now, they really are. They had some difficult times but they are doing really well now on and off the pitch.

“They are doing really smart business, buying youth and experience. They’re trying to build and it’s really showing.

“I like the way they have gone about it and the style of play. Eddie has really got them going and I hope they can continue it."

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Despite the Clarets' difficult start to the season, Caldwell believes the squad had the quality to start picking up points and push up the league table.

The former Burnley skipper has been impressed by Vincent Kompany's style of play and hopes the form can lift heading into the next couple of months.

“I have seen a bit of them (Burnley), I need to watch them a little bit closer, but I know they have had a tough run of fixtures to start with and they’re trying to do the right things.

“It’s clear to see what Vincent wants to do and the style he wants to implement. It worked really well last year and it's impressive to watch.

"I think they have had some really hard games too and maybe not the start you want when you are newly promoted and want to get points on the board.

“I still believe they have enough quality to push up the league and start getting points on the board. The type of player Vincent was and the personality he has, I don’t think he’s going to start changing things and the way to play and approach games.

"Hopefully they can start getting a few results and get a run going to get some more points added up."