By Turftalker
October 13 2004

While the Clarets have been out of action, the Longside has been quietly plodding along coming up with ideas to strengthen the site. You may have noticed the improved menu bars, updated stats and a busier messageboard. We also have welcomed new members to the team.

Yes, the Longside is hoping to improve the speed and quality of our website with the appointment of two new members of staff.

Tom Pickup has joined the news side of the website and he will write regular stories, match previews and reports. A regular on the Longside messageboard he is a natural born claret and is committed to improving this website.

Furthermore we are honoured that Bhurdwaz Mungur, also known as "Dave" has agreed to write the occasional column for us, in his unique style. The column entitled "A View from Afar" will chart his views of the clarets from his rather special home - Mauritius!

Bhurdwaz has written many posts on both our messageboards and on Burnley FC yahoo groups and his great ability to construct rousing images is certainly a break from the norm of writing. We believe his column will add another dimension to the site.

Below is a little bit more information about Bhurdwaz, but before that we would just like to thank you all for sticking with the site and making the messageboard a more interesting and indeed busier place to be!

Up the Clarets!

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A View from Afar:

"First I would like to introduce myself to all your contributors and readers. My name is Bhurdwaz Mungur. I am married and have two daughters .My younger daughter is a lawyer and she practises in Cardiff. My son-in-law also works in the same city. He is a consultant in Cardiology. I am 65 years old. I acquired my professional diplomas in Management, Planning and Public Administration from the University of Mauritius and University of Birmingham.Till recently I was the Chief Executive in the Moka Flacq District Council, but I am now retired.

I am fascinated with History. I do a lot of research work and in 1994 I wrote a book: "An Invitation to the Charms of Mauritian Localities." It was published in Singapore. Mauritians like reading it as it relates the names-places of towns and villages.

I have got many local decorations from District councils and Village Councils. Lately I was decorated by the Government of Mauritius, it is equivalent to your OBE. Ours is OSK meaning :Officer of the Order of Star and Key of Indian Ocean.

I have my own football Club called FALCON-Flacq SC. I took the management of the club some 12 years ago while it was in the Second Division.  For eleven years I have been the President of the club and it is now in the 1st division. We have not won many trophies - only one. Last year we were the finalists in the MFA CUP. We lost mainly because of the absence of our no. 1 goal keeper who was red-carded in the semi-final.  Last week we won the Moka Flacq Shield.

It is in 1954 that I got aquainted with Burnley. The club was playing some matches in the Indian Ocean. First they beat Madagascar 13-2 and later came to our island where they played six matches. They won all the six scoring altogether 36 goals and conceding only 2. They took the islanders by storm. The names of players like Cummings, Mc Ilroy, Mc Donald, Shannon, Holden and others became household names and in the absence of TV or radios nobody ever knew of British Football. The newspapers never spoke of any British club. All Mauritians were fascinated the way they played here. The matches were played at the King George V Stadium. People fought to procure tickets and the stadium was full. The gates had to be closed earlier as the stadium could not accommodate the number of spectators present and those who wanted at all cost to watch the matches. The Police had difficult times to drive aways fans having no tickets.

All Mauritians were Burnley fans. Our media began to publish results of matches played in England. This is how it all started. Burnley's popularity was challenged by Manchester United ,Tottenham Hotspurs and Wolves ,the clubs that ruled British football in these days. In the 60s Liverpool joined forces and suddenly there were fans of other clubs as well.

The number of Burnley fans dwindled after they were successively relegated to lower divisions. But still there are many fans of Burnley among the older generation. I am one of them, the most faithful and the most ardent. I travelled to London to watch their game at Wembley against Stockport (the Play Off final). I visited the club twice in 1995 and 2003. Gawthorpe is also known to me.

Whatever be the fate of the club ,they shall always remain my favourite. I have many friends in Burnley. We exchange e-mails and some are coming to Mauritius on holidays and I do my level best to entertain them. During matches I am used to chatting with numerous fans. Mostly I read their messages for want of running radio commentary.

The turn of the wheel of fortune will dawn again for Burnley. The wind of change for the better is very apparent. Our Gawthrorpe brewing factory will churn many Chaplows as I understand that our juniors are doing marvellously well in their league. Our new Manager is brilliant and brimming with new methodology of how to bring success to the club which is long overdue. If only some good Samaritans could inject some money which is so vital to upkeep a club to the top level.

God is listening to our prayer. The good Samaritan will come some day unexpectedly. Watch and see. My good wishes will be fulfilled."

We certainly hope so!