More Pennine Derbies
Burnley, Leeds, Books and Me
By Dave Thomas
This book continues the story of the Leeds Burnley games, and the journey down Memory Lane.
Whilst Burnley, never wealthy, for many years was a well-run club, and frequently seen as a model for other clubs to emulate, Leeds United went through years of chaos and turmoil until Marcelo Bielsa restored some sort of order and success.
Burnley enjoyed six years of life in the Premier League, were then relegated, but Vincent Kompany arrived, appointed by Alan Pace, the American owner, and promotion was achieved at Kompany’s first attempt. The following season was a disaster.
Like Book One Pennine Derbies, this is no attempt to provide a detailed history of either club but the main events are briefly outlined. Every Burnley Leeds game since 2005 is included.
It is also the story of supporter Dave Thomas and his writing. His support began in 1959 but his writing began in 2003. Since then he has written over 30 books about the club.
This book gives the background to some of them and how they were written. There are also many personal anecdotes and travel tales from New York, Tasmania, Dubai, Tenerife and Lefkatha, to the green hills of the Dales.
Dave Thomas continues to live in Leeds, a bustling, expanding and thriving place with constant regeneration. Burnley too is a changing place but at a pace that some would say, leaves a lot to be desired. Todmorden where he grew up, pleasant, homely, and improved though it might be, remains what it is, somewhere you pass through to get somewhere else. Unless you need one of the four supermarkets.