Harry Ashman was at Turf Moor for the final day of the 2021/22 season where there was no great escape for Burnley.
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For amateur photographer Harry Ashman there was only one game to focus on for the final match of the season, the anticipated relegation battle between Burnley and Newcastle United.
He booked a ticket for the game when the fixture was first announced. By then, though, Newcastle were already well clear of trouble, while Burnley’s demise continued, despite the shock sacking of their own legendary manager Sean Dyche.
Mike Jackson replaced him as the problems mounted, but it was Dyche who had given Burnley their hard to beat, never say die, mentality.
Under Dyche, the club won promotion in 2016 before he took them into Europe after a seventh placed finish two years later, taking them on a European journey that included trips to Scotland, Turkey and Greece before losing in the Europa League play-off round.
In their six Premier League seasons, they have gained wins at Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool with their full on, committed style of football.
But their final season began with a nine-game winless run in the league, quickly followed by another 11 matches without a victory and they never recovered.
Says Ashman: “I booked the tickets very early on, as soon as they came out. This was when both Newcastle and Burnley were in the relegation zone and I was pretty sure the final day was going to be important for at least one of the clubs.
“As a fan, my allegiances lie between Portsmouth and Barnsley due to these being the birthplaces of my Grandparents. I think the old school feel to both Fratton Park and Oakwell drew me towards Turf Moor as another ground regarded as a hub of the community.”
Dyche’s previous triumphs with the club counted for nothing after such a miserable season and American Alan Pace, who had became chairman and owner of the Clarets in December 2020, duly axed him in April.
Ashman was there to see relegation confirmed on the final day of the campaign, a 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle.
He says: “Work wise, I’m pretty far separated from photography. So since it is not a source of income for me, I make and take my photographs solely based on what I like to see and nothing else. That’s one of the great joys of amateur photography – there is no agenda prior to taking a shot.”
