Burnley's interim manager, Mike Jackson, expressed no relief after his team avoided finishing bottom of the Premier League, following a 1-1 draw against Wolves on the final day of the season. A Wolves victory would have left Burnley in last place, but Zian Flemming's second-half equaliser ensured the Clarets ended the campaign in 19th position, earning approximately £2.7 million more in prize money.
Jackson Reflects on a Disappointing Season
Despite not finishing at the very bottom, Jackson was far from satisfied. "It doesn't really matter that we didn't finish bottom. The disappointment of the season still sits there," he said. "But I've said to the players that they can't let setbacks define you. The club has been here before and we can do it again."
Looking ahead, Jackson acknowledged that some players will leave but emphasised the importance of a careful rebuild. "In an ideal world, things would be decided quickly, but you can't rush these things. You have to make sure that you get the best people possible in place," he added.
Match Action: Early Penalty and Second-Half Fightback
Wolves started strongly and took the lead in the fifth minute. Ladislav Krejci's header struck the arm of Florentino, and Adam Armstrong converted the resulting penalty. It was only Armstrong's second Premier League goal since joining from Southampton in February.
Wolves continued to press, with Mateus Mané hitting the post and Burnley goalkeeper Max Weiss making a brilliant save from David Møller Wolfe. However, the momentum shifted after the break. In the 48th minute, Flemming exchanged passes with Lesley Ugochukwu and fired a crisp shot from 18 yards inside José Sá's right-hand post to level the score.
Wolves' Manager Rob Edwards Looks to the Future
Wolves manager Rob Edwards, who took over when the team had just two points from 11 games, expressed disappointment at not securing a second goal. "We looked really dangerous in the first half, but we weren't able to take advantage of those chances we created to score a second goal. Allowing Burnley to come back into it, in the manner that we did, was really disappointing," he said.
Edwards acknowledged the challenge ahead but remained optimistic. "I came in with my eyes wide open. We have given it everything. This has been a big, big challenge. We knew what we were coming into, but now we've got to start moving forward. I said to the lads that the fans want to come with us. We've now got to build a team that they can be proud to watch. We need to build a connection with them. That's going to be down to hard work," he stated.
Edwards added: "It's been a challenging season. But this is a club that is close to my heart and I feel passionately about being part of turning things around. I know that if we can get things right here it can be amazing."
Preparing for the Championship
Burnley will now prepare for life back in the Championship, which includes finding a new manager. Jackson replaced Scott Parker for the final four matches and picked up two points. When asked about his own future, Jackson said: "What's next for me? I'm going to go out into the garden and chill. But I'm sure there will be talks over the next few days first about what's going to happen."
