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That is the way Stan and Burnley Football Club like to do it and it is without any question the right way to go about things. The club can cope with speculation in the Daily Mirror and even with news breaking on the much more reliable Clarets Mad, but yesterday Bradford City Football Club decided to announce to the world that Robbie Blake was talking to us. That left Burnley FC with no option but to make an announcement themselves.
This has caused a clamour for updates and the club have had to issue a bulletin today to say that talks are progressing. Stan did sat he was hopeful and should the deal go through by noon tomorrow then he would be available for the home game against Sheffield Wednesday. However he may not be fit for the game after picking up a stomach injury last week.
If everything goes to plan and Blake signs then he will be joining Burnley on a long term contract that will see him a Claret until the end of the 2005/06 season. Stan said he is a player that he has been tracking for some time, even when he was at Bury, but this is the first time he has been available with Stan having the finance to make a move.
Stan told our official site today,
"If we can get it through by 12.00 noon on Friday, it may well be that he is fit to play on Saturday, or it may well be that he isn't fit to play. It's of no concern to me, as it isn't a serious injury but we have to satisfy ourselves with all the scans and a medical.
"The deal will be for this season and a further four, Robbie is 25 and will fit in nicely and strengthen our squad big style. That is what I am hoping to do.
"He's different to what we've got. He is very good with his back to goal and very comfortable on the ball. He can score goals and he gives us another option. I've been tracking him for a long time, since his Darlington days when I was at Bury. But the availability wasn't there, for financial reasons or one thing or another. We need a stronger squad and he does that and I think he'll be fine here."
It doesn't look as though a deal is going to be concluded today but Stan gives the impression that he expects Blake to sign sooner rather than later.