A rather turbulent month in the history of Burnley Football Club on and off the pitch has finally come to an end and thankfully it’s finished on a positive note. Despite the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday, the Clarets showed enough substance to suggest that avoiding relegation remains a strong possibility.

The league leaders were given a real game at Turf Moor; it was certainly a harder ride than what John terry has allegedly been getting from Wayne Bridge’s missus. Or not, it depends how he likes it I suppose. The Blues skipper eventually won the game for his team with a powerful header however prior to that Burnley were more than in the game.

After all the action that's taken place off the field over the last couple weeks it was a relief to finally watch a game of football. A trip to Old Trafford was undoubtedly one of the highlights in terms of must see away clashes this season but nobody could've expected to go there in the circumstances in which we did.

Our first game in the post Coyle era couldn't have been harder. It was certainly a baptism of fire for our new manager Brian Laws but to be honest I think it made it all the more special. The match ended three nil, however the result was never important. This was a day to show that Burnley Football Club was together and can never be ground down.

So there was a late twist in the tale after all. Perhaps we should’ve known that if the press were reporting O’Driscoll had got the job, then it would actually be Brian Laws who would be crowned the winner of “Barry Kilby’s Beauty Parade”. I know the announcement originally under whelmed a lot of fans and I hope like me, the majority have now all come round to the idea.

The mantra from a lot of people seems to be “he wasn’t my first choice” which I think is natural given the list of names that were touted as Owen Coyle’s successor. The fact Law’s was only sacked by Sheffield Wednesday a month ago hasn’t helped many either but if you look beyond these two factors then it looks like the board have made a very sound appointment.

Well our Chairman Barry Kilby’s self proclaimed “beauty parade” looks like drawing to a close in the next day or so (what a great idea for a new TV show by the way- ‘Barry Kilby’s Beauty Parade’). In a radio interview last night our leader said he hoped the new man would be in place before the weekend’s trip to Manchester United.

It’s been a turbulent week for the club as after losing Owen Coyle and his backroom staff, we’ve been left looking for a new manager in the middle of a transfer window with a run of games coming up against Manchester United, Bolton and Chelsea. By the time caretaker manager Steve Davis and goalkeeping coach Phil Hughes left on Sunday it was anyone’s guess who’d be taking charge of training for the next week. In the end it was decided Martin Dobson and Terry Pashley would step in, only just pipping Chris Eagles hairdresser and Clarke Carlise’s former AA councillor to take over first team duties.

Well that's it, he's off. Some have likened it to their wife running off with another man and I'm pretty sure plenty would've probably preferred to see their wife go instead, but Owen Coyle is no longer the manager of Burnley Football Club.

Now making snowmen on gardening leave, once compensation is agreed the Scot will exit Turf Moor for his former club Bolton with the promise of bigger and better budgets, stadia and infrastructure to compete in the top flight. I've been left like many feeling a strange mixture of disappointment, frustration, anger and total bemusement at his decision, but also of huge appreciation for all he's done during his time at the club.

I'd not even had time to break any of my new year's resolutions before the speculation Owen Coyle was leaving for Bolton went into overdrive on Saturday. Many hung-over Clarets will have sat glued to the addictive repetition of Sky Sports News only to be told of the impending doom they were about to be faced with by some pretty, if slightly too orange blonde.

The yellow bar was out in force with the scrolling "SKY SOURCES: BOLTON WANT OWEN COYLE TO BE THEIR NEW MANAGER" being rammed down our throats. "So bloody what" I screamed at the telly whilst reaching for the comfort of a box of chocolates and a beer to instantly smash both of my well thought out and intentioned resolutions.

If the constant din of the telly wasn't enough the bookies were at it too, suspending betting on Coyle taking the job as if they'd got wind that the demigod had already deserted us for the promise of an endless supply of Reebok Classics. My instant defiance was suddenly being met with a bout of worry, what if he does actually go this time?

As we prepare to say goodbye to one hell of a year watching Burnley Football Club we must do so with the pain of another away defeat. It's a shame that the calendar year couldn't have ended with our first premier League away win but sometimes you can't have it all in football; and we've certainly been spoilt over the last twelve months.

Having been away for the disappointing defeat to Wolves I returned a few pounds heavier for the Boxing Day draw against Bolton. It was another one of those games where I'm still not quite sure how we didn't turn one point into three, as after a dull first half Burnley well and truly battered the visitors in the second period.

...that was a bloody good one. What another fantastic night of football at Turf Moor. Last nights one all draw with Arsenal was a thoroughly enjoyable encounter, one that's still got me smiling like that rather wet Geordie kid that won the X Factor.

For those gooners who dismissed Burnley before this game, next time you come to Turf Moor be prepared for another long ninety minutes. Owen Coyle's men did what the gaffer promised and went toe to toe with the Gunners for pretty much the whole ninety minutes in what was a superb display of counter attacking football.

Tomorrow night really can't come quick enough for me as we welcome back Arsenal to the scene of their Carling Cup decline last season with the prospect of another tough night in the north ahead of them. The fact that Owen Coyle has demanded his players go "toe to toe" with the Londoners should make things particularly difficult for Arsene Wenger's men (we're not ruling out an ambush as they get off the team bus).

Night time Turf Moor triumphs over the likes of the Gunners and Manchester United, as well as the Tottenham semi final epic have set the bar as some of the most memorable evenings in our recent history. The darkness seems to descend a special atmosphere around Turf Moor that makes the hairs on the back of your neck instantly stand to attention.

From comedy defending and consummate attacking during last weekend's 5-3 defeat at West Ham to yesterday's improved defensive offering but lack of finishing in the 2-0 loss at Portsmouth our away day travels continue to be frustrating.

My point of view is that this season is all about experience; and away from home certainly we have to try and let things go over our heads as much as possible but sometimes you can't help tearing your hair out whilst watching.