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.

Yes, leaving us midseason is extremely low and for that I can never forgive him, but at the same time he's ditched us as a Premier League club with a great chance of survival. I look around and see Preston sacking Alan Irvine, who joined them at the same time Coyle moved to
Burnley and am thankful we're not in their position. If we're going to be done the dirty on then I'd rather it be while we're in the position to attract a manager with the ability to keep us up.

For many, it was inevitable that Coyle would leave but what hurts most is the timing and the club he leaves us for. I for one will never be able to understand why he hasn't chosen to finish off the job he started by taking us for better or worse through to the finish line, but it's his choice and just hope he's proved wrong come May. Financially he will be better off if he keeps Bolton up, but if he takes them down then I suspect even a relegated Burnley would be a more viable, debt free option.

As for where he moves to, I said in my last piece it was dangerous to dismiss the lure of Bolton for Coyle. Although he spent only two and a half years at the club, he only played for two other teams longer and during that time earned promotion to the top flight as a semi regular starter in a side with a similar footballing philosophy to the one he's built at Burnley. What leaves me baffled and gutted is why his achievements here don't seem to rank anywhere near what he did as a player during his Burden Park days.

The danger is now that our over achieving team will combust and go into freefall without their deserting leader. The great thing about Coyle was his ability to bring a unique togetherness amongst his players and inspire the fans. Now it is us that must bridge the gap and get behind our team even more than we already do. Coyle has gone and staying in this division is far too important to dwell on his departure. We must put all our faith in Steve Davis to continue his 100% record as Burnley manager when he takes charge against Stoke on Saturday and then continue to support whoever takes on the role.

The uphill task just got much harder and although Coyle may have turned his back on us it doesn't mean we should fear relegation anymore than when he was with us. This act of treachery should act as a catalyst to every player inside the dressing room and to everybody
with an interest in supporting our great team to prove this man was wrong to leave us.

Whatever he did or did not say over the last week, it soon became blatantly obvious his desire was to see what was on the table at Bolton once Saturday’s win over the MK Dons was out of the way. Sadly, that press conference dodging victory was to be his last and it was perhaps fitting that the game was a both a cup and an away win, combining two of the contrasting features of his Turf Moor reign. Let’s just hope our form away from the Turf has a sudden improvement in three weeks time when we visit our old manager in his new love nest at the Reebok.

In the few days in between the FA Cup game and stating his desire to leave, a last ditch attempt to keep him was made by Chairman Barry Kilby. The pair met on Monday night to discuss the future over a vintage bottle of Irn Bru but sadly it seems the teetotaller was already drunk on Gartside’s promises of extra money. A night was taken to sleep on it, which in the end it only served to prolong the inevitable. The club text came through the next day confirming he was on his way.

Although hurting, I do not wish to resort to words of hatred towards Coyle. The last two years has been without doubt one of the best times to be a Claret as we've watched as our great club rise from the shadows to earn what we never thought possible, a place in the Premier League. I will always look back at his era with great fondness despite the crass way he has chosen to end it.

Tuesday’s news that Coyle was on his way was a great day for atheists everywhere, once again reaffirming the belief that God never actually existed. It was however, not only an extremely sad day for Burnley Football Club but also for the sport in general. In a game now filled with greed, a lust for instant success and a lack of morals we thought we had found a rare gem who built our trust with tales of honesty, integrity and family values; but in the end he perhaps summed up best of all what is so very wrong with modern day football.