Burnley X-Files:Shelton looks to Fjords

Clarets fans will remember, Jamaican International, Luton Shelton.

Steve Cotterill spotted the talented striker and in August 2005, Shelton was due to move to Burnley after a successful pre-season trial.

However Shelton required a work permit and on Appeal this was rejected.

Would we have stood a better chance today had the situation been the same? Who knows but we have been more successful in recent times. Diego Penny being the latest to get his work permit on Appeal following Besart Berisha last season.

Back then though there was great debate as to whether we had handled the case correctly and got the right level of expert legal advice.

All water under the bridge now, but Shelton soon found himself playing in Europe.

In August 2006 he joined Swedish Helsingborgs IF from the Jamaican club Harbour View for about £100,000.

Despite being injured for a lot of the time he still managed to score nine goals in 19 games in the top flight Swedish Allsvenskan league during the 2006-7 season.

His goals obviously caught the attention of Sheffeild United (well the manager was Neil Warnock at the time) and Shelton signed for the Blades on a three-and-a-half year contract for a fee of £1.85 million on 15 January 2007.

So Shelton finished up playing in the UK afterall but alas not for the Clarets.

His chances for Sheffield United though have since been limited and with the departure of Bryan Robson his chances seemed to be few and far between.

Kevin Blackwell preferred Billy Sharp and Shelton, still only 22 found his opportunities restricted even more.

Vital Sheffield United have now reported that Luton Shelton is getting closer to a move back to Scandinavia, this time to Norway side Valerenga, and that a deal could be done by the end of the week.

The fee is not disclosed at the moment, but he was linked with Leeds United earlier in the summer when a transfer fee of about £750,000 was mentioned.

Maybe Owen Coyle should prick up his ears and try and bring the lad to Burnley afterall!!




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