It is Goodbye to Barry! Get Well Soon

Think we all knew it was coming...you have to say there have been more highs than lows under Barry, we wish him well and a speedy recovery, thanks for the good times.

Every one knows my thought's on some of the decisions that where made under Barry tenure, but I have to comment on the guy, he's Burnley through and through and without doubt a safe pair of hands, I'm sad to hear that he's not been well of late and I wish him all the very best on that front, He has been very inspirational and no one can ever doubt he always wanted the best for his club, I'm glad he will be around, I hope when can kick on and find new investment now, we cant keep going on selling what crown jewels we have or we will get know where, I'll raise a glass to that man that for me, Mr. Burnley FC !

First and foremost I wish Mr Kilby well and hope, whatever the heath issues are, that they can be overcome. Being a chairman must be a thankless task as every decision will be unpopular with someone. The fact is though that Burnley FC is in a far better position now than it was when Kilby took over and if the chairman takes his share of the criticism when things go wrong then he must also receive some plaudits when the opposite is true. Barry Kilby has been a real fan of, and great asset to, BFC and let's hope that he continues to be in the future, even if it looks likely to be in a slightly different role.

I have no trouble with anyone looking underneath the covers of anything. But, YC, all that's been said at this point is that he is stepping down as Chairman. That doesn't necessarily mean he is selling his shares. I think he's only third largest shareholder anyway at the moment, and was only continuing as Chairman at the request of the other shareholders, which would have to include the two bigger ones. So even if he did cash in by selling his shares, that alone wouldn't change much. Either Mr Flood or Mr B (He said that's what he likes to be called when I asked him at the Clarets Trust Real Ale Festival how to pronounce his name.) will become Chairman, if nothing else changes. Mr Flood's been Twittering quite a lot recently, Hollins tells us, and Totally Claret posted something in the forums of this site about him selling his stake in another company. Who knows what that might mean? But I'll stay as someone who accepts Barry Kilby's statement about his health at face value and wish him well.

Barry has been a great Chairman for Burnley FC. Always open and hones. Always a 100% Burnley fan. A steady and safe pair of hands who will be very hard to replace. Football in smaller towns with the present financial pressures grows more and more difficult. It would be great to go out a high note so let us back the team 100% to get in the play-offs and repeat that Wembley victory!

I would like to add my thanks and best wishes to Barry Kilby. He has done wonders for Burnley and has easily been the best chairman in my 55 years of supporting the club. It's a thankless task being chairman of a small club and if you don't manage the club as a business then you are doomed to follow all the other bigger clubs who have fallen down the league. He is a rich man by our standards but not by football levels yet he managed to get us in the Prem, which I never thought to be possible, and keep us in a sound financial position. No-one becomes chairman of a club like Burnley to make money and Yorkshire clarets comments are ungenourous and patently wrong. I have gone through the financials of Burnley from the start and basically Kilby did the equivalent of us re-morgaging our house to put money into the club knowing we probably wouldn't get it back - how many of us would do that? If you think Barry was careful with the brass then you obviously aren't old enough to remember Bob Lord and he had the extra bonus of hating us fans! Yes Kilby made a mistake with Laws but that came out of being left in the mire by Coyle and once he chose him he then felt obliged to give him some time to come good. I look at all the other football chairmen and there is hardly one I'd swop with despite all their supposed riches. Obviously a Burnley fan with mega millions would be fantastic but the lesson of Blackburn stands out - be careful what you wish for! Thanks for everything Barry, we wish you and Sonia the best of health and hope you can fulfill your promise to stay part of our great club in the future.

Yes, nice to read most of these. It will be interesting to see how Barry's legacy plays out in the future. I feel with the pending changes that will no doubt affect so many clubs going forward he will be looked back on as quite a visionary. It amazes me that anyone could view his contribution with bitterness and so ungratefully as YC appears to. As the majority of my early years support of Burnley was in the bottom tier (seven seasons), I hold Barry Kilby in high esteem. Under his leadership, mine and many other dreams have come true and - most importantly - he has put so much pride back into the club. The fact that so many take where we are for granted shows what a magnificent job he has done. Yes there was our relegation and Laws etc, but 4 our of 5 excellent managerial appointments (3 of them outstanding) is a record most chairman would be very proud of....and Barry can move on with great pride. I wish him all the best especially in light of his health issues and hope his successors don't stray too far from the shrewd custodianship he has employed.

Yes, I'll second most of what's been said above, and ozjean more or less says it all for me as well. Barry Kilby has been an excellent Chairman and fan of this club. Let's hope his health issues are surmountable and that he continues to be a big part of Burnley Football Club.

Perhaps you will withdraw your comments in light of big C, YC?

Thanks ozjean and I echo your thoughts and wishes for Barry. I do not think that there are many left who remember Bob Lord, a very successful butcher and a decent Chairman until he sold his business interests and decided he knew everything about football, his meanness cost BFC a memorable Div 1 championship that was there for the taking. Thanks to Barry Kilby who has given his heart and soul to BFC.

We all make mistakes. It's what we do next that counts. Well done for being man enough to say that, YC.

Agree with CP.

Well said Yorkshire Claret, I'm cynical by nature too but if you look at the whole picture you will see that Barry Kilby has gained nothing out of this financially. Anyway well done. I remember the fans chanting 'there's only one Barry Kilby' at one of the games a season or so back (in response to the opposing side having 'Chairman problems' I think - Leeds?). It would be nice if this could be repeated as a gesture of support. Having a good chairman is vital for a club, who in the current board would be the best to step up do you think?

Always sad to see someone who has invested time and money in a club suffer this way. Hope he wins his battle.