Sean Dyche has defied football gravity, and I know exactly how he will be greeted against Everton.

Alastair Campbell, a Burnley fan, has praised Sean Dyche’s achievements at the club but believes he has no space for sentiment ahead of his former manager’s first trip to the club with Everton.

Campbell, who served as the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesperson, Downing Street Press Secretary, and later Downing Street Director of Communications and Strategy during Tony Blair’s premiership, is one of the Clarets’ most visible supporters, alongside King Charles III, but unlike the monarch, the 66-year-old can be seen in the stands at Turf Moor on a regular basis.

Dyche was in charge of Burnley for nine-and-a-half years, from September 2012 to April 2022, leading the club to two Premier League promotions – Campbell was on the town hall balcony with the squad when they were presented with the Championship trophy in 2016 – as well as a seventh-place finish in 2017/18, the club’s highest top flight placing since 1974, bringing a first return to European football since 1966/67.

Although Everton’s current on-field record would place them 10th, a 10-point deduction handed out by an independent commission for breaching profit and sustainability rules (in 2021/22 when Burnley sacked Dyche and the Blues went on to survive at their expense) puts them just one place above the relegation zone.

While Campbell is grateful for the work done by the 52-year-old during his lengthy tenure with the Clarets, their predicament ensures the veteran political heavyweight would have no qualms about sending his beloved club’s iconic gaffer – remembered for posterity in the shape of ‘The Royal Dyche’ pub – down if it came to a respective battle for survival.

“Sean Dyche will always be guaranteed a warm welcome by Burnley fans,” he told the ECHO. He did incredible things for the club, and he gave us some of the best years as a Burnley supporter.

“We went to Europe when I was a small child, but I honestly thought it would be the last time.” So, basically, getting us into the Europa League was an act of football gravity defiance.

“Obviously, I want Burnley to stay in the Premier League, and if I had to choose between us and Everton for the drop, deduction and all, I’d have to go with Everton.” But I’m sure many Burnley fans wish him success at Everton.”