Brentford transfer decision saved Burnley FC millions | OneFootball

Burnley dodged a bullet when Brentford played hard ball over Alan Judge

Burnley were ultimately successful in their bid to get out of the Championship in 2015/16, but Sean Dyche didn't want to leave anything to chance in the January window, doing his best to strengthen the squad enough that they had no issues getting over the line.

He wasn't particularly successful in strengthening his squad too much in the January 2016 window, with James Tarkowski from Brentford his only notable signing that month, but the leg work had been done in the summer with the influential arrivals of Andre Gray and Joey Barton.

It wasn't for the want of trying though, as Burnley did chase one man in particular throughout the window, but they were never successful in bringing him to the club, despite tabling offers.

Alan Judge was the subject of intense interest for the Clarets in 2016 amid some fine for Brentford, but the move never materialised as Brentford dug thier heels in for a heavier fee.

Looking back now, Burnley will probably be counting their blessings for Brentford's refusal, while the Bees will be left with a much different feeling.

Burnley should be thankful Brentford rejected their Alan Judge advances

It probably didn't seem like it at the time for Burnley fans, but Judge not signing was the ultimate blessing, as they could've seen millions go down the pan.

At the time, Judge was one of the leading creators in the division, playing off the wing and catching the eye most weeks in a Brentford side that at the time, were a middle-of-the-road Championship team.

Judge impressed in the 2014/15 season for the Bees, netting three goals and contributing 15 assists as they reached the play-offs, but it was the season after where he really became a household name and no doubt caught the eye of the Clarets.

In 38 games across the 15/16 season, Judge amassed an incredible 26 goal contributions, which included a goal against Burnley in the January just days after Dyche's side had sent an initial bid.

It was also that season where everything came crashing down around him though, as a horror injury away to Ipswich Town in April cruelly ended the best season of his life, and he never recovered to hit the same heights.

Alan Judge's career never took off again after the injury

The severity of Judge's injury meant he sat out of the entirety of the 2016/17 campaign and also most of the 2017/18 season and when he did return he was never able to get anywhere near the kind of form he showed pre-injury.

That's completely understandable for someone recovering from a double leg break, and further surgery down the line meant that his career was stop-start for years afterwards, before he eventually left Brentford and coincidentally signed for Ipswich.

Years of League One and lower football closed out his career, so for Burnley, they must look back and think that they dodged a major bullet by not stumping up the £8m the Bees valued him at back in 2016.

It's worth caveating that if he had have made the switch to Burnley then his injury may not have happened and his career could've gone a completely different way, but that'll never be known.

Judging by the career he did go on to have though, the Clarets certainly came out of the failed deal the better of the two parties, as Brentford ultimately had to watch one of their star players' careers fade away due to no fault of their own.