Mike Jackson confident Burnley will bounce back after relegation

Mike Jackson is confident Burnley can find answers to the difficult questions that await after Sunday’s 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle brought an end to their six-year stay in the Premier League.

Relegation means the Clarets must repay a “significant” portion of a £65million loan taken out as part of ALK Capital’s leveraged buyout in December 2020 while also rebuilding their squad – nine first-team players are out of contract this summer while several others will be transfer targets for rivals.

There is also no permanent manager – Jackson stepped up from his role with the under-23s after Sean Dyche was sacked last month – so it remains to be seen who will be trying to solve a number of these problems.

But asked if he believed the club was in safe hands given their potential financial problems, Jackson said: “Why wouldn’t it be? I can’t comment about all the stuff you’re speaking about.

“But there are good people here who want to do well, who want the club to bounce back. It’s about small steps, planning, and making sure you’ve got everything in place to be able to do that.”

Captain Ben Mee, James Tarkowski, Jack Cork and Ashley Barnes are among the players who can walk away from Turf Moor, while there will be suitors for the likes of Nick Pope, Dwight McNeil, Maxwel Cornet and Wout Weghorst.

Television money made up 90 per cent of the club’s revenue in the latest set of accounts, so the loss of their Premier League status is certain to put a considerable strain on finances and limit their ability to replace the talent that will depart.

What the side will look like on the opening day of the Championship next season is a question Jackson cannot answer.

“It’s hard to comment on that with what’s just happened,” he said. “You