No, not in this case h_m_b. My dad's side of the family is/was from N Yorkshire/S Durham so there are ties. Still, I wonder who he is/was? Used to see Boro graffiti in the town back in the 1970s which was often blamed on me but I never did get to discover the real culprit.
Way things are going with rail strikes, one can't afford to be too choosy about going to games this season. Miss enough of them as it is so, to answer the original question, yes.
Shame, that. No matter what one might feel about Douchey, the bloke's performed miracles to keep Burnley in the top flight for the past six years. Might even say he deserved better.
No, not as far as I know, touchwood. Never had flu either, although a nurse once told me it was pretty much impossible to have reached 60 without catching it.