After finishing off the 1998 – 1999 season in a disappointing finish of 15th position, they made a dramatic improvement during the 1999 – 2000 season as they finished it off in a very strong second position finish at the end of the season. They also enjoyed a decent run in the FA Cup as they reached the fourth round of the cup competition as they suffered defeat against Coventry City.
The following two years saw Burnley establish themselves as a main force in the first division as they came agonisingly close to securing a play off birth in both campaigns as they finished it off in seventh position at the end of the season. They crashed out of the league cup in the second round in 2000 as they suffered defeat on aggregate against Crystal Palace. The 2001 – 2002 season saw Burnley reach the fourth round of the cup competition as they stumbled to defeat against Cheltenham. Burnley boasted a strong team at around this period, including players like, Gareth Taylor, Graham Branch and Alan Lee.