Who was your favourite ever signing?

Burnleyareback2 · Post by **Burnleyareback2** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:48 pm

Whilst we are waiting for the next, who or when was your favourite?

For me it was has to be the return of John Francis from Cambridge (I think) or maybe even the Blake return. Perhaps a hero returning helped but maybe because we knew what we would get.

Saying that, i can clearly remember the disbelief of Ian Wright signing.

Silkyskills1 · Post by **Silkyskills1** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:49 pm

Jimmy Mc.

cutsy123 · Post by **cutsy123** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:50 pm

Gazza. Legend

Blake player wise

fidelcastro · Post by **fidelcastro** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:51 pm

Burnleyareback2 wrote:Whilst we are waiting for the next, who or when was your favourite?

For me it was has to be the return of John Francis from Cambridge (I think) or maybe even the Blake return. Perhaps a hero returning helped but maybe because we knew what we would get.

Saying that, i can clearly remember the disbelief of Ian Wright signing.

John Francis had a first touch that made Andre Gray's look majestic.

However, there's no doubt that he scored some of the most important goals in our history.

fidelcastro · Post by **fidelcastro** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:52 pm

cutsy123 wrote:Gazza. Legend

Blake player wise

Just a shame that Gazza didn't live up to the hype.

Guitargeorge · Post by **Guitargeorge** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:56 pm

Keith Newton was a pretty good signing for nowt.

DCWat · Post by **DCWat** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:56 pm

Robbie Blake. Not only did it royally annoy the Bradford City fans that I know, but what a player. It says a lot about Blake, that despite where we are now, he's still so well thought of by many.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:57 pm

Has to be Ian Wright for the sheer frenzy it caused. I still believe it would have been play offs and no more without him.

A personal waswas Dobbo coming back in 1979.

wilks_bfc · Post by **wilks_bfc** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:00 pm

fidelcastro wrote:John Francis had a first touch that made Andre Gray's look majestic.

He had the speed to make up for it tho

Wright for me I think.
Dad came home from work that day around 5pm and said that a mate of his had told him we'd signed Ian Wright

We told him not to be so bloody ridiculous and why would a player like that sign for us

2 hours later we were proved wrong

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:02 pm

wilks_bfc wrote:He had the speed to make up for it tho

That's why he was quick - so he could catch his first touch

kendalrobbo · Post by **kendalrobbo** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:05 pm

David Eyres, £90,000 well spent and a wonderful Wembley memory.

Devils_Advocate · Post by **Devils_Advocate** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:06 pm

Ian Wright for me too with the Inchy Heath signing not too far behind

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:08 pm

The permanent signing of Kieran Trippier. We knew we were getting an absolute gem!

Hazzyclaret1955 · Post by **Hazzyclaret1955** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:10 pm

Devils_Advocate wrote:Ian Wright for me too with the Inchy Heath signing not too far behind

Couldn't agree more I was thinking of these two at the top of the post.

Right_winger · Post by **Right_winger** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:10 pm

David Jones....

To Sheffield Wednesday. We absolutely robbed them blind.

nil_desperandum · Post by **nil_desperandum** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:16 pm

None of the above mentioned come anywhere near to Peter Noble - IMO of course.
(Jimmy Mac doesn't really count, since he wasn't established when he came here).

CBT · Post by **CBT** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:17 pm

Burnleyareback2 wrote:Whilst we are waiting for the next, who or when was your favourite?

For me it was has to be the return of John Francis from Cambridge (I think) or maybe even the Blake return. Perhaps a hero returning helped but maybe because we knew what we would get.

Saying that, i can clearly remember the disbelief of Ian Wright signing.

Have to say defour got me most excited definitely in recent years

John Johnson 1605 · Post by **John Johnson 1605** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:20 pm

Joseph Barton.

bobinho · Post by **bobinho** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:29 pm

From years ago, Peter noble. My first hero worship in claret and blue.

Recently, Graham Alexander.

Fully get the Ian Wright/Robbie/gazza arguments, but grezza was always a player I'd admired, even when he was a knobber.

As for noble, nowt needs to be added really, other than he is the player who showed me that giving everything was the only acceptable effort level for a Burnley player.

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:29 pm

Right_winger wrote:David Jones....

to Sheffield Wednesday. We absolutely robbed them blind.

Derby would say the same about Shackell - his return was a night to savour

CoolClaret · Post by **CoolClaret** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:32 pm

Ade Akinbiyi

I just knew he'd be a cult legend!

Turftalkers mentor · Post by **Turftalkers mentor** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:35 pm

Without doubt Frank Casper always appreciated by Clarets Should have been picked for England on a regular basis .

ArmchairDetective · Post by **ArmchairDetective** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:38 pm

Defour

claretlegend · Post by **claretlegend** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:41 pm

I remember being so excited when we signed Besart Berisha having watched him rip England apart at the turf, though we'd found an absolute gem!The re-signing of Akinbiyi and Blake were exciting too (although Ade never lived up to 1st time round.) Would have to agree with Ian Wright being my favourite though, that was huge.

billyhamilton82 · Post by **billyhamilton82** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:48 pm

Steve Kindon

It was the first signing Burnley had made whilst I supported them and there was a real excitement around the town and my school.

To further build my expectation levels older siblings and parents/grandparents reminisced about Kindon's previous exploits in a Clarets shirt in his first stint and the wait to see him play was unbearable.

I came to realise later on in my Claret supporting career that instances like this are usually a massive let down as a Clarets fan......BUT this time I was lucky to see something that still gives me goosebumps thinking about it to this day.

The day arrived against Notts County with us rooted to the bottom of the table and cut adrift. The weather was awful and the pitch even worse.

In a dull game that was belying all the stories and fables I had been told before Brian Hall plays a through ball that actually looks like a clearance landing on the half way line effectively giving Notts County the ball back until Kindon came from nowhere and lived up to his nickname "Skippy" as he slipped past two challenges on the half way line before playing the ball past an onrushing defender using his unbelievable speed in horrible conditions as the ball held up on on a quagmire of a pitch before despatchiing a wonderful shot into the corner of the net at the CFS end.

That was it I had caught the bug at 8 years old as the excitement / expectation of the crowd especially on the Longside when Kindon ran onto the ball is difficult to explain as there was a feeling that something wonderful was going to happen and seeing him at full flight gives me goosebumps just thinking about it.

The only way I can explain to anyone not lucky enough to see Kindon in full flight is watch the other runners in a 100 metres race against Usain Bolt. That's what the defenders used to look like fading into the distance as his explosive power off the mark was unbelievable.

Maybe its my childhood memory that has put him on a pedastal but I honestly can't remember anyone since that has had the pace and pure explosive power of Kindon.

I can still "see" that goal now and play it over and over in my head and it will be with me until my dying day. It then it hit me like a tonne of bricks what it meant to be a Claret. That was it encapsulated in that wonderful goal that is why I am here soaked to the skin with my family.

Unfortunately one of my "family of Clarets" is no longer with us and that moment probably wouldn't have meant as much to him or anyone else with me that day but for me it was a thunderbolt, a feeling of belonging and unity and I will forever remember him being there at that moment and enjoying it together and for that reason I will never ever forget it x

Thanks Skippy

UTC

Steve1956 · Post by **Steve1956** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:51 pm

Tony Morley from Preston £100,000.

cutsy123 · Post by **cutsy123** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:59 pm

DCWat wrote:Robbie Blake. Not only did it royally annoy the Bradford City fans that I know, but what a player. It says a lot about Blake, that despite where we are now, he's still so well thought of by many.

Hes the best wev ever had in that position

Wilsdenclaret · Post by **Wilsdenclaret** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 6:03 pm

Blake for me too just for the reaction of the Bradford fans..........Charlie Taylor very enjoyable at the minute too

Clarets4me · Post by **Clarets4me** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 6:16 pm

Can't see beyond Andy Payton, as a straight swap for Paul Barnes...

Barnes only scored 10 more goals as a League Footballer, in 51 starts ( + 44 as a Sub )..
Payton scored 81 goals for us, in 131 starts ( + 47 as a Sub )..

Despite his well documented personal issues, I always thought he played like a fan would hope to, if we ever got the chance !!

Steve-Harpers-perm · Post by **Steve-Harpers-perm** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 6:17 pm

Ian Wright for me.

Also re-signing super Johnny Francis.

RingoMcCartney · Post by **RingoMcCartney** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 6:21 pm

Sean Dyche.

1963Claret · Post by **1963Claret** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 6:25 pm

Kindon's return in 1977 is up there for me too. Also Leighton James coming back the following year. Still the best player I've ever seen in a Burnley shirt.

aclaretinstevenage · Post by **aclaretinstevenage** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 6:58 pm

Has to be Ian Wright, for a player of his status to sign for us at that time was ridiculous but it happened.

piston broke · Post by **piston broke** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 7:05 pm

If the question is with hindsight it's Frank Casper. I'd never heard of him when he signed.
If it's that instantaneous WOW!!! then Ian Wright who gave the whole club a lift at just the right time.

ayrshireclaret83 · Post by **ayrshireclaret83** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 7:07 pm

Payton for me

BennyD · Post by **BennyD** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 7:07 pm

claretabroad · Post by **claretabroad** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 7:12 pm

In terms of the sheer excitement at the time it has to be Ian Wright. I couldn't believe we actually had him in a Burnley shirt.

I also remember getting worked up when we signed John Clayton. His goalscoring record in the lower divisions was impressive and I thought he would become a legend for us. I got that one very wrong but still remember the feeling when he joined us.

edit: punctuation

Steve-Harpers-perm · Post by **Steve-Harpers-perm** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 7:24 pm

Clayton seemed to be always injured!

ElectroClaret · Post by **ElectroClaret** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 7:40 pm

Robbie.

CaptJohn · Post by **CaptJohn** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 7:52 pm

I'm going back a long way to the signing of Frank Casper. It was not a lot of money and he only came from Rotherham but somehow he captivated my imagination. Then seeing him score on his home debut against Coventry confirmed in my mind that "we had a good un!" Wow, was he good

Dressinggown · Post by **Dressinggown** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 7:56 pm

Tony Hancock from Stockport County in 1989.

A special player who never fulfilled his true ability ?

He had great hair and deserved much more media attention at that time.

Wikipedia has him as scoring 0 goals in his brief Burnley career although I'm sure he scored at Stockport County in a cup tie ?

Cirrus_Minor · Post by **Cirrus_Minor** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 7:58 pm

Frank Casper for the novelty of actually having a signing.

Diesel · Post by **Diesel** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:06 pm

Steven Defour

Anyone that follows football on a global scale will agree.

I never in my wildest dreams did I think we would sign anyone like him:

For those still unsure think:

Cantona.

Lord Beamish · Post by **Lord Beamish** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:06 pm

Andre Gray. We had just come down from the Prem and we were signing arguably the best striking prospect in the Championship. It turned out we were with him picking up the divisional golden boot, nine months after joining us.

1963Claret · Post by **1963Claret** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:08 pm

CaptJohn wrote:I'm going back a long way to the signing of Frank Casper. It was not a lot of money and he only came from Rotherham but somehow he captivated my imagination. Then seeing him score on his home debut against Coventry confirmed in my mind that "we had a good un!" Wow, was he good

£27000

NottsClaret · Post by **NottsClaret** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:25 pm

As above, Wright and Defour. Third division when we signed Wright and Defour a Champions League type in his prime signing for Burnley.

Charlie Austin too, I was sure he was signing for Ipswich, we never seemed to win a bidding war before that.

taffy · Post by **taffy** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:29 pm

Dressinggown wrote:Tony Hancock from Stockport County in 1989.

A special player who never fulfilled his true ability ?

He had great hair and deserved much more media attention at that time.

Wikipedia has him as scoring 0 goals in his brief Burnley career although I'm sure he scored at Stockport County in a cup tie ?

I remember seeing Hancock play for Stockport and thought he was head and shoulders above everyone else on the park and was so pleased when we signed him but to say he didn't fulfill his potential would be a understatement

taffy · Post by **taffy** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:32 pm

My favourite signing has to be Leighton James unbelievable player

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:50 pm

Cirrus_Minor wrote:Frank Casper for the novelty of actually having a signing.

Frank Casper for me also ... We were always a selling club.lots of excitement when he arrived. From the modern era joey Barton all day long and Ian wright was quite a coup were we 3rd division ??

Pstotto · Post by **Pstotto** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 9:46 pm

Peter Noble.