Which top flight Burnley XI was best

[Claret&Green]

I have watched The Clarets since the early 70's and wondered which of these top flight Burnley teams was/is best?

74/75 Stevenson, Brennan, Newton, Scott, Rodaway, Ingram, Flynn, Casper, Fletcher, James, Noble
09/10 Jensen, Bikey, Duff, Carlisle, Caldwell, Elliott, Eagles, McCann, Paterson, Blake, Nugent
14/15 Heaton, Trippier, Duff, Shackell, Mee, Jones, Boyd, Arfield, Kightly, Barnes, Ings
17/18 Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Ward, Cork, Defour, Brady, Hendrick, Gudmondsen, Wood

I've picked the teams on appearances, hence Pope getting in front of Heaton this season!

Which do you think is best.

[piston broke]

The 73/74 side had the beating of your 74/75 team.
Stevenson, Noble, Newton, Dobson, Waldron, Thomson, Nulty, Casper, Fletcher, Collins, James.
They were the best footballing side of those you've mentioned. The current team might, just, have the beating of them.

[Steve1956]

The current one as it is competing against some of the best players in the world..the others didn't .

[claretfern]

The 73/74 side was the best imo (but maybe you left them out of the choice on purpose!) so for me, our current side is the best.

[ClaretTony]

Derek Scott didn't make his debut until right at the end of 74/75 and wouldn't be included - you've no Colin Waldron in there.

Close between the top two, but putting them in order I'd go

2017/18
1974/75
2014/15
2009/10

[Longside4evr]

I would have loved the current team to have faced the team of 73-74
Stevenson, Noble, Newton, Dobson, Waldron, Thomson, Nulty, Casper, Fletcher, Collins, James.
They were the team when you was in the school yard you wanted to be a Dobson or James Fletcher and so one
I think it would be some game the current against the team from that era so close to call
I think going back further would be a none contest as you have to be so super fit now that any team prior to the early 70s would simply not be at the races.
Speed fittness and agility would be the main factor that a team simply could not be competent to any team from the sixties era
This team would have dominated the sixties easily with it's craft guile and sharpness

[Dyched]

From what Ive seen

2017/18



2016/17
2014/15
2009/10

[Royboyclaret]

The '73/'74 side was good and a joy to watch but they still came a distant second to the '59/'60 Champions.

But in answer to the topic title.....the '20/'21 side that won the League was arguably the best set of players ever to represent Burnley. Including the legendary Halley, Boyle and Watson they went 30 games undefeated in the season having lost the first three games.

[ClaretTony]

The '73/'74 side was good and a joy to watch but they still came a distant second to the '59/'60 Champions.

But in answer to the topic title.....the '20/'21 side that won the League was arguably the best set of players ever to represent Burnley. Including the legendary Halley, Boyle and Watson they went 30 games undefeated in the season having lost the first three games.

No mention of any politicians and their wives royboyclaret?

[Royboyclaret]

Ah, the good Lady Ottoline Morrell, CT?

Burnley's first celebrity fan and wife of Philip Morrell MP.

[RalphCoatesComb]

No contest for me. As stated above, our team of the 70's wasn't playing against World class opposition. Since when did Burnley boast so many Internationals within its ranks?

2017-18 are awesome and so is our manager

[piston broke]

. Since when did Burnley boast so many Internationals within its ranks?

If the current international fixture congestion had been in situ then Stevo, Cas and Fletch would all have won caps. They give them away now.

[starting_11]

I was looking at our 09/10 season the other day on Wikipedia for some reason.

It seemed a half decent team at the time and I had a lot of excitable belief when we first went up. But frig me, the thought of any of them being in our team (even in their prime) sends shivers down me spine. Could you say that any of them are better than today's squad? I might take Elliot and possibly Grezzer for the bench but that'd be it.

I've no idea about the 70s which everyone speaks so highly of, but this year I think we have a genuinely competitive team, not just a competitive one but a very GOOD one.

I'm still hoping for a top half (or there about) finish this year.

[Colburn_Claret]

I recall Bill Shankly stated that Paul Fletcher was the greatest English centre forward, never to win a cap.

On topic, the middle two were great teams, especially at the time, but not in the running.
The present team has to be the best, purely because of the quality of opposition and the physicality of the modern game. BUT nothing could match the pleasure and joy of watching the 73/74 team. Class to a man.

[turfytopper]

I have to agree totally with Steve1956. The English first division as it was only really recruited players/managers from the UK & Ireland. Today we compete in a league made up of players/managers recruited from around the world. Add to this the improvements in pitches, floodlights, fitness, law changes etc etc all of which have contributed to a faster and more technical game.

Amazing therefore that our squad (bar a couple of players) that is still made up of British and Irish players, has thus far been able to compete.

So for these reasons I'll go with today's team.

[turfytopper]

On topic, the middle two were great teams, especially at the time, but not in the running.
The present team has to be the best, purely because of the quality of opposition and the physicality of the modern game. BUT nothing could match the pleasure and joy of watching the 73/74 team. Class to a man.

Totally agree.

[Royboyclaret]

They were indeed 'Class to a man' as Colburn so rightly says.

And yet I could only fit Keith Newton, Leighton James and Martin Dobson into the '59/'60 team, and even then Dobson would have to play centre half.

Blacklaw, Angus, Newton, Adamson, Dobson, Miller, Connelly, Jimmy Mc, Pointer, Robson, James.

[Spijed]

I recall Bill Shankly stated that Paul Fletcher was the greatest English centre forward, never to win a cap.

Paul Fletcher seemed to have that ability to levitate and get to headers when other players were on their way down.

[Colburn_Claret]

Paul Fletcher seemed to have that ability to levitate and get to headers when other players were on their way down.

Very true, he could hang in the air like Michael Jordan.

[Rumbletonk]

Would any of the current crop squeeze into the 59/60 team?

[Royboyclaret]

No.

That said, Steven Defour is the best technician I've seen in a Claret shirt since Jimmy Mc.

[piston broke]

Blacklaw, Angus, Newton, Adamson, Dobson, Miller, Connelly, Jimmy Mc, Pointer, Robson, James.

Newton or Elder. Wow!!

[JohnMac]

It is so subjective when comparing teams across generations.

Everyone thinks the modern game is quicker but they were probably as quick in speed of thought in the old days and in their own way just as fit when measured against the other teams. Logistics and modern science play a big part today with better pitches, diet and equipment.

The modern game is marketed with sexy video clips of goals but fundamentally it's about being defensive now unless you have the buying power of Manchester City. You could argue for most clubs, the modern game isn't as exciting in terms of entertainment.

In terms of achievement, trophies are key and the olden day teams cemented their place in history by delivering silverware.

I do think there is much to admire about the current squad, especially the attitude and the fantastic level of fitness they have all shown. In terms of punching above their weight, they must be second to none such is the magnitude of the game now. There are so many International players now in the Premier League and many struggle to be in a squad on match day at certain Clubs, that would have been unthinkable in the old days.

When you read about the teams of the 10's, 20's 60's and 70's, they were all really very similar to Sean Dyche's squad though, attitude, ambition. fitness and desire. It must be something in the DNA of the Club.

[CleggHall]

Blacklaw, Angus, Newton, Adamson, Dobson, Miller, Connelly, Jimmy Mc, Pointer, Robson, James.[/quote

A difficult one this but O' Neil for Miller, Lochhead for Robson, Elder for Newton?

[Buxtonclaret]

Always be these sort of threads.
And why not.
When comparing though, you've got to try and get your head around loads of variables.
That early, mid 70s side could/would/did beat the best in the land.
I've stood/sat on the Turf and seen us dismantle supposedly 'big' teams with those early/mid 70s sides
But let's face it, even back then, whether we'd admit it or not at the time, (I didn't) most of the 1st Division had more financial clout than us.

We've by far and away the best side now than we've had in generations.
It's a different game now though.
Ploughed fields have gone. Different footballs. All the other allied stuff that has gone. New stuff in current games.
How would our present squad cope with those things?
I've unashamedly Claret tinted glasses.
Reckon our current squad would have coped.
But also reckon our side of 74/75 ish, were more than good enough to cope with today's game.

I'll go for a 5-5 draw.

[Quicknick]

The 1920/21 Division 1 winners. I remember them well.

[Bin Ont Turf]

Heaton
Noble
Waldron
Mee
Newton
Cork
Dobson
Defour
Brady
James
Fletcher

[RalphCoatesComb]

You could argue for most clubs, the modern game isn't as exciting in terms of entertainment.

Bang on there JohnMac.

But, as seen with our 24 pass goal versus The Toffees, it is still there. Just is smaller doses when you watch The Clarets. But, some of our defensive displays (United Away last season) have been exiting as they were thrilling... if you're a Claret