Just read that Willie has had a fall at home and suffered some bad injuries including a fractured skull, a broken shoulder blade, a broken cheekbone and a fractured eye socket. He's in hospital in the Royal Preston Hospital.

I know Willie really well, have done for years, and I've just contacted his son Darren to pass on my best wishes and those of UTC. Let's hope for a full and swift recovery for the best goalscorer I've ever seen in a Burnley shirt.

ClaretTony wrote:Just read that Willie has had a fall at home and suffered some bad injuries including a fractured skull, a broken shoulder blade, a broken cheekbone and a fractured eye socket. He's in hospital in the Royal Preston Hospital.

I know Willie really well, have done for years, and I've just contacted his son Darren to pass on my best wishes and those of UTC. Let's hope for a full and swift recovery for the best goalscorer I've ever seen in a Burnley shirt.

Saw Darren's post on Facebook,but he didn't give details .....get well soon Wille.

ClaretTony wrote:Just read that Willie has had a fall at home and suffered some bad injuries including a fractured skull, a broken shoulder blade, a broken cheekbone and a fractured eye socket. He's in hospital in the Royal Preston Hospital.

I know Willie really well, have done for years, and I've just contacted his son Darren to pass on my best wishes and those of UTC. Let's hope for a full and swift recovery for the best goalscorer I've ever seen in a Burnley shirt.

All the best wishes for a speedy recovery Willie....

Willie fell down stairs at home a few days ago. Although I had been told, I didn’t feel it was right for me to comment on it. As of this morning, he was feeling better in himself. My thoughts go out to Rita and the boys, for Bill to have a full recovery.

Knew something had happened because of Jonathan’s Facebook post. Get well soon Willie.

One of my Claret heroes and have chatted to him several times with others before the games near the Park View pub.
Top guy and wish him all the best for a speedy recovery

One of my all-time favourites.

I wish you a speedy recovery, Willie.

Very sad news. All the best Willie for a full and complete recovery.

We've had some great goalscorers at Burnley in our history but Irvine's 97 goals in 148 games is up there with the very best.

Know Bill and Rita really well from being neighbours for many years and also a work colleague.Lovely family and my best wishes Bill for a speedy recovery.

Thank you for all your kind posts. My dad is currently asleep but I'll ensure that everything is passed on. I can confirm that he's making progress on a long road to recovery.

Oh that is such bad news. I was only chatting with him the other week before the Cardiff game. Get Well Soon Willie.

Claret Till I Die wrote:Thank you for all your kind posts. My dad is currently asleep but I'll ensure that everything is passed on. I can confirm that he's making progress on a long road to recovery.

Please pass on all our good wishes to your Dad and keep reminding him of all the great goals he scored for us. Including the header against Liverpool on the Turf in '66 which remains to this day the best headed goal I've ever seen.

Very proud that my son is called Irvine.

I feel better than I did when I started this thread, knowing that Willie is progressing.

Best wishes to Willie and the family for a speedy recovery and some peace of mind.

Get well soon Willie,i never saw him in the flesh,but have heard many tales of his scoring exploits.

My favourite Claret,an excellent player and a natural goal scorer. Get well soon!

Yes, here's to a speedy recovery. I never had the privelage to see him play, I wish I had. I met him on one of the tours round the ground, lovely gentleman. Get well soon Willie.

Sounds horrendous - speedy recovery.

My original and all-time Burnley hero. Best wishes for a full recovery.

Wishing you a fast, full recovery, Willie.

Jesus! Has he fallen off the roof?

Best wishes Willie

Willy is a top mon and claret through and through. Get well soon Willy

Willie used to come in the bar most games in the mid 90s when I worked at the Turf. Top man, top player. All my very best wishes to Willie, Darren and the family. UTC

Bin Ont Turf wrote:Jesus! Has he fallen off the roof?

Best wishes Willie

He fell down the stairs BOT.

Claret Till I Die wrote:He fell down the stairs BOT.

Sorry, I didn't read all of the posts.

Glad to know that he is progressing.

One of my favourite all time Clarets, what a goal scorer, what a nice man. I'm sure he will be fine, get well soon Willie.

For people that didn't see Willie play, it's difficult to explain just how natural he was in front of goal, in the way that an Ian Rush or Alan Shearer would always be in the right place at the right time. Willie was exceptional at that and always found that extra yard in the box to conjure up a scoring opportunity.

There was a thread on here just last week about goalscoring and CT I think it was mentioned that Willie, in season '65/'66, scored 10 goals in 7 successive league games. Just to prove it was no fluke he then, later in the same season, scored another 9 goals in 6 successive games. Only a top predator and striker is capable of such a feat playing at the top level.

Without his career being brought to a premature end by one of the worst tackles imaginable Willie would no question have gone on to be one of the highest goalscorers in the English game, and we were privileged to have had him play for Burnley.

Get better soon Willie .. A good friend and a lifelong hero of mine..

Get well soon, Willie.

Can only concur with everything that Royboy said previously and add that like all great finishers he nearly always was on target.
Here’s his losing hat-trick at Spurs in 1966. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAKnoarYh20" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

conyoviejo wrote:Get better soon Willie .. A good friend and a lifelong hero of mine..

A good time to post 'the photo' Con

Bin Ont Turf wrote:A good time to post 'the photo' Con

I'm on tour at the moment BOT,but found this one of Willie on the old car park..

You’re in my thoughts CTID. Best wishes to you and your family. Hope your dad is ok

Darren - Prayers will be said from all of our family tomorrow morning at Mass.

Your Dad is a true gentleman.

conyoviejo wrote:I'm on tour at the moment BOT,but found this one of Willie on the old car park..

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It was like crossing the Berlin Wall climbing that wall and then over the wire fence to sneak on the Longside as kids. Get well soon!

Really sorry to hear of Willie's accident and best wishes for a speedy recovery. As has been said, Willie was a natural goal scorer and had a great game/goal ratio throughout his career. In the old Burnley programmes, there were details of the B team, then the A team and the Reserves and before he broke into the first team, if my memory is working accurately, he was a prolific goal scorer. Can't imagine what he would be worth these days and I have no doubts that he would be a great player, probably with a " big six" club. If there had been a golden boot when he played, I think he would have won it one year.

One of the best players ever to grace the Turf.I did have the privilege to see him play.For the younger fans he was an upgraded Harry Kane.All the best Willie .get well soon.

Get well soon Willie, one of my all time favourite Clarets who gave us all so many memories ,the great Willie Irvine.

Many moons ago, in the tap room of the Park View, Willie asked to use my mobile phone, as he needed to make a phone call. I was on pay-as-you-go at the time. The bugger used nearly all my credit! He’s never paid me back!

I used to chat to Willie before his pre-match hosting duties a few years ago. He is the genuine article. Hope he gets well soon.

Just received a text from Rita, saying as much as what CUID said yesterday, "that Bill is slowly improving".
CUID, I bet your dad will have with him, his photo stood together with Jimmy Mc on the first day he joined Burnley.

We are all with you Bill. Stay strong young man. Best wishes to you all

Bfc wrote:Just received a text from Rita, saying as much as what CUID said yesterday, "that Bill is slowly improving".
CUID, I bet your dad will have with him, his photo stood together with Jimmy Mc on the first day he joined Burnley.

His son will have it with him...

Exchanged emails today with a friend of mine on the subject of Willie and particularly of his goalscoring exploits in the mid-sixties. The stats are truly remarkable culminating in that incredible '65/'66 season when he scored a total of 37 goals whilst still only 22 years old. My friend ended by asking the valid question as to what the current transfer value would be for a 22 years old striker scoring that many goals in the Premier League. Bob Lord would have been rubbing his hands, that's for sure.

Then came the horror tackle at Goodison Park the following season that effectively ended Willie's career with us. Without that who knows how the Willie Irvine story would have developed.

What a player, what a gentleman, get well soon Willie.

I had the privilege to see Willie play and what a game that was

Living in the South it was my first time watching the Clarets

March 1966 FA Cup 4th Round away to Tottenham

WILLIE IRVINE HAT TRICK!!!!!!!

Best Wishes Willie and thank you so much for the memory of that game

And there is the game, mel, linked in post #29.

Yes I was very lucky to have that game as my very first Claret game

Horrible injuries. Poor Willie. Get well soon, my favourite Claret of all time.

Lord Beamish wrote:Many moons ago, in the tap room of the Park View, Willie asked to use my mobile phone, as he needed to make a phone call. I was on pay-as-you-go at the time. The bugger used nearly all my credit! He’s never paid me back!

Good job it wasn't CTID - he would have used the whole lot and got you to have bought him a pint at the same time.

I was fortunate enough to see him score many goals for us and also to buy him a pint of Guinness in the JH lounge. Lovely man. Get well soon.

tybfc wrote:Good job it wasn't CTID - he would have used the whole lot and got you to have bought him a pint at the same time.

CtID bought me a pint once, under the Bob Lord Stand.

I know! Hard to believe, isn’t it?