A player that emerged for Burnley in the late 1960s with blistering pace that would stand out today. I was telling my son about him and was looking for some YouTube footage that would show how fast he was.

I found an interview in which it was revealed that he ran 100 metres in 10.7 seconds. He mentioned a game for Wolves in which he scored two, the first of which shows his tremendous pace.

Start the video at around 7 minutes for his first goal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ8DYOcyLL8&t=476s

Returned to Burnley after 5 years and was outstanding in saving us from relegation with some crucial goals.

Here's the interview which is definitely worth a watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwxKCPYkIE8

When he returned for his second spell he really was a saviour and became a real cult hero. Scored on his return debut if I remember rightly (twice?)

Our FA youth cup winning tean all got promoted to first team duties .I saw them thrash West Ham at theTurf

Woodleyclaret wrote:Our FA youth cup winning tean all got promoted to first team duties .I saw them thrash West Ham at theTurf

Not quite. There were a total of nine who played in the first team. Peter Jones, Eddie Cliff, Mick Docherty, Wilf Wrigley, Alan West, Eric Probert, Dave Thomas and Steve Kindon all started games while Willie Brown made one sub appearance at West Brom.

David Hartley was the goalscoring hero in the final but he never played in the first team. Neither did Gerry McEvoy, Pat Doney or George Coppock.

Only Thomas and Kindon played in the game you referred to.

Am I correct in remembering Gerry McEvoy as being one of Saddam Husseins hostages in 1990?

Not sure about post 3.
I don’t think the goalkeeper, McEvoy?, or right wing , Hartley, ever made the first team squad.
I remember the West Ham game, I think only Thomas and Kindon of the youth team winners playing, at a guess I would say
H Thomson, Smith, Latcham, Todd, Waldron, Blant, Coates, Dobson and Murray played.

I am sure CT will be able to put me right!

Obviously CT thinks and types a lot more quickly than I do, but then is somewhat younger than me!

Cracking interview, really enjoyed that.
Thanks for posting.

Gerry McEvoy went on to play for, and manage, Bacup Borough.

Kindon scoring v Celtic. Remember it well

really good interview on the wolves old gold. enjoyed that.

Buxtonclaret wrote:Gerry McEvoy went on to play for, and manage, Bacup Borough.

We nearly all got to go there, for the Europa final!

Steve Kindon --the Flying Wardrobe!

I don't think he had the skills to play in the modern game.

I was quite astonished how much Kindon improved his all round game after going to Wolves. He learnt to head a ball for a start. When he came to Turf Moor with his Wolves team in 1975/76 he was brilliant and Wolves won 5-1.

On his return to Burnley he was one of the most exciting performers you could wish to see. Everytime he got the ball there was an expectation of something.

Hipper wrote:I don't think he had the skills to play in the modern game.

I was quite astonished how much Kindon improved his all round game after going to Wolves. He learnt to head a ball for a start. When he came to Turf Moor with his Wolves team in 1975/76 he was brilliant and Wolves won 5-1.

On his return to Burnley he was one of the most exciting performers you could wish to see. Everytime he got the ball there was an expectation of something.

Yep, a lot like Glen Little. Another favourite.

ClaretTony wrote:Not quite. There were a total of nine who played in the first team. Peter Jones, Eddie Cliff, Mick Docherty, Wilf Wrigley, Alan West, Eric Probert, Dave Thomas and Steve Kindon all started games while Willie Brown made one sub appearance at West Brom.

David Hartley was the goalscoring hero in the final but he never played in the first team. Neither did Gerry McEvoy, Pat Doney or George Coppock.

Only Thomas and Kindon played in the game you referred to.

Is Eddie Cliff still living around Hurstwood do you know Tony ? His Wife Mary used to to run Sunday School at the Stoops Estate Youth Club.

An interesting little fact is that Steve was from a big rugby league playing family and had hardly even kicked a football until he was about 14 but then was scouted and signed by Burnley within a couple of years. His speed and strength being his main attributes.

I have this image of SK his second spell steaming down the middle of a very heavy TM pitch in atrocious conditions to score a goal, and rescue a match. Can't remember the opponents but it was a sight to behold.

I think Tony will be able to confirm these details or otherwise.

I think SK's first match on his return was away at Luton (Dec. 1977). I was there and can remember just how fast he was. I think he scored both goals in a 2-1 win. If I'm right it was also the first Burnley match for Brian Hall ( who sadly passed away a few years back).

ashtonlongsider wrote:I have this image of SK his second spell steaming down the middle of a very heavy TM pitch in atrocious conditions to score a goal, and rescue a match. Can't remember the opponents but it was a sight to behold.

Seemed to be every other week that year. Although we never booted it high and long. It was often long, but along the deck in the space behind the backline.

Steve was outstanding in this game, Burnley v Southampton, 1978.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0DPoZLx4Vw

Scored two, made the other and hardly got a mention on MOTD due to the comeback by Southampton and the BBC's weird adoration of Laurie McMenemy.

ecc wrote:I think Tony will be able to confirm these details or otherwise.

I think SK's first match on his return was away at Luton (Dec. 1977). I was there and can remember just how fast he was. I think he scored both goals in a 2-1 win. If I'm right it was also the first Burnley match for Brian Hall ( who sadly passed away a few years back).

I thought it was Notts County at home!

Tricky Trevor wrote:Am I correct in remembering Gerry McEvoy as being one of Saddam Husseins hostages in 1990?

Yes you are correct at the time he was involved with my lads junior team and his wife would attend the games trying to keep her mind off things the best she could, great relief when he did return.

Hipper wrote:I thought it was Notts County at home!

I'm sure the prodigal son's return was home to Notts County....I can see Kindon doing his trademark "pass to himself" from just inside our own half then steaming down the middle, rounding the keeper at the Beehole End and slotting it home. He was an absolute hero that season as I remember it.
Remember reading that he had been offered Rugby League terms as a youngster (Warrington ?)

Stalbansclaret wrote: Remember reading that he had been offered Rugby League terms as a youngster (Warrington ?)

Correct. See post 17.

Think his goal in the mud may have been against Leeds but that might just be wishful thinking.

I remember a 5-3 win at home to Fulham in 1978, Kindon got the 5th, I remember him collecting the ball just inside the Fulham half racing past the defender and firing into the net... The best goal I'd seen at the time.

i knew he was fast, but 10.7 seconds for 100m was impressive.

Just watched the Wolves interview. He really is a pleasant personality. Thanks for posting it, Stan.

Hi Hipper and STalbansclaret,

"I thought it was Notts County at home!"

You're both almost certainly right.

Just checked the date. The NC match took place on 12 November (three weeks before the Luton game). I was living in the south so only went to away games (well, I did see a few home games at the end of that season). So, I recall the Luton game more.

IanMcL wrote:We nearly all got to go there, for the Europa final!

You lost me there, Ian.

Buxtonclaret wrote:You lost me there, Ian.

Bacup = Baku.

JimMcDonald wrote:Is Eddie Cliff still living around Hurstwood do you know Tony ? His Wife Mary used to to run Sunday School at the Stoops Estate Youth Club.

Last time I heard he was still living there

ecc wrote:I think Tony will be able to confirm these details or otherwise.

I think SK's first match on his return was away at Luton (Dec. 1977). I was there and can remember just how fast he was. I think he scored both goals in a 2-1 win. If I'm right it was also the first Burnley match for Brian Hall ( who sadly passed away a few years back).

Kindon’s second debut and Hall’s debut were a month earlier. We beat Notts County 3-1.

Not blessed with the most skill but possibly the most exciting player I've seen in a Claret shirt.

Those slalom runs leaving defenders in his wake and covering half the length of the pitch were a joy to behold.

Skippy signed for us as an apprentice on the same June day in 1967 that Frank Casper signed from Rotherham.

I don’t think he was the same player once he broke his nose. As much as a threat as he was the year he rejoined his goals dried up very dramatically. Was my favourite player and my parents knew his landlady so I managed to get a prized autograph from him.

The reason I decided I was a Burnley fan. My dad took me to Deadwood and then to the Turf, working in Belthorn and living in Bash felt it should be up to me.... (he was rather pleased Steve Kindon was on fire as a lifelong claret).

Kindon’s first spell was before my time going on the Turk but he was my absolute hero when he returned (I’d be nine years old). Met his brother while doing a volunteer day from work at a charity shop in Warrington. He introduced himself and when it heard the name ‘Kindon’ had to ask the question about whether he was related to Steve. Spent to rest of the day talking to the poor bloke about his brother, think he was glad to see the back of me!

Funny but one of my best memories was when he hit the cross bar from a shot just past the half way line and the bar was still rattling what seemed liked minutes later when the half time whistle blew. Loved Steve Kindon. like another poster said you always expected something to happen when he went on one of his runs.

I was 10 years old in 72 and in those days the players used to come into my dads shop on Parker Lane.........Norths Dry Cleaners.........Steve Kindon always made time to chat to me about the match...........lovely guy and always jolly.

My step father was talked into doing a bit of after dinner speaking at a local function - can't quite recall what it was. He spoke to Kindon at another event before this and he offered him some advice and tips on how to approach it and structure his speech. Really helpful to him.

One of the funniest things Kindon came out with was explaining at length that he had moved to Southport and his wife had started a new job, that Steve found it very difficult to talk to people about. He leads on with this for a few seconds and gets everyone wondering what this job is. Eventually someone asks him what job she does. And you have to have heard Kindon speak, with his heavy lisp to appreciate this.

She sells seashells on the seashore....

I love breakaway goals, that build up of tension gets me.
Skippys against Celtic was one of the best. Up there with Ralph Coates against Liverpool and Billy Hamilton against PNE but none of them would have touched Steve Davis at Wembley, if only he’d been able to finish.

Wile E Coyote wrote:i knew he was fast, but 10.7 seconds for 100m was impressive.

Alan West was 10.6 seconds for 100m

I gave Skippy a lift the day after we had beaten Sunderland in the cup 3-0 and I was picking my ticket up for the Liverpool game (I’m sure you are all interested in that )

Tricky Trevor wrote:I love breakaway goals, that build up of tension gets me.
Skippys against Celtic was one of the best. Up there with Ralph Coates against Liverpool and Billy Hamilton against PNE but none of them would have touched Steve Davis at Wembley, if only he’d been able to finish.

Hamilton's at Tottenham!

I remember a game against Forest in the early 70's (or at least I think I do).

Skippy absolutely destroyed their Sammy Chapman on the way to a hat trick - I even think Chapman scored an OG in trying to prevent Kindon scoring another.

...and to see him warming up on the touchline was incredible. He 'd go flying past the winger / fullback with his head turned, looking at them, with the Longside beep, beeping ala roadrunner.

joey13 wrote:Alan West was 10.6 seconds for 100m

I can't remember him being that fast, have you got a source for this?

joey13 wrote:Alan West was 10.6 seconds for 100m

How quick was John Francis?

Alan West !!!!

https://youtu.be/F0DPoZLx4Vw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Classic Kindon for all 3 goals. Classic Alan Stevenson for all of theirs too (as much as I love him)