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Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:04 pm
by fidelcastro
Simple question - who was the last player to play for us at sweeper, or rather to start the game in that position?
Incidentally, for anyone under the age of about 30, a sweeper is an outfield player who traditionally plays just behind a back four!
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:06 pm
by jrgbfc
fidelcastro wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:04 pm
Simple question - who was the last player to play for us at sweeper, or rather to start the game in that position?
Incidentally, for anyone under the age of about 30, a sweeper is an outfield player who traditionally plays just behind a back four!
Didn't Waddle try playing himself there the odd game?
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:07 pm
by Lord Beamish
Didn’t Chris Waddle play sweeper for us in the ‘90s?
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:09 pm
by Hibsclaret
Has had 17 new heads and 14 new handles...
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:11 pm
by fidelcastro
Yes. I'm struggling to think of one since Waddle.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:12 pm
by FactualFrank
Hibsclaret wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:09 pm
Has had 17 new heads and 14 new handles...
Look at the photo if you don't believe me.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:14 pm
by DCWat
I can’t remember the last time I saw any team playing with a sweeper, let alone Burnley.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:15 pm
by FactualFrank
I remember chatting to someone at Towneley Golf Club and we were discussing the Sweeper and Anchorman roles. This must have been mid 00s, so going back 15 years.
He seemed to think that the Sweeper played behind the midfield. I told him, "That's the anchorman" but he wasn't having any of it.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:17 pm
by CleggHall
Leighton James played sweeper (badly) at Hartlepool several years ago. Think what progress we have made.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:19 pm
by jrgbfc
I'm sure Waddle was great there until he had to run.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:19 pm
by Bosscat
Lord Beamish wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:07 pm
Didn’t Chris Waddle play sweeper for us in the ‘90s?
Didn't Waddle start out as a sweeper... Sweeper up at a Sausage factory
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:21 pm
by Hibsclaret
FactualFrank wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:15 pm
I remember chatting to someone at Towneley Golf Club and we were discussing the Sweeper and Anchorman roles. This must have been mid 00s, so going back 15 years.
He seemed to think that the Sweeper played behind the midfield. I told him, "That's the anchorman" but he wasn't having any of it.
Rocket Ron Burgundy
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:27 pm
by Funkydrummer
Basil Brush ?
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:46 pm
by Vegas Claret
Charlie Taylor today won a header in the sweeper role today that almost certainly stopped Leicester scoring as it would have been 3 against Nick Pope
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:54 pm
by Tricky Trevor
Beckenbauer perfected it then teams sussed if you put a player up on the sweeper it trumped the guy playing there. Times change.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:14 pm
by Jakubs Tash
The last time we played 3/5 at the back was when we had the 'Holy Trinity' of Davis, Thomas and Cox. Can't remember who the spare man of the 3 was, though....
That was some trio of defenders by the way. No wonder we went up with those at the back, Little creating and Payton and Cooke up front!
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:16 pm
by steve1264b
Martin Dobson. Legend.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:28 pm
by dermotdermot
You beat me to it. Martin Dobson. I'm sure that he was deployed as a sweeper at some stage late in his career.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:32 pm
by FactualFrank
In today's game, I'd expect the sweeper role to be more a hindrance than a help with how the offside rule has been messed about.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:38 pm
by BabylonClaret
Dobbo played sweeper in the Third Division Champions team
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:44 pm
by warksclaret
As Martin Dodson came to the end of his career he played this role-and he was brilliant at it. Its a very rare "trade" today. John McGreal played a similar role. Both these guys read the game so well
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:47 pm
by ten bellies
Leighton James in Div 4.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:47 pm
by Royboyclaret
I suppose the next logical question has to be....Who was the first Burnley player to operate in the sweeper role for a number of games ?.....Anyone?
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:51 pm
by quoonbeatz
I'm more of a libero than a sweeper tbh.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:53 pm
by Royboyclaret
quoonbeatz wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:51 pm
I'm more of a libero than a sweeper tbh.
To be fair, quoonbeatz, your dad Ken was more than adequate in the sweeper role.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:56 pm
by gandhisflipflop
I'd love the sweeper/libero to make a return in the game. It's a position that was being phased out when I was growing up watching football back in the 90's.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:57 pm
by quoonbeatz
Royboyclaret wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:53 pm
To be fair, quoonbeatz, your dad Ken was more than adequate in the sweeper role.
He was still doing it til he was about 50, albeit on a 5 a side pitch
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:00 pm
by ClaretTony
Royboyclaret wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:47 pm
I suppose the next logical question has to be....Who was the first Burnley player to operate in the sweeper role for a number of games ?.....Anyone?
Arthur Bellamy was the First i can recall playing as a sweeper.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:03 pm
by Royboyclaret
ClaretTony wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:00 pm
Arthur Bellamy was the First i can recall playing as a sweeper.
Has to be Arthur. Remember our first poor attempt at Leicester in 1966'67, think we lost the game 1-5.
But persevered with Bellamy who was pretty good in the position.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:06 pm
by Burnleyareback2
Thought we played Alexander there a couple of times.
Could well be wrong though.
What a player he was for Burnley.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:07 pm
by ClaretTony
Royboyclaret wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:03 pm
Has to be Arthur. Remember our first poor attempt at Leicester in 1966'67, think we lost the game 1-5.
But persevered with Bellamy who was pretty good in the position.
Leicester is the one I remember. My first visit to Filbert Street and it did. finish 1-5.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:08 pm
by FactualFrank
Burnleyareback2 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:06 pm
Thought we played Alexander there a couple of times.
Could well be wrong though.
What a player he was for Burnley.
We played him ahead of the defence and behind the midfield. Not the sweeper role.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:10 pm
by Im_not_Robbie_Blake
Another was Tommy Hutchison
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:53 pm
by cricketfieldclarets
Beresford was a great sweeper keeper.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 11:24 pm
by fidelcastro
He really wasn't.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 11:30 pm
by scouseclaret
Did sweeper not give way to 3 centre backs? Pretty much the same thing - intended to allow full backs to push on.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 7:55 am
by HuncoatClaret
Ashley Westwood has played behind the back 4 for the last two seasons.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 11:15 am
by CaptainClaret
Marco Gentile
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 11:23 am
by Hipper
As others have mentioned, Dobbo did it well behind the young Phelan and Overson. Didn't David Miller have a go at it too?
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 11:40 am
by ClaretTony
Hipper wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2020 11:23 am
As others have mentioned, Dobbo did it well behind the young Phelan and Overson. Didn't David Miller have a go at it too?
Dobbo played there in 1981/82 season after we'd lost 6 of the first 8 games. With Stevenson in goal, he added some experience at the back given the back four were all teenagers - Brian Laws, Vince Overson, Micky Phelan and Andy Wharton. Similarly, we had two teenagers in midfield with Trevor Steven and Kevin Young and Tommy Cassidy providing the experience for them.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 11:44 am
by houseboy
DCWat wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:14 pm
I can’t remember the last time I saw any team playing with a sweeper, let alone Burnley.
Exactly what I was thinking. Isn't it a position that has gone completely out of fashion anyway these days? The nearest thing I think these days is when a team plays 5 at the back and one player does tend to stay pretty much in the centre back position. Not a sweeper as such but playing a similar role so to speak. A cleaner upper.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 11:47 am
by houseboy
Aah, the Italian killing machine. Keegan once said of him that he was stood at the side of him at an awards ceremony once and it was the only time he didn't kick him when he was within 2 yards. A bit of a beast but a very good footballer for all that. Once described as the most ill-named player ever.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:34 pm
by fidelcastro
houseboy wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2020 11:47 am
Aah, the Italian killing machine. Keegan once said of him that he was stood at the side of him at an awards ceremony once and it was the only time he didn't kick him when he was within 2 yards. A bit of a beast but a very good footballer for all that. Once described as the most ill-named player ever.
I thought he was Dutch.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:43 pm
by houseboy
fidelcastro wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:34 pm
I thought he was Dutch.
No. He was born in Libya but played all his life in Italy and played for them in two world cups, including the 1982 winning side. Played the bulk of his career with Juventus. Dutch? He came to represent all that was good and bad with Italian football at the time. Great player and reader of the ball but an absolute animal.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:55 pm
by dermotdermot
fidelcastro wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:34 pm
I thought he was Dutch.
Hilarious!
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:56 pm
by fidelcastro
houseboy wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:43 pm
No. He was born in Libya but played all his life in Italy and played for them in two world cups, including the 1982 winning side. Played the bulk of his career with Juventus. Dutch? He came to represent all that was good and bad with Italian football at the time. Great player and reader of the ball but an absolute animal.
I'm talking about the player who played for Burnley (albeit very briefly) in the 1990's.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:57 pm
by dermotdermot
fidelcastro wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:34 pm
I thought he was Dutch.
Hilarious
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:59 pm
by fidelcastro
Why is that?
He WAS Dutch.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 1:03 pm
by fidelcastro
For some reason, houseboy has decided to give us the lowdown on CLAUDIO Gentile... who certainly didn't play for Burnley.
Re: Our last sweeper?
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 1:13 pm
by dermotdermot
fidelcastro wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:59 pm
Why is that?
He WAS Dutch.
You’re right Fidel. This is all Houseboy’s fault for getting his Marcos and his Claudios mixed up.
