ARTICLE: Jim Thomson on Jimmy Adamson

[ClaretTony]

This week's article from davet / rodleydave

See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/jim-thomso ... my-adamson

[Buxtonclaret]

Very good read.
Cheers, Dave.
Knew Jimmy A was reputed to be aloof and distanced to some, but that's an eye opener.
Thommo is one of my favourite players of that era.
Tough, ultra dependable.
Different styles in a different sort of game to back then.
But Jim did the same sort of role for us then that Ben is doing so well for us now.

[fatboy47]

Cracking item.

reccomended.

[Silkyskills1]

Didn't/doesn't this sort of thing happen at most football clubs. Nothing unique about Burnley Football Club.

[evensteadiereddie]

Brilliant, Dave, many thanks.
As above, Thomson was one of my favourite all-timers. Never flashy but, like Nulty to name another, so vital in a very good team/squad.

[ClaretTony]

Didn't/doesn't this sort of thing happen at most football clubs. Nothing unique about Burnley Football Club.

Doesn’t happen at our club now. Adamson could be a very unpleasant man and he worked for one every bit as unpleasant although I’d say Adamson was more underhand than Lord. Not just Thomson & Nulty who disliked him, there’s a long list from when he was player, manager & coach.

[Dougall]

Although my Mum never went into any detail about what may have happened, she was very uncomplimentary about Jimmy Adamson in relation to his dealings with my Grandad.
Of course, Grandad died before JA was made manager, but the impression that I got from the little that Mum did reveal was that underhand behaviour was his style - presumably while still a player.
I smile when I think about it now, but she used to snarl when his name was mentioned! (And she wasn't one to utter a bad word about anyone!)

[Mondsley]

Another great read Dave. Thanks. I worked in Burnley tax office from 1973 to late 1975 on the PAYE section. It wasn't unusual for the players to call at the enquiry counter to discuss their tax affairs - can you imagine that happening now!!? I dont think I'm breaking the official secrets act by saying Jim T was a caller. And a very nice chap he was. Say what you like about Adamson but that 72/73 team was one of the best I've seen.

[ClaretTony]

Another great read Dave. Thanks. I worked in Burnley tax office from 1973 to late 1975 on the PAYE section. It wasn't unusual for the players to call at the enquiry counter to discuss their tax affairs - can you imagine that happening now!!? I dont think I'm breaking the official secrets act by saying Jim T was a caller. And a very nice chap he was. Say what you like about Adamson but that 72/73 team was one of the best I've seen.

Jim Thomson is a top bloke

[Rodleydave]

Dougall that's really enlightening. Not just Marg Potts then.

[Dougall]

Mum and Mrs. Potts were quite similar, really, and got on well together.
Neither of them seemed the type to seek conflict, but both were angry at/about JA - and stayed angry for the rest of their lives !
Quite remarkable, really.

[Rodleydave]

The Lord sisters no time for him either... no surprise there...

[ClaretTony]

Dougall that's really enlightening. Not just Marg Potts then.

No - a bloody long list

[sandy richardson]

Fascinating stuff. You could understand it if Adamson managed all the players in the same way, or even managed certain players in this way. But it seems perverse to single out the ones (like Thomson and Nulty) who were steadier and least likely to make mistakes.

Thomson is the real unsung hero of that time, if you look at the length of his Burnley career and the quality of some of the teams he played in. Yet he never gets mention when people pick their best XI or favourite XI.

[TVC15]

Jim Thomson was a lovely bloke.
He bought a house up Martin Drive across from Christ the King School and i used to see him a lot and he was great with everyone. Later played football with his son for a couple of years and he was a great lad too.

[Bfc]

Jim Thomson was a strong player, who could stand up for himself on the pitch. Yet the same man off the pitch, is always warm and friendly, with time to have a minute whenever we meet. A grizzly bear on the pitch and a teddy bear off it ( unless you upset his family).
Rodleydave re your comment about the Lord sisters. I assume for the benefit of the younger readers, you meant Lords daughters (sisters)

[Rodleydave]

yep BFC.

[ralphdpomeroy]

Excellent read ... over the years I've quite often got to know things about the club just by living in certain parts of town where you would meet players and their families ...these days I'm even closer to the dressing room but I don't ask much and expect to be told even less

Whatever we might think about players the reality is often quite different ...they face many of the same difficulties with work and bosses as the rest of us ...the numbers are often bigger that's all...

[Bfc]

Dave I'm sorry that I failed to mention my liking for your story, in my comment above.
I must say I was very surprised that mild meek Joe Brown had lost his temper, especially in a dressing room. That was an eye opener for me. Alex Ferguson must have thought he would be the right man to work for him at Old Trafford, given Joes version of the hairdryer type of dressing room rage at a player.

[Tribesmen]

Now when you look at it we all work with people who we don't get on with for any reason , now you still go to work and try your best which must be the same with footballers on the whole .

[XDS]

Known Jim a long time, had a rough couple of years with the loss of his son who was a brilliant lad, people don't give him enough credit as a player and don't know how much pace he had, the quickest i saw him move was when he had to climb on to the Bob Lord stand roof due to a fallout with the fire brigade. Bernard Rothwell sent some scaffold that was balanced on 2 bricks on the running track and the opposite side on the pitch next to the then home dugout, unfortunatley the scaffold wasn't big enough so Roy Oldfield produced a pair of old step ladders that opened with a bit of rope between legs, however the rope had snapped so one of the young lads (steve) had to go up with him and hold the ladders together whilst Jim streched and kind of jumped onto the roof, after retrieving the 2 balls Steve had to hold the ladder and guide Jim to the top of the ladders whilst he lowered himself onto the ladder, once he got onto the ladder, the speed at which he descended the scaffold and ran across the pitch down the tunnel and into the refs room was Usain Bolt standard. How time's have changed but Jim hasn't top bloke

[turfytopper]

This week's article from davet / rodleydave

See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/jim-thomso ... my-adamson

Great 'lockdown' read. Many thanks..

[Siddo]

I met Joe Brown many times in the late 60s up to the early 80s and he was nothing but a gentleman at all times . A really lovely man. I'm surprised to read he could have an aggressive side to him.
I met Jimmy Adamson a couple of times in 71. I had a trial for Burnley, and a couple of other clubs were interested in me including Bury and Watford, so he asked me down to Gawthorpe. I was a keeper and just before the game someone asked me where I lived, as the place was full of lads my age from all over the country.
I nodded at JA and said, I live near Jimmy.
The match kicked off and I didn't touch the ball once in the 45 minutes apart from a back pass. At half time JA took me off and put someone else in goal. I think I upset JA with my little quip and that was the end of my Burnley hopes.
Funnily enough, Mickey Finn was in the opposite nets and had a really good game.
I later met JA many times at Gannow baths. I was teaching my lads to swim, and he used to take his grandchild. On those occasions he was really pleasant, so maybe the pressure of the job took its toll in the 70s?

[ClaretTony]

I met Joe Brown many times in the late 60s up to the early 80s and he was nothing but a gentleman at all times . A really lovely man. I'm surprised to read he could have an aggressive side to him.

I knew Joe really well and I have to say I was stunned to read that he could be in any way aggressive. You got it right with him, a gentleman.

[ashtonlongsider]

Fascinating stuff and many thanks DT for another brilliant article. I've heard many polarised opinions of JA over the years, but the same could probably be said about a lot of other managers, especially in that era. However if I could bottle one period of our illustrious history it would be from JA's tenure. Whatever the ins and outs, I thought he was light years ahead of anything I had seen prior or dare I say since with his innovative style and methods. It really was a joy to watch and I still think without the sale of key personnel we would have come very close to winning the title in the period 73-75.

[ten bellies]

I don't remember a lot of the games I went to as a youngster, but one I do remember is one in which Jim Thomson scored the winner against West Ham, after coming back from 2-0 down. It was on MOTD and pre game there was a lot of trouble on the terraces, which MOTD never referred to thankfully.

[Cirrus_Minor]

What a remarkable read that was. Bit surprised at Joe Brown be aggressive, I remember him as a methodist lay preacher.

[Suratclaret]

What a remarkable read that was. Bit surprised at Joe Brown be aggressive, I remember him as a methodist lay preacher.

Dave Merrington was also a lay preacher but used to kick the opposition all over the pitch!

Jim Thomson was one of my favourite players although I hadn't realised he had played so many times for the Clarets.

Brilliant read!

[jtv]

Wasn't Jim the Club's Commercial Manager for a while? I remember corresponding with him prior to a visit to the UK during which I planned to go and watch the game at Peterborough (March 1987 - the Orient season) and he had kindly arranged for me to meet Brian Miller and the squad after the match. The doorman at Peterborough ground was very helpful - he stowed my bag in the manager's room for the duration of the match, then was so kind as to give me a lift to the railway station to catch the last train to London (it was a night game - ended 1-1). At the time Ray Hankin was playing in Malta for Hamrun Spartans and the Burnley players were bombarding me with questions about football in Malta!

[ClaretTony]

Wasn't Jim the Club's Commercial Manager for a while? I remember corresponding with him prior to a visit to the UK during which I planned to go and watch the game at Peterborough (March 1987 - the Orient season) and he had kindly arranged for me to meet Brian Miller and the squad after the match. The doorman at Peterborough ground was very helpful - he stowed my bag in the manager's room for the duration of the match, then was so kind as to give me a lift to the railway station to catch the last train to London (it was a night game - ended 1-1). At the time Ray Hankin was playing in Malta for Hamrun Spartans and the Burnley players were bombarding me with questions about football in Malta!

Jim was the commercial manager throughout that season

[Quicknick]

Interesting article.