ARTICLE: The Orient Game – Dedication

[ClaretTony]

As always, in memory of Keith McNee who covered Burnley for the final time in a league game for the local press - tribute to Keith from Peter Higgs who had also covered Burnley for some years in the local press.

Many won't remember Keith, but he was a fantastic local journalist covering the Clarets although I'm not sure how he'd cope today with social media etc.

See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/the-orient-game-dedication

[Frenchclaret]

My Dad, Gerry Bradley, was chief photographer for the Burnley Express at the time Keith was there. They often went together to away matches and my Dad, who was a very calm person, often mentioned the crazy things that happened to Keith. Nevertheless, he thought a lot about him and his dedication to the Clarets.

[ClaretTony]

My Dad, Gerry Bradley, was chief photographer for the Burnley Express at the time Keith was there. They often went together to away matches and my Dad, who was a very calm person, often mentioned the crazy things that happened to Keith. Nevertheless, he thought a lot about him and his dedication to the Clarets.

You needed to be calm to travel with Keith but I don't think I ever came across anyone who didn't think a lot about him.

[RammyClaret61]

I got to know Keith through his reporting on Lancashire League Cricket. Enjoyed his company, talking about the clarets when Rammy played in the Burnley area.

He once ask for a lift home from an away game during one of these cricket encounters. It was the first match of the season away at Gillingham. The one Peter Higgs walked too. After the game we waited outside the main stand at Priestfield for him to phone through the report. Then into the car and off we set. Now with no speed cameras in those days. I didn’t hang around getting home. Always liked to get back for a pint or three. Anyway, we dropped Keith off on Rossendale Rd near the pub, can’t remember it’s name. It was about 9pm. He was amazed, saying he couldn’t go home yet, his wife wouldn’t believe he’d been to Gillingham!!
Even though we’d lost 3-1, the journey home was memorable for all the stories we got to hear.

Just checked the date for that game. 1981 blimey almost 40 years ago!

[slw]

I'm not sure how he'd cope today with social media etc.

See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/the-orient-game-dedication

I've always wondered that myself, don't think he would Tony , it was all typewriters and shorthand back in those days, Keith was very old school and not the most patient person in the world. He was happy with a pen and notebook. Good article. A very emotional and unforgettable day. Never again.

[ClaretTony]

I got to know Keith through his reporting on Lancashire League Cricket. Enjoyed his company, talking about the clarets when Rammy played in the Burnley area.

He once ask for a lift home from an away game during one of these cricket encounters. It was the first match of the season away at Gillingham. The one Peter Higgs walked too. After the game we waited outside the main stand at Priestfield for him to phone through the report. Then into the car and off we set. Now with no speed cameras in those days. I didn’t hang around getting home. Always liked to get back for a pint or three. Anyway, we dropped Keith off on Rossendale Rd near the pub, can’t remember it’s name. It was about 9pm. He was amazed, saying he couldn’t go home yet, his wife wouldn’t believe he’d been to Gillingham!!
Even though we’d lost 3-1, the journey home was memorable for all the stories we got to hear.

Just checked the date for that game. 1981 blimey almost 40 years ago!

Loved the stories Keith told - fantastic company. So sad that he died so young and so many Burnley fans never knew of him or got to know him.

He wasn't brilliant with stats though and if something happened on a match day sometimes he would phone me. One I remember vividly was when Steve Daley got a hat trick at Port Vale and he phoned asking when we'd last had a hat trick away from home. He'd be able to look it up today on Up the Clarets - it was Willie Irvine at Spurs some 19 years earlier.

EDIT: The pub, I'm assuming it would have been the New Albion which is now the Usha restaurant.

[ClaretTony]

I've always wondered that myself, don't think he would Tony , it was all typewriters and shorthand back in those days, Keith was very old school and not the most patient person in the world. He was happy with a pen and notebook. Good article. A very emotional and unforgettable day. Never again.

And no one will know him better than yourself. Says much about him given how often we talk about him, be it football or Lancashire League cricket.

[slw]

I still believe Keith would be alive or lived a lot longer if it wasn't for his extreme passion for football and bfc. Ian Wooldridge wrote to him a week after the Orient game telling him to "calm down and stop getting worked up, -its only a game , its not worth it".
To some people its much much more than a game.

[ClaretTony]

I still believe Keith would be alive or lived a lot longer if it wasn't for his extreme passion for football and bfc. Ian Wooldridge wrote to him a week after the Orient game telling him to "calm down and stop getting worked up, -its only a game , its not worth it".
To some people its much much more than a game.

Was he 52 when he died? That would mean he’d have been 85 now. I loved being in his company as I did with Wurzel (Peter Higgs) and Granville.

[slw]

no, 2 years younger tony..

[ClaretTony]

Keith was held in such esteem that the club held a minute’s silence ahead of the next home game on his death which was impeccably observed.

[Herts Clarets]

I will dedicate the memory of the Orient game to my friend Alfie Young. I was in the CF stand with him and when Grewcock scored the first his pre half time pie went up in the air and landed on me. Sadly 10 years later to the day, 9th May 1997 I shed more tears as his coffin was lowered into a grave at Burnley cemetery. I know there is a Burnley scarf in there with him, I dropped it in before they filled the grave.

[Hipper]

Loved the stories Keith told - fantastic company. So sad that he died so young and so many Burnley fans never knew of him or got to know him.

He wasn't brilliant with stats though and if something happened on a match day sometimes he would phone me. One I remember vividly was when Steve Daley got a hat trick at Port Vale and he phoned asking when we'd last had a hat trick away from home. He'd be able to look it up today on Up the Clarets - it was Willie Irvine at Spurs some 19 years earlier.

EDIT: The pub, I'm assuming it would have been the New Albion which is now the Usha restaurant.

Note - old thread.

I saw both those hattricks! Is there a prize?

What were the ones before and after these two?

[ClaretTony]

Note - old thread.

I saw both those hattricks! Is there a prize?

What were the ones before and after these two?

All at
https://www.uptheclarets.com/players/hat-trick-heroes

[bfcjg]

His passion for us came vividly in his writing.

[Suratclaret]

McNee and Higgs…they don’t make ‘em like those two anymore.

[ClaretTony]

McNee and Higgs…they don’t make ‘em like those two anymore.

Two good friends. Not seen Peter since our trip to Spurs in 2009/10.

[claretbob]

I can remember a few of us celebrating in the Park View after the Orient game and noticing to our horror Keith slumped outside the Bob Lord stand. He looked in a terrible physical state and I have no doubt that the emotional turmoil he would have gone through that day proved too much for him. It really was a harrowing day.

[elwaclaret]

One of three adverts I always remember - “follow the Clarets with Keith Mcnee”, Burnley Building society and Massey’s Beer.

Remember rushing for the evenings Sports Pink after a game to see what Keith Mcnee

[Jamesy]

One of three adverts I always remember - “follow the Clarets with Keith Mcnee”, Burnley Building society and Massey’s Beer.

Remember rushing for the evenings Sports Pink after a game to see what Keith Mcnee

What about Sto Mike coffee?

[jos]

What about Sto Mike coffee?

My Mum (R.I.P.) worked at Sto Mike, just saying.

[BB8]

All at
https://www.uptheclarets.com/players/hat-trick-heroes

Although Ray Simpson's Burnley FC books are excellent resources, there are a few errors, including several missing hat-tricks, which aren't listed.

By my reckoning there are a further 7, which don't appear on the lists in the books, or indeed in the list at the link on this website.

It only becomes obvious, when you have an entire database of goals scored, and can do some systematic sense-checking.

Details of all 172 hat-tricks, including those which have historically been omitted, can be found at this link:

https://bit.ly/BFCHATTRICKS

[MDWat]

Welcome to the dick measuring contest

[Cajun]

McNee and Higgs…they don’t make ‘em like those two anymore.

McNee.jpg (109.89 KiB) Viewed 933 times

Higgs.jpg (164.72 KiB) Viewed 933 times

Keith McNee and Peter Higgs in tandem covering the 72-73 promotion season, happy days. - Always remember Peter Higgs arriving at Gillingham after walking to the opening game of the 81-82 season