ARTICLE: John Bond – June 1983 to August 1984

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Mon May 25, 2020 10:33 am

The managers section continues and it had to reach this stage eventually.

See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/john-bond- ... ugust-1984

Tribesmen · Post by **Tribesmen** » Mon May 25, 2020 11:26 am

Quite a level report i must say as was expecting blood and guts kind of thing for some reason .

Wile E Coyote · Post by **Wile E Coyote** » Mon May 25, 2020 11:41 am

what a contrast !! great memories from 11 years ago on the other post, and then this thankfully short lived period under bond.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Mon May 25, 2020 11:53 am

Tribesmen wrote: ↑
Mon May 25, 2020 11:26 am
Quite a level report i must say as was expecting blood and guts kind of thing for some reason .

That might come with the next few.

mdd2 · Post by **mdd2** » Mon May 25, 2020 11:58 am

Our problem was that he was too high a profile for us and today quite a few of his signings would not have passed medicals including Reeves and Gallagher as I think both had serious underlying hip and knee problems

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Mon May 25, 2020 12:03 pm

mdd2 wrote: ↑
Mon May 25, 2020 11:58 am
Our problem was that he was too high a profile for us and today quite a few of his signings would not have passed medicals including Reeves and Gallagher as I think both had serious underlying hip and knee problems

Gallagher definitely wouldn’t. Bond tried to get the transfer scrapped but at least there was a positive in that it helped to stop clubs hiding injury information to a buying club.

I’m not so sure with Reeves, always reported that he got the injury playing for us. What a talented player he was.

gtclaret · Post by **gtclaret** » Mon May 25, 2020 12:04 pm

You forgot Neil Watmore amongst the poor signings as well as Dennis Tuart oh and Gerry Daly, oh and of course removing the captaincy from Martin Dobson, I could go on, he was a f*cking useless manager that inherited a young and potential good side and left us with a bunch of overpaid hasbeens

gtclaret · Post by **gtclaret** » Mon May 25, 2020 12:07 pm

It wasn't all his fault, Bob Lord sent us on our way with Bond and Benson putting the final nails in the coffin that led us to the Orient game

Woodleyclaret · Post by **Woodleyclaret** » Mon May 25, 2020 12:10 pm

A seriously monumental blunder by the board.and signing City has beens sanction by our totally inept board led us to our decline into Div 4

andyh · Post by **andyh** » Mon May 25, 2020 12:33 pm

I’m much more in the “could have been” camp. Some of the football before the Reeves injury was the best I’ve seen. We were totally outclassing sides. Most of the the signings turned out to be meh but Reeves and Hutchinson were class. What came after was a disaster but John Bond was not... at least not until Reeves got injured.

mdd2 · Post by **mdd2** » Mon May 25, 2020 1:01 pm

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Mon May 25, 2020 12:03 pm
Gallagher definitely wouldn’t. Bond tried to get the transfer scrapped but at least there was a positive in that it helped to stop clubs hiding injury information to a buying club.

I’m not so sure with Reeves, always reported that he got the injury playing for us. What a talented player he was.

I don't think he played again after that "injury" But he had OA of the hip and that I think is what did for him.I know he was quite young when he had his hip replaced.I don't recall him being badly injured and stretchered off in his last game which may have been in the cup against Oxford, so I suspect modern medicals would have found something more serious than the knee problem that stopped Austin's move to Hull.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Mon May 25, 2020 1:06 pm

mdd2 wrote: ↑
Mon May 25, 2020 1:01 pm
I don't think he played again after that "injury" But he had OA of the hip and that I think is what did for him.I know he was quite young when he had his hip replaced.I don't recall him being badly injured and stretchered off in his last game which may have been in the cup against Oxford, so I suspect modern medicals would have found something more serious than the knee problem that stopped Austin's move to Hull.

I think it was the Orient game at New Year when he did it but he played on for a couple of weeks. He’s worked for a number of clubs in recent years including Everton on the scouting side but is just about retired now.

Rodleydave · Post by **Rodleydave** » Mon May 25, 2020 1:09 pm

The interesting thing is that Derek Gill got the club back in the money with some quite lucrative commercial deals.
Plus the unexpected bonus of the Lowerhouse Land money.
And then it was all splurged. The relationship between directors was toxic, Reeves injured... and it all went downhill and spectators vanished and income dwindled drastically. As far as I know there is no John Bond biog at all...which quite surprises me.

BurnleyBob · Post by **BurnleyBob** » Mon May 25, 2020 2:12 pm

A very fair assessment of the John Bond era. He was too big a 'name' for Burnley but in his way he tried his best with the club already in decline when he joined. He took over a relegated side not a successful one. However, he signed too many players way past their best although Reeves and Hutchinson
were superb. I remember watching the 5-0 thrashing of Bournemouth early in the season and Burnley looked a class above that division. John Bond was unlucky with the injury to Kevin Reeves but poor signings such as Gerry Gow and Steve Daley and his treatment of Martin Dobson were big negatives.

The main culprits in this dreadful era were the Board of Directors who were poor leaders, argued among themselves and lost goodwill among supporters. I stand to be corrected but after the 1982 promotion Burnley had the basis of a decent second tier side which with a couple of good signings would easily have stayed up. John Bond was part of the malaise but the rot had set in long before he arrived and this led to the Orient game in 1987.

HollandsPies · Post by **HollandsPies** » Mon May 25, 2020 2:19 pm

I remember him stating he'd 'had a belly full' of whatever it was going on behind the scenes.
Didn't he once say 'Lee Dixon? He'll never be a footballer'.
Vince Overson said he was the most influential of his career.

HollandsPies · Post by **HollandsPies** » Mon May 25, 2020 2:21 pm

... and he made the club ' more money than it had ever seen '
Funny how you don't forget certain pieces of info

Claretitus · Post by **Claretitus** » Mon May 25, 2020 2:36 pm

There was a rumour doing the rounds at the time, that John Jackson presented him with a Jaguar. He said to Bond, "that's yours, a company car, to do with, what you see fit". So Bond sold it. How true that is, I'll never know. But sums him up in my book. Two hat.

Herts Clarets · Post by **Herts Clarets** » Mon May 25, 2020 2:36 pm

Looking forward to the review of the next 3 managers and seeing if Tony can refrain from using bad language. All 3 were unmitigated disasters and we are about to enter the darkest few years in the history of our magnificent club. Never again.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Mon May 25, 2020 3:33 pm

Claretitus wrote: ↑
Mon May 25, 2020 2:36 pm
There was a rumour doing the rounds at the time, that John Jackson presented him with a Jaguar. He said to Bond, "that's yours, a company car, to do with, what you see fit". So Bond sold it. How true that is, I'll never know. But sums him up in my book. Two hat.

It’s what you said it was, a rumour.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Mon May 25, 2020 3:34 pm

Herts Clarets wrote: ↑
Mon May 25, 2020 2:36 pm
Looking forward to the review of the next 3 managers and seeing if Tony can refrain from using bad language. All 3 were unmitigated disasters and we are about to enter the darkest few years in the history of our magnificent club. Never again.

Written and ready to go over the next week or so. I was honest with my opinion of Bond and I will be with the next three.

Petersa · Post by **Petersa** » Mon May 25, 2020 3:37 pm

Saw them a couple of times in the early part of that season first a home win against Wigan and an away shocker at Milwall. Burnley did look a good side vs Wigan but the 3.0 at the Den was a disgrace.
I don't recall John Docherty...was he the same who was Cambridge manager late 70, s?

gc14 · Post by **gc14** » Mon May 25, 2020 3:49 pm

The 'TSB' shirt dishing out some thrashings on the Turf, Hamilton & Reeves up top on fire ... would be interested if any of the
statto's could show the statistics with and without Reeves .. We were still pretty poor on the road startimg at Hull on the 1st
day of the season ..

gtclaret · Post by **gtclaret** » Mon May 25, 2020 3:51 pm

If you look at the results of that season, yes we had some big wins with Reeves, but the rest of the results were nothing to write home about. The highest league position was 6th just once, most of the time it was mid table. To expect Reeves and an ageing Hutchinson to carry the rest for a whole season is unrealistic. We would have collapsed whatever happened to Reeves.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Mon May 25, 2020 4:02 pm

gtclaret wrote: ↑
Mon May 25, 2020 3:51 pm
We would have collapsed whatever happened to Reeves.

Totally, totally disagree with that. We were getting better and better. Average start but then really started to play and were murdering teams. I firmly believe we'd have been promoted had Reeves remained fit.

groove · Post by **groove** » Mon May 25, 2020 5:27 pm

We played some fantastic football that season. Our away form was poor I think our first win on the road was a 4-1 victory at Wimbledon. My first full season watching the Clarets.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Mon May 25, 2020 5:32 pm

groove wrote: ↑
Mon May 25, 2020 5:27 pm
We played some fantastic football that season. Our away form was poor I think our first win on the road was a 4-1 victory at Wimbledon. My first full season watching the Clarets.

I missed that game at Wimbledon through illness. By then we'd really started to play well and also started to pick up points away. I think it was part of a run of six away games without defeat, albeit four of them were draws.

Reb · Post by **Reb** » Mon May 25, 2020 6:22 pm

Claretitus wrote: ↑
Mon May 25, 2020 2:36 pm
There was a rumour doing the rounds at the time, that John Jackson presented him with a Jaguar. He said to Bond, "that's yours, a company car, to do with, what you see fit". So Bond sold it. How true that is, I'll never know. But sums him up in my book. Two hat.

100% untrue

Reb · Post by **Reb** » Mon May 25, 2020 6:28 pm

Watching Hamilton and Reeves up front was fantastic. Reeves was not injured when he signed although Joe Gallagher was (albeit hidden from the club) and much effort was put in trying to prove that and get out of the deal.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Mon May 25, 2020 6:42 pm

Reb wrote: ↑
Mon May 25, 2020 6:28 pm
Watching Hamilton and Reeves up front was fantastic.

Brilliant together. They were destroying teams at that level and would have done so at a higher level too.

Wokingclaret · Post by **Wokingclaret** » Mon May 25, 2020 9:48 pm

Ironically, always thought he never got the Right back sorted, Steve Baker & Waldron wasn't the answer.

It was a bold move, but I guess we didn't have the cash to sustain it. We would have had to have got promotion at the 1st attempt.

The board having sacked Bond when they did, the next move was by far their biggest mistake and one that would effect us for years.

Hipper · Post by **Hipper** » Tue May 26, 2020 7:49 am

I thought the first half of the John Bond season one of the most exciting. At home especially we were something else.

We certainly had the makings of a really good team and the failure to stay up the previous season despite all that talent was one of my biggest footballing disappointments. The fact that both Miller and Casper (with that awful end of the season performance at Palace) couldn't seem to do anything about it meant it was right to change the managerial policy.

Of course Bond was accused of releasing/letting go/dropping many favourites and that was true in some cases (Steven was already on his way though, and Stevenson was past it quite frankly). He thought Dobson too old and Overson injury prone - he was out injured early in the season. Hence the Gallagher signing. How they can have thought he was fit seems incredible. In the first game at Hull he was seen to run with a pronounced limp - we couldn't believe it. Giving the captaincy to Hutchison from Dobson also didn't go down well with fans and Roger Hansbury was never given a chance.

What was depressing though was the second half of the season. After losing Reeves it seems we more or less gave up. There were some miserable performances, the only highlight I recall was the 3-2 win at Port Vale with a Steve Daley hattrick - at last something to justify Bond chasing him round the world to try to sign him.

One strange thing that season. Most football fans follow a club but we had with the London Clarets to fans who followed players. One was a fan of Kevin Reeves, principally because he came from the same village. The other, incredibly, was a fan of Gerry Gow!!!!! No idea why.

beddie · Post by **beddie** » Tue May 26, 2020 8:09 am

One player doesn't make a team but for those who didn't see Kevin Reeves play for us you missed a treat. He was head and shoulders above most opposition players, fantastic to watch and boy did we create some chances when he played. Had he kept fit we'd have been up there I'm sure. A big loss to the football club. I felt gutted for the lad when he got that injury.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Tue May 26, 2020 9:05 am

Wokingclaret wrote: ↑
Mon May 25, 2020 9:48 pm
Ironically, always thought he never got the Right back sorted, Steve Baker & Waldron wasn't the answer.

Strange one given that he was a right back himself but he played Derek Scott there as much as anyone.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Tue May 26, 2020 9:11 am

Hipper wrote: ↑
Tue May 26, 2020 7:49 am

Of course Bond was accused of releasing/letting go/dropping many favourites and that was true in some cases (Steven was already on his way though, and Stevenson was past it quite frankly). He thought Dobson too old and Overson injury prone - he was out injured early in the season. Hence the Gallagher signing. How they can have thought he was fit seems incredible. In the first game at Hull he was seen to run with a pronounced limp - we couldn't believe it.

I saw Gallagher walk across the pitch when the team arrived for the St Mirren game in the Isle of Man and he was limping badly so was amazed when he played. We thought he would be a superb signing for us but Bond doesn't carry out the medicals and he did his best to get the transfer cancelled because of West Ham withholding information. The independent medical said he was fit. Had Dr Iven done the initial medical?

Vince came into the side after the game at Hull and he rated him so highly he took him to Birmingham while Dobbo played virtual every game until he decided to take the manager's job at Bury.

Petersa · Post by **Petersa** » Tue May 26, 2020 9:21 am

Talking of right backs the home game I mentioned earlier vs Wigan I always thought unique because Reeves wasn't fully fit and was on the bench. Scott played as a striker not that badly to be fair but we hadn't scored when Reeves came on in the second half. The rejig saw Scott go back to his normal right back position. He then scored twice from right back to win the game....whether Bond claimed it as a tactical master stroke I don't know!

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Tue May 26, 2020 9:25 am

Petersa wrote: ↑
Tue May 26, 2020 9:21 am
Talking of right backs the home game I mentioned earlier vs Wigan I always thought unique because Reeves wasn't fully fit and was on the bench. Scott played as a striker not that badly to be fair but we hadn't scored when Reeves came on in the second half. The rejig saw Scott go back to his normal right back position. He then scored twice from right back to win the game....whether Bond claimed it as a tactical master stroke I don't know!

The game you are referring to was the 2-1 home win against Plymouth when Reeves came on for Malcolm Waldron. We were 1-0 down at half time but won it 2-1 with goals from Reeves and Scott, Scott getting the winner two minutes from the end.

Mondsley · Post by **Mondsley** » Tue May 26, 2020 9:28 am

Bond managed to alienate big Brian Wren who hadnt missed a game home or away for over 25 years. They had a row on the boat over to the Isle of Man and Brian never went to another Burnley game. I think Brian regretted that but his stubborn pride kept him away.

claretblue · Post by **claretblue** » Tue May 26, 2020 10:04 am

Hipper wrote: ↑
Tue May 26, 2020 7:49 am
The other, incredibly, was a fan of Gerry Gow!!!!! No idea why

Gerrys mum perhaps!

Dodobdobodobo · Post by **Dodobdobodobo** » Tue May 26, 2020 10:40 am

3.40 into video. This will surprise a few

https://youtu.be/P6q6puJE4h0

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Tue May 26, 2020 11:06 am

Mondsley wrote: ↑
Tue May 26, 2020 9:28 am
Bond managed to alienate big Brian Wren who hadnt missed a game home or away for over 25 years. They had a row on the boat over to the Isle of Man and Brian never went to another Burnley game. I think Brian regretted that but his stubborn pride kept him away.

Not true at all - Brian Wren was at every game in the Bond season - it was the following season when he stopped going

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Tue May 26, 2020 11:09 am

claretblue wrote: ↑
Tue May 26, 2020 10:04 am
Gerrys mum perhaps!

On the subject of Gerry Gow, I spoke to someone a couple of weeks ago who is writing a book on him. He's Bristol City based and Gow was a legend at Ashton Gate, a member of the team who went up to the top flight. He moved to Man City and was excellent for them too but by the time he got to us his legs looked to have gone and he was a really poor signing.

Mondsley · Post by **Mondsley** » Tue May 26, 2020 11:48 am

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Tue May 26, 2020 11:06 am
Not true at all - Brian Wren was at every game in the Bond season - it was the following season when he stopped going

Which part of what I have said is "not true at all". Bond did alienate Brian and he never went to another game after their row. My recollection is that it was pre season, presumably pre 1984/85 on the way to the Isle of Man.

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Tue May 26, 2020 11:54 am

Mondsley wrote: ↑
Tue May 26, 2020 11:48 am

We went to the Isle of Man in 1983 just after Bond arrived. Brian Wren went to every single game in that 1983/84 season. It was the 1984/85 Benson season when he stopped going. He did come back on in the 1990s for maybe one or two games but that wasn't long before he sadly passed away.

If he had a row with Bond, and I don't dispute that, it didn't stop him from going throughout that season.

Mondsley · Post by **Mondsley** » Tue May 26, 2020 12:03 pm

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Tue May 26, 2020 11:54 am
We went to the Isle of Man in 1983 just after Bond arrived. Brian Wren went to every single game in that 1983/84 season. It was the 1984/85 Benson season when he stopped going. He did come back on in the 1990s for maybe one or two games but that wasn't long before he sadly passed away.

If he had a row with Bond, and I don't dispute that, it didn't stop him from going throughout that season.

So the row with Bond must have taken place pre season 1984. It was a real shame that Brian took the stance he did but he was a stubborn so and so.

IanMcL · Post by **IanMcL** » Tue May 26, 2020 12:09 pm

Two things stand out for me.

1. Gerry Gow - finished as a footballer.
I saw him once, I think it may well have been his last match. Away match. He was easily passed my an opponent, as he was so slow. He decided it was essential to bring the guy down. Lunged at him. Missed by yard or more! So slowwwww!

2. Wimbledon were top of the league and had a hard team of giants. Plough lane. We played superbly and won easily 1-4. Sensational football, once in a season.

Herts Clarets · Post by **Herts Clarets** » Tue May 26, 2020 12:35 pm

I remember going to the South of France for a holiday, shortly after the 1981 FA Cup Final. As is always the case, a group of boys on a static caravan site holiday and daily games of football break out. As many a side as turned up, played for hours and lost count of the scores. After a couple of days playing, nicknames had been allocated to a number of the boys playing. Dutch lad was Cruyff. Good English player was Keegan. Mine? Gerry Gow! I can't imagine why that would be given it was a couple of years before he signed for Burnley.

His physical style of play maybe.....

ashtonlongsider · Post by **ashtonlongsider** » Tue May 26, 2020 12:52 pm

It was a really strange time all round when JB was appointed. Nothing ever seemed settled. Crowds were low in general, lots going on behind the scenes and this appeared to transpire to the players, with toing and froing between divisions when we still saw ourselves as a potential first division club.
I certainly raised an eyebrow when JB was appointed and thought it a big risk. On the other hand I felt maybe we needed someone from outside to come in and change the mentality of the club. However his first game I think was at Hull, and we got a hammering, so on his first game at home, the majority of the crowd was a bit cynical to say the least. The game was against Bournemouth one of his former clubs and I have to say any early reservations were soon put to bed. We played some scintillating football, and won 5-1 with a hat trick from Billy Hamilton. That set the tone for the rest of the year. However as others have testified to losing Kevin Reeves was an unlucky and bitter blow and possibly the catalyst to our downward spiral over the proceeding years of the mid 80's.

TVC15 · Post by **TVC15** » Tue May 26, 2020 12:56 pm

I was working behind the bar at the Centre Spot on the night John Bond did a Q & A evening.
I was only a young lad - so can’t remember much about it other than it being pretty packed and not a great atmosphere.
I was also working behind the bar at The Sparrow Hawk as at the time it was owned by the same group as Centre Spot (Hutchison Group ?). Joe Gallagher was stopping at the hotel when he signed and he definitely signed with a limp !

Can anyone remember being at the Q & A ?

bob-the-scutter · Post by **bob-the-scutter** » Tue May 26, 2020 1:02 pm

gtclaret wrote: ↑
Mon May 25, 2020 12:04 pm
You forgot Neil Watmore amongst the poor signings as well as Dennis Tuart oh and Gerry Daly, oh and of course removing the captaincy from Martin Dobson, I could go on, he was a f*cking useless manager that inherited a young and potential good side and left us with a bunch of overpaid hasbeens

Spot on. Let's stop there.

Spijed · Post by **Spijed** » Tue May 26, 2020 1:04 pm

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Mon May 25, 2020 12:03 pm
Gallagher definitely wouldn’t. Bond tried to get the transfer scrapped but at least there was a positive in that it helped to stop clubs hiding injury information to a buying club.

I’m not so sure with Reeves, always reported that he got the injury playing for us. What a talented player he was.

In today's age what happened with Gallagher would be a police matter as it was fraud.