Alex Elder - The Ball at his Feet

[ClaretLoup]

A short film by the Rank Organisation re the development of young players in the late 1950's early 1960's featuring our very own Alex Elder at the outset of his celebrated career. A very nostalgic trip back down the paisley corridors of time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_hpjVgd-_s

Were any of our senior posters amongst the bunch of scallywags busting the old lady's window in Mary Street?

[MT03ALG]

Excellent and interesting watch. The Turf Moor pitch and training facilities have improved slightly since then !!

[conyoviejo]

Whenever anybody mentions Alex Elder an awful image in my mind appears of him scoring an own goal against Leeds.What a great player he was though.

[MT03ALG]

Or giving a penalty away against Rovers (VAR would have overruled the decision!)

[Colburn_Claret]

Enjoyed that.
Training on the cinders behind the Longside, I wonder how modern footballers would cope.

[Silkyskills1]

That was Dave Merrington handing over the kit for washing?

[durhamclaret]

Really enjoyed that, thanks for posting.

[huw.Y.WattfromWare]

Thanks for that. I’ve asked about it many times and never had anybody come up with it. I first saw it as a filler in Hassy Empire, early 60s.
Willie Irvine signing the autograph early on and I think it was Andy Lochhead, in the red jumper, as Jimmy Adamson was getting his foot treated.

[CaptJohn]

Whenever anybody mentions Alex Elder an awful image in my mind appears of him scoring an own goal against Leeds.What a great player he was though.

I remember that too

[clansman]

Nice to be reminded that with Spurs and Rangers we were among the elite of Europe!
Not entirely convinced about the science behind the wax bath treatment!!

[ClaretLoup]

Shipped out to Stoke at only 26 years of age, so he still had quite a few miles left on his clock, although Latcham was a decent replacement.

It was a sad day for both parties when he left, allegedly due to differences with coach Jimmy Adamson, and marked the start of the club's gradual decline from 1967 onwards.

[Dougall]

Familiar face at 6:28 (for me, at least!)

[Buxtonclaret]

Great post, ClaretLoup.
Much appreciated.

[huw.Y.WattfromWare]

Anybody have access to his penalty record. He drilled a powerful shot and I can’t remember him missing one.

[longsidepies]

Really enjoyed that, thanks for posting!

[Peter Loo]

Thanks for posting not seen that before.

[conyoviejo]

Thanks for the link Claretloup,a great watch.

[mikeS]

Lovely film. The lad with the lady in the kit room - was it a young Dave Merrington?

[conyoviejo]

Shipped out to Stoke at only 26 years of age, so he still had quite a few miles left on his clock, although Latcham was a decent replacement.

It was a sad day for both parties when he left, allegedly due to differences with coach Jimmy Adamson, and marked the start of the club's gradual decline from 1967 onwards.

Jimmy Adamson seemed to rub a lot of people up the wrong way.. Anyhow that's another story..

[Silkyskills1]

Thanks for that. I’ve asked about it many times and never had anybody come up with it. I first saw it as a filler in Hassy Empire, early 60s.
Willie Irvine signing the autograph early on and I think it was Andy Lochhead, in the red jumper, as Jimmy Adamson was getting his foot treated.

Hassy Empire, early 60's. Spent many an evening there and bank holiday afternoons when I was growing up there. Hard to believe they had two 'houses' on a Saturday evening, 6.10 and 8.15 as I recall. Happy, carefree days.

[RalphCoatesComb]

Or giving a penalty away against Rovers (VAR would have overruled the decision!)

The very thought of VAR in the 50's and 60's makes me laugh.

The VAR images would have been captured by two guys with hand-held 35mm cameras and you'd have to wait for the film to be developed at Boots before a decision could be made. In the meantime, Colin Blant has head-butted their Keeper and the Ref has sent the Keeper off for being a wimp

[CaptJohn]

Anybody have access to his penalty record. He drilled a powerful shot and I can’t remember him missing one.

Unfortunately he missed one against Leeds I think. Skyed into the Cricket Field End. Leeds were his bogey team for sure.

[huw.Y.WattfromWare]

Unfortunately he missed one against Leeds I think. Skyed into the Cricket Field End. Leeds were his bogey team for sure.

They were. I don’t remember that miss but thanks for putting me right.

[ClaretLoup]

Hassy Empire, early 60's.

I saw a miracle happen at Hassy Empire. Summer Holiday turned from black and white into colour.

[Bfc]

I've sent Dave Merrington a text message, letting him know of the film footage. I think the laundry ladies name is Mrs Lyons. Also surrounded by kids is Tom Thornber, who was a Scout for Burnley. A very quietly spoken man, who lived in Rosegrove. I can't recognise any of the kids shown although I'd lived near the ground and of a similar age as some of them. That film brought back many memories, Thanks.

[ClaretTony]

Familiar face at 6:28 (for me, at least!)

Absolutely - fantastic to see your granddad along with George Bray and Ray Bennion during that film.

And for those who picked out Dave Merrington handing over the kit for washing, he was passing it I think to Mrs Bratt.

[ClaretTony]

Jimmy Adamson seemed to rub a lot of people up the wrong way.. Anyhow that's another story..

I think that's an understatement.

[exilecanada]

Good movie, thanks for posting. I didn't realise Elder was only 26 when he was shipped off to Stoke, must have still had a lot of his top level career ahead of him. He used to live up top of Brownside if memory serves.

[ClaretTony]

Good movie, thanks for posting. I didn't realise Elder was only 26 when he was shipped off to Stoke, must have still had a lot of his top level career ahead of him. He used to live up top of Brownside if memory serves.

He said he always regretted the Stoke move, only played just over 80 games for them in six years, but his position at Burnley had become untenable because of his relationship with Adamson. I think Adam Blacklaw and Gordon Harris left at similar times for similar reasons.

[IanMcL]

Brilliant!

[BurnleyBob]

I just found this Look at Life episode (remember them at the cinema?) on You Tube. It features in the main a quite young Alex Elder. It has
some nice coverage of life at Turf Moor in the early 1960s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_hpjVgd-_s

[ClaretTony]

I just found this Look at Life episode (remember them at the cinema?) on You Tube. It features in the main a quite young Alex Elder. It has
some nice coverage of life at Turf Moor in the early 1960s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_hpjVgd-_s

I've merged it with the thread from early March when it was first posted so all comments are together

[Silkyskills1]

I think the clip of the England v Scotland game might be the 9-3 one with the hapless Frank Haffey in goal. Typical Jimmy Greaves goal and I'm sure I've seen that goal before from the 9-3 match.

[claretburns]

Anybody have access to his penalty record. He drilled a powerful shot and I can’t remember him missing one.

According to Transfermarkt.co.uk Burnley FC had 7 penalties in the top division until the Premier League began.

Alex Elder 2/2 100% (In a 3-0 win v United in September 1965 and a 1-1 draw v Everton in February 1966)
Leighton James 2/2 100%
Doug Newlands 1/1 100%
Brian O'Neil 1/1 100%
Jimmy McIlroy 1/1 100%

In fact Burnley's first ever missed penalty was by Robbie Blake on 30th August 2003 against Crewe, surely this cannot be right and the above stats are completely wrong?

[martin_p]

According to Transfermarkt.co.uk Burnley FC had 7 penalties in the top division until the Premier League began.

Alex Elder 2/2 100% (In a 3-0 win v United in September 1965 and a 1-1 draw v Everton in February 1966)
Leighton James 2/2 100%
Doug Newlands 1/1 100%
Brian O'Neil 1/1 100%
Jimmy McIlroy 1/1 100%

In fact Burnley's first ever missed penalty was by Robbie Blake on 30th August 2003 against Crewe, surely this cannot be right and the above stats are completely wrong?

Well I remember us missing one at the Turf in an FA Cup quarter final in ‘83 so it seems unlikely.

[Heaton Moor BFC]

Memories at 7 mins the old cricket pavilion. Used to be the nets at the back if I remember rightly ?

[bob-the-scutter]

Whenever anybody mentions Alex Elder an awful image in my mind appears of him scoring an own goal against Leeds.What a great player he was though.

Anyone remember him with a massive shiner?

[Elizabeth]

Brought back some great memories - thanks for posting

[ClaretTony]

According to Transfermarkt.co.uk Burnley FC had 7 penalties in the top division until the Premier League began.

Alex Elder 2/2 100% (In a 3-0 win v United in September 1965 and a 1-1 draw v Everton in February 1966)
Leighton James 2/2 100%
Doug Newlands 1/1 100%
Brian O'Neil 1/1 100%
Jimmy McIlroy 1/1 100%

In fact Burnley's first ever missed penalty was by Robbie Blake on 30th August 2003 against Crewe, surely this cannot be right and the above stats are completely wrong?

Elder missed one against Leeds

I can recall Thomas, James, Angus, Dobson also missing pens in the top flight. Uwe Noble didn’t though.

[Silkyskills1]

Dave Thomas missed one at Turf Moor just before Christmas 1970. The opponents were Man City and the game ended 0-4 to City. He missed down the Bee Hole End, high, wide and clearing the terrace. The worst I've ever seen easily matching the effort of GNW a few years back.

[Suratclaret]

Great watch...thanks for posting