THIRTY GAMES UNBEATEN: GOOD FRIDAY 25 March 1921

[mikeS]

GAME 33: Burnley V Manchester United, Turf Moor, Friday 25th March 1921

Burnley went into the busy Easter period with a home match against Manchester United at Turf Moor on Good Friday.

‘Kestrel’ the Burnley News reporter at the match told of a good game, United making Burnley work hard for their victory. Mew, the United goalkeeper was tested again and again in the first half and kept the Clarets out. Towards the end of the first half, a claim for a Burnley penalty led to the home crowd booing referee Bryant’s decision not to award the kick and at the interval it remained 0-0.
Half way through the second half Billy Nesbitt provided the pass for Benny Cross to beat has man. His shot on goal beat Mew, the ball headed from under the crossbar by United’s full-back Silcock. Referee Bryant gave the goal, the ball having crossed the line.

The win put Burnley eight points clear at the top of Division One with nine games remaining. The Clarets had now gone 30 games unbeaten with 16 straight wins at home.

Burnley: Dawson, Smelt and Jones, Bassnett, Boyle and Watson, Nesbitt, Kelly, Anderson, Cross, Mosscrop.

Burnley 1, Manchester United 0
Benny Cross 72 mins
Att: 38,736

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[claretburns]

Every team in the league that season has since played Premier League football with the exception of Preston and 12 current Premier League members.

Southampton, Leeds, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Wolves, Leicester, Fulham and Brighton the current PL teams missing.

[gawthorpe_view]

Every team in the league that season has since played Premier League football with the exception of Preston and 12 current Premier League members.

Southampton, Leeds, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Wolves, Leicester, Fulham and Brighton the current PL teams missing.

Bradford (Park Avenue)?

[claretburns]

Bradford Park Avenue?

My mistake, I didn't see the two Bradford's and counted them twice as Bradford City.

Though in my Football Manager 2012 days I did get Bradford PA to the Premier League, so I am counting them, if only to amuse myself at Preston more.

[ClaretTony]

Amazing record that lasted for so long. Wasn’t it twice that teams came within one game of it?

The plan on UTC was always to chart this season game by game but that was scuppered with not being able to get to the library.

Brilliant achievement from one of our two greatest sides.

[mikeS]

The Burnley papers are online up to 1955. Then you need the Library access from then on. £12:95 a months access to the whole British Library collection. Good search facilities too. It’s a pity that the rest of the BUrnley papers were not digitised. I guess they may be in future.

[Claretforever]

Amazing record that lasted for so long. Wasn’t it twice that teams came within one game of it?

Leeds United in the 70’s maybe, and Liverpool in the late 80’s?

It was only through seeing Liverpool close in on 30, and with them mentioning our record on TV, and Leeds coming so close, that I knew about it as a kid. I think Liverpool lost their 30th game at Everton from memory(???). I have Allan Clarke’s name in my mind for some reason, and I’m not sure whether that’s to do with Leed’s run, or whether he was commentating on the Everton game?

[huw.Y.WattfromWare]

Leeds United in the 70’s maybe, and Liverpool in the late 80’s?

Leeds definitely. I remember them losing at Stoke whilst on 29.

[ClaretLoup]

Cracking post Mike. Did you not think about a book similar to the excellent Road to Glory which I assume you wrote?

[ClaretTony]

The Burnley papers are online up to 1955. Then you need the Library access from then on. £12:95 a months access to the whole British Library collection. Good search facilities too. It’s a pity that the rest of the BUrnley papers were not digitised. I guess they may be in future.

I only learned that when it was too late but disappointing that there is nothing past the mid 50s.

[ClaretTony]

Leeds definitely. I remember them losing at Stoke whilst on 29.

I think Leeds were 2-0 up that day and lost 3-2. I have it in the back of my head that Liverpool got to 29 one season.

[ClaretLoup]

I think Leeds were 2-0 up that day and lost 3-2. I have it in the back of my head that Liverpool got to 29 one season.

Didn’t Cloughy’s Forest go 30+ games but straddled over two seasons?

[ClaretTony]

Didn’t Cloughy’s Forest go 30+ games but straddled over two seasons?

Forest went 42 over two seasons back in the 70s (I would think 77/78 & 78/79).

[mikeS]

Cracking post Mike. Did you not think about a book similar to the excellent Road to Glory which I assume you wrote?

I did do that one yes.
Currently working on a film of Tommy Boyle which is almost finished and will feature the FA Cup win and our 1920-21 Championship winning side.

Hoping to release it on YouTube on the 7th May to coincide with the anniversary of us winning the League the first time.

[ClaretGent]

Thirty games, thirty games undefeated,
Thirty games, thirty games, I say,
Thirty games, thirty games undefeated,
Playing football John Haworth’s way

[Ric_C]

Used to really annoy me in the late 80's when Liverpool got close to the record, and all the media mentioned was Liverpool breaking Leeds' 29 match unbeaten run from the start of the season. Think we got one mention when they got to 29

[tiger76]

Some things never change we didn't get pens in those days either.

Bizarre season that in many ways, we lost our opening 3 games, and then went on that spectacular unbeaten run before ending poorly, but by then the job was done.