ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
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ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Today we recognise Willie Irvine our greatest ever goalscorer in the ex-Clarets feature
See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/our-greate ... goalscorer
See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/our-greate ... goalscorer
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
My favourite Claret ever. A truly great striker.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Unbelievable, the best goalscorer I'll ever see in claret and blue that's for sure.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Excellent piece. That fantastic 65-66 season was my start of going to Burnley games with my Dad, and Willie instantly became my hero. Have chatted with him, lovely guy.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Amazing stats.... I came along as a supporter later, I didn't realise that he was so good.
Up the Clarets.
Up the Clarets.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Special season was 65/66 - that forward line of Morgan, Lochhead, Irvine, Harris, Coates.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
We used to sing it: Singing Morgan Lochhead Irvine Harris Coates...ClaretTony wrote: ↑Sun Jun 18, 2023 1:57 pmSpecial season was 65/66 - that forward line of Morgan, Lochhead, Irvine, Harris, Coates.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
It was a really good season that’s never really been written about, presumably because we didn’t win anything.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Isnt mine
No my era
No my era
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Lovely words Tony. Thank you
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
I still hate Morrisey to this day. He should have gone to prison
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
My boyhood hero! I had a picture of him completing his hat trick in a 5 2 win at Fulham in December 1965. He was smiling for the camera as he smashed the ball home. Great footballer, goalscorer and thoroughly nice man.
Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Hat trick at White Hart Lane and on loosing side. What a player.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Exciting, touch of arrogance, lethal with either foot. My early teenage years when he was at his best and he was a formidable opponent. I, I, Irvine, Irvine, I.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
"as he smashed the ball home"........That's what set Willie apart from the rest......there were virtually no tap-ins.....every goal was both feet off the ground, on the volley, with the intention of breaking the net.
We all loved Ray Pointer before him, but Ray was often on the end of a Jimmy Mac magical run where, with the drop of shoulder Mac would take two or three opponents out of the game before laying on a tap-in for Ray or Jimmy Robson.
Willie was unique in that every goal was meant to rip the goal-net apart......leaving us fans desperate for his next attempt on goal......he really was so special.
Enough from me, except to say we are so proud to have called our only son.....Irvine.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
You need that touch of arrogance too, and he definitely had it when he played. I know I'll never see anyone as good again in terms of goal scoring playing for us.Silkyskills1 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 18, 2023 5:01 pmExciting, touch of arrogance, lethal with either foot. My early teenage years when he was at his best and he was a formidable opponent. I, I, Irvine, Irvine, I.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Excellent article, Tony.
The best Burnley player in my lifetime.
The best Burnley player in my lifetime.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Was that goal in the 2-0 win over Liverpool the same game Ralph Coates got the second with that superb solo run ?
Willie was one of my favourite players only behind Brian O'Neil.
Once he retired I had the good fortune to play alongside him in a lunchtime five a side league at the Thompson Centre.Turned out as a "ringer " for us.
Willie was one of my favourite players only behind Brian O'Neil.
Once he retired I had the good fortune to play alongside him in a lunchtime five a side league at the Thompson Centre.Turned out as a "ringer " for us.
Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
I was one of those who eagerly waited for the weekly 'Pink' so I could read of his exploits for the A and B teams. My memory may be a bit clouded with age but every time I checked the A and B results he seemed to have scored a bagful. All of us claret boyhood fans of those times were desperate for him to get into the first team so as to see if his goal scoring exploits would continue there as well.What a player he was , as TC says we have seen nothing like him before and probably never will. A full international before he had a first team game under his belt.
On another note did not Morrisey have a reputation as a dirty player even before that awful tackle that effectively ruined Irvine's career?
On another note did not Morrisey have a reputation as a dirty player even before that awful tackle that effectively ruined Irvine's career?
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
That was the game against LiverpoolBaliclaret wrote: ↑Sun Jun 18, 2023 7:42 pmWas that goal in the 2-0 win over Liverpool the same game Ralph Coates got the second with that superb solo run ?
Willie was one of my favourite players only behind Brian O'Neil.
Once he retired I had the good fortune to play alongside him in a lunchtime five a side league at the Thompson Centre.Turned out as a "ringer " for us.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
My dad went to that replay at Goodison with one of his pals -- he was still in a rage about the injury to Willie the following day and confessed they had got into "a bit of a shoving match" with some Evertonians who had been shouting abuse at Willie as he was carried off.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Everton fans shouting abuse - surely notCajun wrote: ↑Sun Jun 18, 2023 9:54 pmMy dad went to that replay at Goodison with one of his pals -- he was still in a rage about the injury to Willie the following day and confessed they had got into "a bit of a shoving match" with some Evertonians who had been shouting abuse at Willie as he was carried off.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Lovely to remember Willie's exploits for the Clarets.
When I joined the RAF in 1966 as a musician I met two fellow musicians from Carrickfergus who had been Willie's next door neighbours. They then introduced me to their sister, who was married to another musician, and who remembered Willie very well.
I met Willie several times when he was doing his hosting at the Turf and mentioned the Adairs to him ---his response was that he hoped that they hadn't told me too much about his early life. Whenever he saw me after our first meeting he always asked me to pass on regards.
Great player and a smashing bloke.
When I joined the RAF in 1966 as a musician I met two fellow musicians from Carrickfergus who had been Willie's next door neighbours. They then introduced me to their sister, who was married to another musician, and who remembered Willie very well.
I met Willie several times when he was doing his hosting at the Turf and mentioned the Adairs to him ---his response was that he hoped that they hadn't told me too much about his early life. Whenever he saw me after our first meeting he always asked me to pass on regards.
Great player and a smashing bloke.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Great memories Tony
Those strong impressions as a football mad 12 year old never leave you.
Or even diminish.
Those strong impressions as a football mad 12 year old never leave you.
Or even diminish.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
My, imperfect, memory tells me that Willie was the League's leading scorer in 1966.
Above World Cup winner, Roger Hunt.
Above World Cup winner, Roger Hunt.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
It was, spoiled slightly at the end by that bizarre Elder own goal which handed Leeds second spot.ClaretTony wrote: ↑Sun Jun 18, 2023 2:03 pmIt was a really good season that’s never really been written about, presumably because we didn’t win anything.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
I may be reading between the lines here but it strikes me that you might be the great man himself. If so, do you remember scoring the winning goal in a League Cup tie at QPR perhaps in 1966? We were 1-0 down, somebody equalised and you got the winner by nutmegging Bobby Keetch and going on to slot the ball home. Such a small ground in those days. I can remember getting in by going through what looked like a garden gate in a fence where you hand over a couple of shillings to someone on the other side to gain entry. I don’t even think they issued tickets.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
CTID isn’t who you think he might be.dermotdermot wrote: ↑Mon Jun 19, 2023 4:24 pmI may be reading between the lines here but it strikes me that you might be the great man himself. If so, do you remember scoring the winning goal in a League Cup tie at QPR perhaps in 1966? We were 1-0 down, somebody equalised and you got the winner by nutmegging Bobby Keetch and going on to slot the ball home. Such a small ground in those days. I can remember getting in by going through what looked like a garden gate in a fence where you hand over a couple of shillings to someone on the other side to gain entry. I don’t even think they issued tickets.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Well I did wonder, CT. Whoever he is, he must think my post a little odd. Oh well.
Do you remember that game? I was only about fourteen at the time. It’s just that I wondered if I was right about the centre half. I knew that he had played for Fulham previously but wasn’t so sure that it was Keetch. QPR were a third division team at the time. I think that it was the year before they won the first ever League Cup final to be played at Wembley.
Do you remember that game? I was only about fourteen at the time. It’s just that I wondered if I was right about the centre half. I knew that he had played for Fulham previously but wasn’t so sure that it was Keetch. QPR were a third division team at the time. I think that it was the year before they won the first ever League Cup final to be played at Wembley.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
He won’t think it odd. He knows Willie better than any of us.dermotdermot wrote: ↑Mon Jun 19, 2023 4:50 pmWell I did wonder, CT. Whoever he is, he must think my post a little odd. Oh well.
Do you remember that game? I was only about fourteen at the time. It’s just that I wondered if I was right about the centre half. I knew that he had played for Fulham previously but wasn’t so sure that it was Keetch. QPR were a third division team at the time. I think that it was the year before they won the first ever League Cup final to be played at Wembley.
I remember the game but wasn’t there.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
Played on April 23rd 1966, my 14 th birthday if I recall correctly. Same game Tommy Smith went in very hard on Willie Irvine. Thought he'd got away with it but Gordon Harris made sure that wasn't going to happen.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
You wouldn’t try it on with Gordon Harris if you had any sense.Silkyskills1 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 19, 2023 6:24 pmPlayed on April 23rd 1966, my 14 th birthday if I recall correctly. Same game Tommy Smith went in very hard on Willie Irvine. Thought he'd got away with it but Gordon Harris made sure that wasn't going to happen.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
A few may have tried but he was a hard player and a firm favourite of mine. When we had him, Brian O'Neil and Andy Lochhead as outfield players they could play any way the opposition wanted.ClaretTony wrote: ↑Mon Jun 19, 2023 6:37 pmYou wouldn’t try it on with Gordon Harris if you had any sense.
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Re: ARTICLE: Our greatest ever goalscorer
I was standing in the enclosure towards the Bee Hole End. I had the perfect view of the imperfect moment. Blacklaw was moving towards him as the ball left Eler's foot, went over his head and hit the base of the far post and went in. At least, that's how I remember it, Tony.ClaretTony wrote: ↑Mon Jun 19, 2023 3:54 pmBeyond bizarre too. I was talking to him a few years ago and he said he was asked about that own goal more than anything.