ARTICLE: Jimmy Robson played his cards right

[ClaretTony]

Today's look back at an ex-Clarets takes us to the title winning team of 1959/60 and to Jimmy Robson.

See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/jimmy-robs ... ards-right

[Frenchclaret]

“Above all he really was a lovely man”
This sums him up beautifully. Thank you for a great article about one of our stars of the fifties and sixties.

[Silkyskills1]

Enjoyed that. Jimmy Robson was part of the team I was watching as an awesome struck junior schoolboy. I was on the Longside with my dad the day he notched five v Forest. My eldest brother regularly referred to a goal he scored at Ewood Park in an FA Cup tie, I believe. It was 1-1 and close to the end of the game. My brother was stood with a group.of mates, a mixture of Clarets and them and the tone was that Rovers would take us in the replay. A corner to us, Jimmy rose like a salmon and bulleted a header into their net for the winner. A sweet moment for my brother and his mates. I'm guessing the game was 58/59.

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Wonderful article Tony,about a wonderful guy and a great Burnley player from the fifties and sixties.
I also waited outside the ground on match days for autographs and still have about 40 signed photos from Football Monthly of Jimmy in my scrapbook.
Also remember the 5 goals against Forest and I was on the longside for that game
One of my favourite ever Burnley players

[Cirrus_Minor]

A lovely write up on another of our greatest players. I will have seen him play but I was too young to remember. My dad always used to say that he always seemed to have an uncanny nack of being in the right place when balls came into the box.

[ClaretTony]

“Above all he really was a lovely man”
This sums him up beautifully.

They really don’t come much nicer than Jimmy Robson. Lovely sense of humour but such an unassuming man.

[ClaretTony]

My dad always used to say that he always seemed to have an uncanny nack of being in the right place when balls came into the box.

My dad too and that’s what Jimmy Mac said about him.

[claret59]

In addition to his goal at the FA Cup final did he not have another ruled out for offside ? If true was it debatable?

[ClaretTony]

In addition to his goal at the FA Cup final did he not have another ruled out for offside ? If true was it debatable?

Jimmy always said and believed it was onside

[claretblue]

brilliant article!

[HuncoatClaret]

That article really does sum Jimmy up.
I got to know him when he came to play golf at Towneley, and he would tell his football stories with such enthusiasm.
My favourite one didn't involve Burnley, it was when Jimmy was on a family holiday in Spain and a match was organised against the hotel staff, Jimmy went enthusiastically on to say,
"They guests needed 1 more player and a bloke asked me if I'd ever played football, I told him that I'd played a little bit and that I'd help them out for 60 mins then I need a rest. Well, I played centre half, we were drawing 2-2 on the hour mark and the rest of the team would not let me be subbed, and by now, I really wanted to beat these waiters. We got the winner with 2 mins to go, and after in the bar, one of my team asked me who I had played for, I was a little embarrassed, but then I had to tell them all about my career and who I was".

[Burnleyareback2]

I dont always comment on these articles Tony, way before my time as a Burnley fan but I thoroughly enjoy them.

Thank you

[ClaretTony]

Thanks everyone for the comments and I was thrilled to get the seal of approval from his daughter Dany.

Now I’ll have to decide which player next.

[beeholeclaret]

Great tribute CT, brought a lump to my throat. I remember meeting Jimmy in the early 1990’s when he called in at my place of work. He was quietly spoken on that occasion and happy to chat about BFC of course.

[Vino blanco]

I saw Jimmy Robson play many times for Burnley in the glory days and although he didn’t have the class of Mac, the speed and agility of Pointer, the technique and shooting ability of Connelly, he had the uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time when his team needed him. He could head a ball with power, he could shoot from distance with both feet, and was a genuine Fox in the box. A lovely guy and an integral part of possibly our best ever team.

[Suratclaret]

Fantastic article which brought back a host of wonderful memories. One of my favourite players of the championship winning side.

[Baliclaret]

Good to read these articles, Tony.

Kids going on the Turf today will reminisce in many years time on "Up the Clarets" or some other guise, whatever that will be. They will enthuse over Zaroury, Benson and Tella. In my day it was Mac, Pointer, Connelly and Robson.
Like Tony, I stood outside the old Brunshaw Rd stand waiting for autographs from our "heroes ". Stood at the front of the Enclosure with my bobcap,scarf and rattle.

Albeit infrequently now, I sit on the Longside looking over the same view of Crown Point remembering matches, players, nightclubs to go to later as games were always on Saturday..Turf Moor remains a constant theme.

As to Jimmy, I recall his goal in the '62 Final. As a 10 year old sat next to a Spurs kid my age ( no segregation in those days) I was still jumping up and down when Bobby Smith scored at the other end and figured it was time to sit down !

[Silkyskills1]

Good to read these articles, Tony.




As to Jimmy, I recall his goal in the '62 Final. As a 10 year old sat next to a Spurs kid my age ( no segregation in those days) I was still jumping up and down when Bobby Smith scored at the other end and figured it was time to sit down !

I was 10 years old,too, but sat at home in front of the telly. I was also jumping up.and down still when Bobby Smith scored at the end a minute later. It's true; it's the hope that kills you.

[Royboyclaret]

I was 10 years old,too, but sat at home in front of the telly. I was also jumping up.and down still when Bobby Smith scored at the end a minute later. It's true; it's the hope that kills you.

Not that many goals that live long in the memory, but that one just a few yards from the Burnley fans, was a difficult one to take, and
,for me, as a 15 year old, will stay with me forever.

We were equals to Tottenham in every respect, but on the big day we fell short...Try asking Jimmy Mac.

[sjb]

Enjoyed that. Jimmy Robson was part of the team I was watching as an awesome struck junior schoolboy. I was on the Longside with my dad the day he notched five v Forest. My eldest brother regularly referred to a goal he scored at Ewood Park in an FA Cup tie, I believe. It was 1-1 and close to the end of the game. My brother was stood with a group.of mates, a mixture of Clarets and them and the tone was that Rovers would take us in the replay. A corner to us, Jimmy rose like a salmon and bulleted a header into their net for the winner. A sweet moment for my brother and his mates. I'm guessing the game was 58/59.

It was indeed 58/9 - played on a Wednesday after the original game at been abandoned at half time on the previous Saturday owing to a frozen pitch. Jimmy Mac scored our equaliser & as you say Robson got the winner 2 minutes from time. We ended up going out to Villa on the Turf in a replay.

[Royboyclaret]

As for Jimmy Robo......what is there left to say ?......brilliant article from the main man.

Never met him personally, apart from the odd autograph skirmish down Gawthorpe when I should have been at school at St. Matthews ( just a quarter of a mile away) in Pad.

Mac will tell you all there is to know......Picture the scene, second-half at the Turf (always attacking our favourite Cricket Field end).......Mac drops his shoulder on the bye-line......
and takes two/three opposition defenders out of the game ......and there's Robo who somehow finds a yard of space in front of the remaining defenders for a a tap in at the near post......Simple but so effective......the perfect front-line of Connelly, Mac, Pointer, Robo & Pilky.....in front of Angus, Elder, Adamson, Cummings & Miller......seriously doesn't get much better.

[Royboyclaret]

This is turning into a classic......someone is screaming down the phone at me, "But yeah, what about the Halley, Boyle and Watson and the Champions of 1920/21 and all those goals from Bob Kelly and Joe Anderson."

What a classic game that would have been between the '20'21 Champions and those of '59/60.

Can you call the winner ?

[FCBurnley]

Was lucky enough to watch the vast majority of Jimmy’s Burnley appearances but only really got to know him well at Rochdale and Huddersfield. Not going to go into great detail but I will say that the last line of the article is a perfect summary. I am proud to have known him as a friend and colleague He was always a Claret

[Royboyclaret]

Was lucky enough to watch the vast majority of Jimmy’s Burnley appearances but only really got to know him well at Rochdale and Huddersfield. Not going to go into great detail but I will say that the last line of the article is a perfect summary. I am proud to have known him as a friend and colleague He was always a Claret

FCBurnley.....you will know as well as anybody (even from afar), that perfect symmetry that comprises the ideal line-up......Is it possible to call a winner between the '20/'21 Champions and those of '59/60.....?

[FCBurnley]

FCBurnley.....you will know as well as anybody (even from afar), that perfect symmetry that comprises the ideal line-up......Is it possible to call a winner between the '20/'21 Champions and those of '59/60.....?

Sadly I just missed 20/21 but my parents were born in 1920 if that helps

[Frenchclaret]

I met Jimmy Robson in the club shop where I was introduced to him by (an old school) friend. I was taken by surprise and all I could say was “you don’t look as tall as I remember”. I had forgotten that I had shot up to six feet or so and that I remembered him from when I was much smaller. Well, he put me at ease and said of course he wasn’t as tall as he had been but even so I was much taller than him. Then we got to reminiscing about his goals and the Wembley one. I said that I thought his disallowed goal should have stood because he was in his own half when he began his run onto the ball played ahead of him. He totally agreed but wasn’t bitter about it. Typically he was a gentleman who had no complaints about the decision and when we parted I was so glad to have met him and agree totally with all the complimentary things said about him above.

[Royboyclaret]

Sadly I just missed 20/21 but my parents were born in 1920 if that helps

Fine, but from memory, you have made many references to Tommy Boyle and his team over the years......Do you have have an opinion over which team might have come out on top over a season's games ?

[FCBurnley]

Fine, but from memory, you have made many references to Tommy Boyle and his team over the years......Do you have have an opinion over which team might have come out on top over a season's games ?

If that’s a serious question then my answer would be that I think it is impossible to compare teams ( and players ) from different eras. All I can say is that our 20/21 and 59/60 teams were the best in England at that time. Just as our 2022/23 team were the best in The Championship last season. Not sure that will answer your question

[Royboyclaret]

If that’s a serious question then my answer would be that I think it is impossible to compare teams ( and players ) from different eras. All I can say is that our 20/21 and 59/60 teams were the best in England at that time. Just as our 2022/23 team were the best in The Championship last season. Not sure that will answer your question

Not really......but thanks anyway for your time.

[ClaretTony]

Was lucky enough to watch the vast majority of Jimmy’s Burnley appearances but only really got to know him well at Rochdale and Huddersfield. Not going to go into great detail but I will say that the last line of the article is a perfect summary. I am proud to have known him as a friend and colleague He was always a Claret

That last line I thought fit him perfectly.

[Royboyclaret]

Just prefer Tommy Boyle over Tommy Cummings over a last minute heading winner, so there we are, 1-0 to '20/'21.

[Elizabeth]

Really enjoyed the article and sad that his life was taken after dementia set in. Remember reading his daughter's account of his illness in the Burnley Express when she realised the illness was starting. Jimmy would forget where he'd parked his car down town and would ring her to ask her to come down and help him find it.
A terrible illness which also speeded up the end of Harry Potts' life. Harry would be in the streets during the night knocking on doors asking if anyone fancied a game of football
Take care everybody and make the best of your life.

[ClaretPete001]

Lovely article and I can also concur that Jimmy Robson was a very nice man. He used to take me and other local kids to the games when he was a player or trainer for Bury. It's a long time ago now...

God knows why he must have had enough on his plate but he did.

In those days, the the players lived in the town. Jimmy's kids went to Rosehill Junior and were likely taught by Mrs Strong who was the wife of Jimmy Strong who played for the club in the 40s and 50s.

Mick Docherty lived around the corner for a period and occasionally would play on Tillies field opposite the Bull and Butcher with the kids from the Rosehill area.

I guess we kind of knew who he was but he was just Gav's dad to us and was well liked by everyone.

[ClaretTony]

Really enjoyed the article and sad that his life was taken after dementia set in. Remember reading his daughter's account of his illness in the Burnley Express when she realised the illness was starting. Jimmy would forget where he'd parked his car down town and would ring her to ask her to come down and help him find it.
A terrible illness which also speeded up the end of Harry Potts' life. Harry would be in the streets during the night knocking on doors asking if anyone fancied a game of football
Take care everybody and make the best of your life.

Harry suffered with Parkinson’s Disease and that led to his dementia sadly. I recall his wife Margaret telling me about how he was towards the end.