Burnley Players Who Changed Positions

Hipper · Post by **Hipper** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 4:30 pm

On the Martin Dobson thread ecc wrote:

'There have been other players who've changed positions and benefited from it but it's relatively rare (I believe).'

Let's see!

We already know of Dobo, striker to midfield and central defender.

I'll add Geoff Nulty, also striker (was he a full back too?) to midfield.

Herts Clarets · Post by **Herts Clarets** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 4:32 pm

Peter Noble
Roger Eli
Joe Jakub

ChorltonCharlie · Post by **ChorltonCharlie** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 4:35 pm

Some key players in promotion seasons.
JBG (mystifying that VK hardly used him there after)
Wade Elliott
Graham Alexander
Ben Mee
Michael Duff

Last two maybe a bit more subtle changes, but still changed from where they started the majority of games early in their Burnley careers.

IWOODLOVETT · Post by **IWOODLOVETT** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 4:42 pm

How about Graham Branch ?

dougcollins · Post by **dougcollins** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 5:14 pm

Mike Conroy was a CB when we bought him.

ClaretCliff · Post by **ClaretCliff** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 5:16 pm

Colin Blant. Started as centre forward but became more successful as centre half.

claretfern · Post by **claretfern** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 5:20 pm

Think Ian Brennan started as a forward and ended up at Left Back.

Stonehouse · Post by **Stonehouse** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 5:45 pm

Les Latcham from forward to left back famous for marking George Best.

dsr · Post by **dsr** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 6:05 pm

dougcollins wrote: ↑
Wed Dec 04, 2024 5:14 pm
Mike Conroy was a CB when we bought him.

My memory says he was playing left back for Reading - but either way, he was in the defence. As was Roger Eli, of course. Maybe Beyer and Ekdal could play up front when fit!

dsr · Post by **dsr** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 6:06 pm

Andy Farrell changed at least 11 times!

HeatonMoorClaret · Post by **HeatonMoorClaret** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 6:20 pm

Leighton James

boatshed bill · Post by **boatshed bill** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 6:27 pm

John Spicer

Dazzler · Post by **Dazzler** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 6:29 pm

Paul Comstive, Left Back to Midfield.

dougcollins · Post by **dougcollins** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 6:31 pm

dsr wrote: ↑
Wed Dec 04, 2024 6:05 pm
My memory says he was playing left back for Reading - but either way, he was in the defence. As was Roger Eli, of course. Maybe Beyer and Ekdal could play up front when fit!

My Reading mate said he was a CB. Scored something like 7 in 70 for them.

He could be wrong - he's got previous.

Stonehouse · Post by **Stonehouse** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 7:12 pm

Did Dave Thomas start in midfield and move on the wing and Kindon from winger to Centre Forward ?

ClaretTony · Post by **ClaretTony** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 8:45 pm

Stonehouse wrote: ↑
Wed Dec 04, 2024 7:12 pm
Did Dave Thomas start in midfield and move on the wing and Kindon from winger to Centre Forward ?

Thomas was a winger who Adamson moved into midfield. He left and returned to the wing where he should have always been playing.

Tricky Trevor · Post by **Tricky Trevor** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 9:23 pm

Bomber Harris, Willie Morgan, Ralph Coates, all wingers that became fantastic CM.
Trevor Steven went the other way, CM to wideman.

ervi34 · Post by **ervi34** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 9:29 pm

Kevin Long at Goodison

The Shire Claret · Post by **The Shire Claret** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 9:37 pm

Andre Bike played in centre mid for us

AmbleClaret · Post by **AmbleClaret** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 9:47 pm

Ginger Pele took an upfront position fron midfield .........bus drivers seat .

colne-claret · Post by **colne-claret** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 9:53 pm

David Edgar

Devils_Advocate · Post by **Devils_Advocate** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 10:02 pm

Coyle moving Alexander into a holding midfield role was a genius move and a key part of that amazing season

steve1264b · Post by **steve1264b** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 10:14 pm

Joe Jakub going from midfield to left back was a masterstroke.
What a season!

warksclaret · Post by **warksclaret** » Wed Dec 04, 2024 10:32 pm

Devils_Advocate wrote: ↑
Wed Dec 04, 2024 10:02 pm
Coyle moving Alexander into a holding midfield role was a genius move and a key part of that amazing season

That’s was Cotteill not Coyle

blatherwickstattoos · Post by **blatherwickstattoos** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 6:56 am

Peter swan
Chris waddle (sweeper lol)
Andre Bikey
Grezza
Duff
Ben mee
Eli
Conroy
Monington
Branch

Bordeauxclaret · Post by **Bordeauxclaret** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 7:55 am

warksclaret wrote: ↑
Wed Dec 04, 2024 10:32 pm
That’s was Cotteill not Coyle

He was awful in midfield under Cotterill. He’d been moved back to right back before Cotterill was sacked.

Hipper · Post by **Hipper** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 9:08 am

Devils_Advocate wrote: ↑
Wed Dec 04, 2024 10:02 pm
Coyle moving Alexander into a holding midfield role was a genius move and a key part of that amazing season

My understanding was that Cotterill brought in Alexander for midfield but had to use him as full back because of Duff's injury. He was generally past that as he was too slow and was poor. Coyle was able to move him to the midfield role.

Hipper · Post by **Hipper** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 9:14 am

Billy Rodaway - centre back but on his return he sometimes played in midfield.

dsr · Post by **dsr** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 9:23 am

Paul Weller is another who moved from the wing to central midfield.

wilks_bfc · Post by **wilks_bfc** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 9:25 am

Didn’t we move Eyres from winger/forward to wingback?

ecc · Post by **ecc** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 10:11 am

Hipper wrote: ↑
Wed Dec 04, 2024 4:30 pm
On the Martin Dobson thread ecc wrote:

'There have been other players who've changed positions and benefited from it but it's relatively rare (I believe).'

Let's see!

We already know of Dobo, striker to midfield and central defender.

I'll add Geoff Nulty, also striker (was he a full back too?) to midfield.

Hi Hipper,

What I actually meant was a career change i.e. Dobbo started off as a CF but switched to midfield at TM and stayed there.

My sentence wasn't overly clear on that point.

Geoff Nulty was another.

But some of the names put forward were for one match or short periods.

dibraidio · Post by **dibraidio** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 11:12 am

Charlie Taylor.
Gerry Harrison.

GordonvaleClaret · Post by **GordonvaleClaret** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 11:53 am

Ralph Coates pretty poor centre forward in the Reserves, but always ran rings around the rest at training. Then he moved to the left wing and WOW!

bfcmatt · Post by **bfcmatt** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 12:02 pm

Ben Mee

Hipper · Post by **Hipper** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 3:45 pm

ecc wrote: ↑
Thu Dec 05, 2024 10:11 am
Hi Hipper,

What I actually meant was a career change i.e. Dobbo started off as a CF but switched to midfield at TM and stayed there.

My sentence wasn't overly clear on that point.

Geoff Nulty was another.

But some of the names put forward were for one match or short periods.

I must admit I actually thought that's what you meant.

Oh well. This is UTC!

NL Claret · Post by **NL Claret** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 5:18 pm

James Trafford. Apparently he was an outfielder player as a youngster but volunteered to go in goal aged 9 according to Wiki

Fretters · Post by **Fretters** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 5:54 pm

Bordeauxclaret wrote: ↑
Thu Dec 05, 2024 7:55 am
He was awful in midfield under Cotterill. He’d been moved back to right back before Cotterill was sacked.

He didn't get chance to be awful. Our right-back, Duff, got injured soon after we brought in Grezza, so he went back there.

I remember being stunned that we had no natural right-back, then we signed one of the best over the last decade, but Cotterill wasn't planning to use him there. I just couldn't understand it, but that's why I'm not a football manager haha.

Silkyskills1 · Post by **Silkyskills1** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 8:28 pm

GordonvaleClaret wrote: ↑
Thu Dec 05, 2024 11:53 am
Ralph Coates pretty poor centre forward in the Reserves, but always ran rings around the rest at training. Then he moved to the left wing and WOW!

Saw Ralph( he was just 20 years old) change position at Ewood Park. One minute his foot was on the ball, the next he was sat on it. New Year's Day 1966. Magnificent.

Boss Hogg · Post by **Boss Hogg** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 8:53 pm

Mee, Alexander and Eli are the most memorable for me. Noble before that. All were arguably far better in their changed positions for us.

Cirrus_Minor · Post by **Cirrus_Minor** » Thu Dec 05, 2024 8:56 pm

I have a memory of Alan Stevenson playing centre forward during an England U21 game due to an outfield injury. Could be wrong and maybe dreamt it.

Devils_Advocate · Post by **Devils_Advocate** » Fri Dec 06, 2024 1:12 am

Hipper wrote: ↑
Thu Dec 05, 2024 9:08 am
My understanding was that Cotterill brought in Alexander for midfield but had to use him as full back because of Duff's injury. He was generally past that as he was too slow and was poor. Coyle was able to move him to the midfield role.

You thought wrong then. Cotterill was so defensive that at times he played 5 defenders and had Alexander in a sort of midfield role but as Bordeaux said Cotterill predominately played him as an RB and in the proceeding games before Cotterill got the boot he was firmly playing him as a RB

There was even an article with Alexander where he specifically credited Coyle for prolonging his career by moving him into that holding midfield role. The problem with this messageboard is that people give too much weight to CTs opinion and this is a classic example where he actually accused Alexander of being wrong and that he knew better and that it was Cotterill and not the horrid Coyle who should get the credit

CT has his pet opinions which he pushes on this board but a lot of it is just opinion and not quite as factual as he likes to claim and of which people foolishly believe

MeeActon1 · Post by **MeeActon1** » Fri Dec 06, 2024 9:41 am

dsr wrote: ↑
Wed Dec 04, 2024 6:05 pm
My memory says he was playing left back for Reading - but either way, he was in the defence. As was Roger Eli, of course. Maybe Beyer and Ekdal could play up front when fit!

Yes, he was a left back at Reading.