Name the most obscure Burnley player

[Bordeauxclaret]

Max Thompson - came on in the first game after the covid break.

Can’t remember ever seeing him again.

[ClaretTony]

Max Thompson - came on in the first game after the covid break.

Can’t remember ever seeing him again.

That was it for Max at Burnley. Had a varied time since. Went to Sunderland and then a club in Slovakia. He was at Queens Park last season.

[distortiondave]

Dele Adebola

[sandy richardson]

What did happen to Tony Arins? Only played once for Leeds and retired in 1982. Was he injured?

[Selby Claret]

John Borland

[Culmclaret]

Shortest ever first team career. Came on for Ashley Hoskin at Cambridge in the last minute and was his only first team appearance.

Difficult to determine now with added minutes but I think we’ve had players come on in stoppage time for their only appearance.

I was at Cambridge but have no recollection of Edwards coming on. Perhaps not surprising in an away game where we were 4-0 up after 35 minutes!

I mentioned Phi Ray on an earlier post. My memory is that he played left back in the opening game of 82/83 at home to Bolton and acquitted himself well in a tame local derby. He looked quite a cultured player and I guess was brought in by Brian Miller thinking that the late great Andy Wharton might struggle to make the step up. That was the last we saw of him. The story was that he was homesick for his native Wallsend and went home never to return, although I don’t think he was released until a couple of years later.

[Guller Bull]

He played over 30 games for us though and then went to Leeds

He did but just felt like that debut was the pinnacle before fading into relatively quick obscurity.

[Culmclaret]

Brian Chippendale

[blatherwickstattoos]

Dane Richards

The South American winger Coyle signed too forget his name

[Enola Gay]

Charlie Bishop
Leigh Palin
Karl Bermingham
John O’Kane

[NottsClaret]

I was going to go for Nick Pickering, but he's not really obscure, despite only making a few appearances about 30 years ago.

Anyone who was there in the 90s will remember the LET headline: 'Clarets sign England international'.

[jedi_master]

Phil Gray is one I always find weird. We signed him on a free after we got promoted in 2000 (and I remember being impressed that we had a FULL, current Northern Irish international playing for us - how times have changed!) and he scored on his debut away at Bolton in our first game in the Championship (Division 1, as it was) under Stan. He only played about three more games or something then got shipped out. Wonder what the story was there.

[Goobs]

John Borland

It was Borland and Doug Hodgeson who were the two that immediately came to my mind.

Others were Colin Carr-Lawton and Ian Duerden

[andyh]

Richard Overson, brother of Vinnie

[Down_Rover]

Recently… Dane Richards.only player to be distributed in his only appearance

Going back a bit… Andy McCluggage

[ClaretsPadiham]

Danny Karbassiyoon

[Tall Paul]

Wayne Dowell

[claretabroad]

Leigh Palin

[claretonthecoast1882]

Leigh Palin

[ClaretTony]

I was at Cambridge but have no recollection of Edwards coming on. Perhaps not surprising in an away game where we were 4-0 up after 35 minutes!

I mentioned Phi Ray on an earlier post. My memory is that he played left back in the opening game of 82/83 at home to Bolton and acquitted himself well in a tame local derby. He looked quite a cultured player and I guess was brought in by Brian Miller thinking that the late great Andy Wharton might struggle to make the step up. That was the last we saw of him. The story was that he was homesick for his native Wallsend and went home never to return, although I don’t think he was released until a couple of years later.

He did just play the one game against Bolton but I thought it was at right back.

The reason he left was through being homesick.

[claretonthecoast1882]

He did just play the one game against Bolton but I thought it was at right back.

The reason he left was through being homesick.

Was John Clayton our player or a loan signing ?

I remember him scoring (i think a free kick against Huddersfield) in a game and can't remember much else.

[boyyanno]

Duane Courtney- I met him in a professional capacity recently and he was a really nice guy.

I remember him looking like bambi on ice playing for us though.

[fidelcastro]

There was a lad whose surname was Pilkington, who came on as sub in one game under Cotterill (I think!). As soon as play re-started after the sub, the ref blew for full time.

I don't think he made another appearance.

[fidelcastro]

Was John Clayton our player or a loan signing ?

I remember him scoring (i think a free kick against Huddersfield) in a game and can't remember much else.

He was our player. Only three appearances for us in total though. Another one of Mullen's signings that always tended to be crocked!

[ClaretTony]

Was John Clayton our player or a loan signing ?

I remember him scoring (i think a free kick against Huddersfield) in a game and can't remember much else.

Signed him permanently. Not much to remember to be honest other than that goal. Just four appearances and a week after the goal he was substituted in the 4-0 defeat at Bolton and that was his fourth and last.

[Fretters]

Phil Gray is one I always find weird. We signed him on a free after we got promoted in 2000 (and I remember being impressed that we had a FULL, current Northern Irish international playing for us - how times have changed!) and he scored on his debut away at Bolton in our first game in the Championship (Division 1, as it was) under Stan. He only played about three more games or something then got shipped out. Wonder what the story was there.

I've always wondered this too. I remember watching an NI game early in the season, just to see an international Burnley player. Then he scored and I was going mental!

[ChrisG]

Ian Duerden

[fidelcastro]

Ian Duerden

Nicknamed "manta" for some strange reason.

[Tall Paul]

There was a lad whose surname was Pilkington, who came on as sub in one game under Cotterill (I think!). As soon as play re-started after the sub, the ref blew for full time.

I don't think he made another appearance.

Joel, I think?

[fidelcastro]

Joel, I think?

That's him.

[ClaretTony]

There was a lad whose surname was Pilkington, who came on as sub in one game under Cotterill (I think!). As soon as play re-started after the sub, the ref blew for full time.

I don't think he made another appearance.

Debuted under Stan and played one more for Cotterill - both as a sub. And as mentioned above, first name Joel.

[ŽižkovClaret]

Wayne Russell

[fidelcastro]

David Campbell (I remember being excited we'd signed a former international!)

[Jambounchained]

Mark Randall

[fidelcastro]

Who remembers Carl Smith?

He wasn't as good as his namesake Paul.

[claretsmart]

Aiden O'Neill

[gandhisflipflop]

Aleksandr Solovjovs.


If anyone can remember him without googling, fair play.

[Rowls]

Phil Gray is one I always find weird. We signed him on a free after we got promoted in 2000 (and I remember being impressed that we had a FULL, current Northern Irish international playing for us - how times have changed!) and he scored on his debut away at Bolton in our first game in the Championship (Division 1, as it was) under Stan. He only played about three more games or something then got shipped out. Wonder what the story was there.

I remember Stan saying on the radio something along the lines of, "He's wants a guaranteed starting place and we can't offer him that."

Whether that's all there is/was to the story is another matter but it was an odd one.

[Rowls]

Aleksandr Solovjovs.


If anyone can remember him without googling, fair play.

Remember him pee season Vs glentoran. Played the game that Owen coyle scored. Latvian, I think?

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

If we are throwing in players that never played then I'll throw in...
Jimmy Glass
Jason Withe

Cyril Eboki Poh

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

Stanislav Varga
Paul Robinson
Gareth Farrelly
Dean Bowditch

All loan players that were forgotten almost immediately upon leaving

Varga. Superb.

Around the era of Rhys Williams and Chris Baird.

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

Phil Gray is one I always find weird. We signed him on a free after we got promoted in 2000 (and I remember being impressed that we had a FULL, current Northern Irish international playing for us - how times have changed!) and he scored on his debut away at Bolton in our first game in the Championship (Division 1, as it was) under Stan. He only played about three more games or something then got shipped out. Wonder what the story was there.

#Was going to post something almost word for word

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

Wayne Dowell

Didnt he break his ankle and never play again?

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

John OKane

[Oshkoshclaret]

Not sure if ‘obscure’ is quite the right world but I’d say the most unheralded Burnley player is Billy Nesbitt who had a long pro career with the clarets and was an FA cup winner while being completely deaf.

This is almost unheard of in the entire history of the sport, because hearing is a key part of situational awareness (teammate shouts, knowing where opponents are, etc).

It is an inspiring part of our history that should be better known than it is.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Nesbitt

[ClaretTony]

Aleksandr Solovjovs.


If anyone can remember him without googling, fair play.

Came on trial and played in the friendly at Glentoran in 2008 - eventually went to Nantwich

[Tall Paul]

being completely deaf.

This is almost unheard of

ICWYDT

[Fretters]

Dean Bowditch - I remember seeing him score a hat trick for Ipswich, so I was excited to sign him. I was wrong.

[sjb]

Recently… Dane Richards.only player to be distributed in his only appearance

Going back a bit… Andy McCluggage

Andy McCluggage played over 200 games for us & scored 22 goals as well as winning 13 full caps for Ireland, so hardly obscure to be fair.

[NickBFC]

Paul Mahorn - witnessed his only goal for us at Wycombe, Steve Guinan - remember THAT miss? and Andy Kiwomya.
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