Kevin Ball

[durhamclaret]

Don’t know if it made the news down your way but Kevin gonna get yer Ball has been awarded the Freeman of the City of Sunderland, well done Bally and well deserved.

[bobinho]

I reckon he’ll drink for free in this town after “that” tackle…

Good player was Bally.

[ClaretTony]

Absolutely adored in Sunderland. Not sure what went wrong when they got rid of him at the club a couple of years ago though.

[Roosterbooster]

I reckon he’ll drink for free in this town after “that” tackle…

Good player was Bally.

I've never understood why so many people were happy with that tackle

1-0 down against our bitter rivals. Haven't played them in years. He suddenly takes out Dunn with no intention of winning the ball, and a guaranteed red. It was embarrassing. No chance of salvaging a draw after that

Why would that make people happy? He lost his rag and potentially cost us. He should have been shamed for that behaviour

[IanMcL]

Congrats to Kevin Ball Esquire Freeman of Sunderland

[The Hung Juror]

I've never understood why so many people were happy with that tackle

1-0 down against our bitter rivals. Haven't played them in years. He suddenly takes out Dunn with no intention of winning the ball, and a guaranteed red. It was embarrassing. No chance of salvaging a draw after that

Why would that make people happy? He lost his rag and potentially cost us. He should have been shamed for that behaviour

Where do I start with this

[ElectroClaret]

Where do I start with this

Whilst I fully understand Roosterboosters point (of course he's right) it was bloody hilarious at the time.

[groove]

We were miles behind them at the time. It was an edgy, electric atmosphere. The Ball tackle to me was like sticking one to the man. As if to say "We're still here, we're still you're biggest enemy". It wasn't a career ender so no harm done.

[ClaretTony]

Whilst I fully understand Roosterboosters point (of course he's right) it was bloody hilarious at the time.

It was a horror tackle but I'm not certain is was anything but a wild challenge making some attempt at getting the ball.

Bally always tells the story that he went home cursing his luck at being sent off and picking up a suspension. He got home and said to his son Luke (who thought dad could do no wrong) that he was now going to be suspended. Luke told him he was fortunate not to be going to prison, it was that bad.

Got to know him, an absolute top, top bloke is Bally. A word of warning, if you ever meet him and he offers a handshake, politely decline, it's like putting your hand into a vice.

[Enola Gay]

I've never understood why so many people were happy with that tackle

1-0 down against our bitter rivals. Haven't played them in years. He suddenly takes out Dunn with no intention of winning the ball, and a guaranteed red. It was embarrassing. No chance of salvaging a draw after that

Why would that make people happy? He lost his rag and potentially cost us. He should have been shamed for that behaviour

Absolutely 100% this.

[ŽižkovClaret]

I've never understood why so many people were happy with that tackle

1-0 down against our bitter rivals. Haven't played them in years. He suddenly takes out Dunn with no intention of winning the ball, and a guaranteed red. It was embarrassing. No chance of salvaging a draw after that

Why would that make people happy? He lost his rag and potentially cost us. He should have been shamed for that behaviour

Simply put, because some elements of our fanbase were, and remain, mouth breathing knuckle dragging neanderthals

[Roosterbooster]

We were miles behind them at the time. It was an edgy, electric atmosphere. The Ball tackle to me was like sticking one to the man. As if to say "We're still here, we're still you're biggest enemy". It wasn't a career ender so no harm done.

Maybe a better way would have been to keep 11 men on the pitch and try and get a draw

[IPAclaret]

ŽižkovClaret post_
Simply put, because some elements of our fanbase were, and remain, mouth breathing knuckle dragging neanderthals
[/quote]

Yes because no other fanbase throughout the country would cheer if the clown-in-chief of your most hated enemy gets clattered in a big derby game.

Only Burnley fans would do this cos we're all neanderthals. All other fans are so well behaved and respectful. All of them.

[ŽižkovClaret]

Yes because no other fanbase throughout the country would cheer if the clown-in-chief of your most hated enemy gets clattered in a big derby game.
Only Burnley fans would do this cos we're all neanderthals. All other fans are so well behaved and respectful. All of them.

You're going to have to point out to me where i said the problem isn't the same at many, many other clubs.

I'll wait.

[IPAclaret]

Zizkov

Don't bother waiting, just get on with your life it's much more fulfilling.

Also, don't bother jumping on the 'let's-slag-Burnley-fans-off-at-every-opportunity '' band wagon that unfortunately exists on here.

Have a good evening.

[BurnleyFC]

Every Burnley fan wanted to be Bally at that moment in time.

[Big Vinny K]

Simply put, because some elements of our fanbase were, and remain, mouth breathing knuckle dragging neanderthals

That may well be the case but I can assure you there are many more Burnley supporters who don’t fit that description who “enjoyed” that challenge from Kevin Ball.

That’s not the same as saying they wanted David Dunn to get a serious injury or to finish is career. Of course people will say that a challenge like that could have caused serious injury but anyone who has played football or watched it for years at any level will understand that some of the most horrific breaks and injuries can come from innocuous challenges rather than challenges like the one Kevin Ball made.

The reason many Burnley fans enjoyed that challenge was simply because it said something about how much Kevin Ball cared and how he hated losing - especially against our biggest rivals. Yes he harmed our chances of getting a result that day - but that’s not how life works. When you care as much as he did you do stupid things and there are many many cases in football down the years that are similar.

David Dunn was a very very good player at that time - far better than anything we had on the pitch. He was the type of player who could also make inferior opposition look silly. Add to that he was a cocky and arrogant so and so (as many good players are) then for that 5 seconds in the game as he was flying through the air Burnley had the upper hand and Kevin Ball gave us something to celebrate.

We can try and rewrite history and get all purist about it but my opinion is that is how most Burnley fans who were there that day or watching on the TV felt for a few seconds. And looking back I think that’s how a lot of fans still think.

[helmclaret]

Dunn was a top player. Shame injuries and possibly how he looked after himself off the field limited him playing for a top club.

[Claretitus]

Dunn was a top player. Shame injuries and possibly how he looked after himself off the field limited him playing for a top club.

“ I feel like chicken tonight, chicken tonight “!!

[dougcollins]

Was that he same game Le Saux was hit on the bonce, as he took a throw in, by a well-aimed pie?

[Claretitus]

Was that he same game Le Saux was hit on the bonce, as he took a throw in, by a well-aimed pie?

Yeah. He never Saux it coming.

[dougcollins]

Yeah. He never Saux it coming.

Completely wrong, of course.

But hilarious.

[Andreshotboots]

Absolutely 100% this.

Dunn was playing at the Lancashire Cricket League golf day today at Accrington golf club, he's actually a really nice bloke to be honest, he just made the wrong career choices early in his life

[Casper2]

Dunn was playing at the Lancashire Cricket League golf day today at Accrington golf club, he's actually a really nice bloke to be honest, he just made the wrong career choices early in his life

Indeed , choosing to support Rovers being the worst

[Claretitus]

[quote=Andreshotboots post_id=2379518 time=<a href="tel:1721932029">1721932029</a> user_id=1354]
Dunn was playing at the Lancashire Cricket League golf day today at Accrington golf club, he's actually a really nice bloke to be honest, he just made the wrong career choices early in his life

Indeed , choosing to support Rovers being the worst
[/quote]

Especially as his dad is a Claret, even sporting a BFC tattoo on his arm!!

[quoonbeatz]

He did touch the ball first tbf.

[Ashingtonclaret46]

He did touch the ball first tbf.

The right one or the left one or perhaps even ----the football?

[Roosterbooster]

He did touch the ball first tbf.

I think the ball grazes past his left boot. Possibly
But that's only because Dunn gets the pass away, nutmegging Ball, before his left foot even leaves the ground to then land halfway up his leg. It really is a shocker

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Dunn was playing at the Lancashire Cricket League golf day today at Accrington golf club, he's actually a really nice bloke to be honest, he just made the wrong career choices early in his life

He was at a school footy tournament a few years ago presenting trophies as you say nice bloke. Might be wrong but sure I read some of his family are clarets and he used to go on the turf.

Going back to the Ball challenge the atmosphere in that game was always going to bring an incident like that at some point plus we’d missed chances early on from my hazy memory of the game!

[atlantalad]

Honestly don’t understand this primeval desire to injure opposition players. What other sport has this element? Even boxers respect one anther after knocking 7 bells out of each other.

[Big Vinny K]

Honestly don’t understand this primeval desire to injure opposition players. What other sport has this element? Even boxers respect one anther after knocking 7 bells out of each other.

Yeh….never happens in any other sport other than

Boxing
Rugby union
Rugby league
Cricket
Aussie rules
American football
Baseball
Ice hockey
Etc etc

They seem pretty civil with each other in snooker though

[Andreshotboots]

He was at a school footy tournament a few years ago presenting trophies as you say nice bloke. Might be wrong but sure I read some of his family are clarets and he used to go on the turf.

Going back to the Ball challenge the atmosphere in that game was always going to bring an incident like that at some point plus we’d missed chances early on from my hazy memory of the game!

With modern day refereeing and VAR that game could have quite easily finished 8 a side. There were some shocking challenges from both sides all afternoon.

[atlantalad]

Not to be humiliated by a better skilled professional Kevin resorts to his 100,000 years instincts to appease the baying crowd.

IMG_2452.jpeg (381.63 KiB) Viewed 1441 times

[Rowls]

It's possible to view Ball's challenge as an awful AND also to enjoy it in a visceral manner. Isn't that the point of being a football fan?

If you strip all of the animosity and rivalry out of football you're left with nothing of note.

[NottsClaret]

It's a good point about the atmosphere on the day, I know Ball liked a tackle anyway but it was hard not to get caught up in it. The 3-0 derby win recently was great, and obviously a celebratory party vibe. But I don't think the Turf has ever been as hostile as that 0-2 game. If ever a match was a 'powder keg' that was it. As above, there should have been more than one red although nobody was complaining.

Anyway, it's worth remembering Ball for more than that one tackle, he was a top player for us even at the age he was.

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Stan Ternent rated Kevin Ball as his best signing for Burnley.I agree with him.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

It's a good point about the atmosphere on the day, I know Ball liked a tackle anyway but it was hard not to get caught up in it. The 3-0 derby win recently was great, and obviously a celebratory party vibe. But I don't think the Turf has ever been as hostile as that 0-2 game. If ever a match was a 'powder keg' that was it. As above, there should have been more than one red although nobody was complaining.

Anyway, it's worth remembering Ball for more than that one tackle, he was a top player for us even at the age he was.

You could certainly feel the hostile atmosphere in the pubs in town before the game.