Who in your opinion is the best attacking/ goalscoring header of a ball in a Claret shirt of the last 40 years?

I'm I sentimental old fool, so I'm obviously going to say Billy Boy

THEWELLERNUT70 wrote:Who in your opinion is the best attacking/ goalscoring header of a ball in a Claret shirt of the last 40 years?

I'm I sentimental old fool, so I'm obviously going to say Billy Boy

Not sure how Gareth Taylor or Sam Vokes made your final three.

Billy Hamilton all day long.

Gareth Taylor by a country mile from them 3 but none of them were near Andy Lochhead.

They are both (Billy & Sam) 1 in 4 merchants, but Sam has done it at a higher level. So, Sam gets my vote.

I would have said Taylor, and I agree with paulus's nomination of Andy Lochhead. I am puzzled by tybfc's post.

Paul Fletcher

Dazzler wrote:Paul Fletcher

Forgot about him. He was a brilliant header of a football.

Far too young to remember Hamilton, so in my times watching us, Gareth Taylor was quality in the air. A Sean Dyche wet dream.

Billy for me .

Different eras and all had their abilities but Paul Fletcher for me !

Fletcher and Hamilton a lot more mobile than Vokes and Taylor. Could get into positions better.

Fletcher for his size best header of goals I have seen.He had the ability to outjump bigger cbs with impeccable timing.Billy for his demolition of Tottenham in our cup win aided by 2 excellent Graham Roberts ogs.Sam has the next place unlucky not to get a hat trick on Saturday

Taylor for me. Front or Back Post, he was lethal. Vokes is a good header of the ball, no doubt, but he scores a fair amount with his feet, too. He’s quite crafty from the Penalty Spot as well; I don’t think he’s missed one for us.

Thought Austin was as good as most at attacking the ball. Admittedly he was being supplied by Trippier!

I wondered why nobody had mentioned Austin.

Although his magic was finding the right position and timing it right to make the header look easy.

Quickenthetempo wrote:I wondered why nobody had mentioned Austin.

Although his magic was finding the right position and timing it right to make the header look easy.

That's what goalscorers do - they seem to know where to go and when. Irvine, Payton and Austin are the three best I've seen at Burnley.

As for heading, which is what this thread is, I'd look no further than Fletcher.

Billy Hamilton was at his best when charging through the defence, ball at his feet.
Fletch/Lochhead neck and neck for me.

But certainly, in recent years, possibly the last two decades, Sam is unsurpassed.
Wonderful accurate placing of the ball from his forehead. As he keeps showing.

ClaretTony wrote:That's what goalscorers do - they seem to know where to go and when. Irvine, Payton and Austin are the three best I've seen at Burnley.

As for heading, which is what this thread is, I'd look no further than Fletcher.

Yeah, to a certain degree. It's who you would like to be on the end of that chance.

I didn't see the older players but Taylor would win the most headers but Austin was more clinical.

I wonder who has the most headed goals for Burnley?

Edited to add Paul Fletcher into the threads title

Quickenthetempo wrote:Yeah, to a certain degree. It's who you would like to be on the end of that chance.

I didn't see the older players but Taylor would win the most headers but Austin was more clinical.

I wonder who has the most headed goals for Burnley?

That's a very good question. Who did score most headed goals?

One of my favourite goals for the Clarets was scored by Hamilton in the FA Cup v Altrincham. It was the 1st time I'd ever seen a full length, horizontal, diving header "live" .I still have a Burnley Express photo of it somewhere

During my time watching the Clarets, on heading ability alone has to be Paul Fletcher.
(Never saw Andy Lochhead, just before I started watching).

Fletch.
He'd seemingly still be up there waiting for the ball when the defender(s) were on the way back down!
Brilliant header of a football.

Difficult over time to make an accurate judgement but instinctively it's Fletcher for me.

THEWELLERNUT70 wrote:That's a very good question. Who did score most headed goals?

One of my favourite goals for the Clarets was scored by Hamilton in the FA Cup v Altrincham. It was the 1st time I'd ever seen a full length, horizontal, diving header "live" .I still have a Burnley Express photo of it somewhere

Talking about full length headers reminds me of a brilliant one from Andy Lochhead at Arsenal in the 60's I think crossed by Willie Morgan, I can remember it as if it happened yesterday such was the impact. I have a picture of it from one of the national papers but my scanner is out of commission at the moment otherwise I'd post it.

I can also remember the silence of the crowd at the sheer stunning brilliance of the goal. Andy Lochhead was by far the best header of a ball I have ever seen in an era when there were quite a few around.

Buxtonclaret wrote:Fletch.
He'd seemingly still be up there waiting for the ball when the defender(s) were on the way back down!
Brilliant header of a football.

Was nicknamed Kestrel for a time because of his ability to seemingly hang in the air.

All good in there own way. However from the list it's a no brainer Paul Fletcher operated on a different level to the other 3. Just for the record IMO Andy Lochhead was the best header of a ball I've seen in a Claret shirt. How effective Andy would be in the modern game is open to debate, but I doubt the whistle being too far from the ref's lips most of the time. He used to give defenders a torrid time.

Billy Hamilton. When he scored with his head he seemed to put the defenders in the back of the net along with the ball.

Sam Vokes.

Sam has everything, power, positioning, height, and an awareness of the angle he needs, he is my choice.

tybfc wrote:Not sure how Gareth Taylor or Sam Vokes made your final three.

Billy Hamilton all day long.

you are joking about sam vokes i assume , he is head and shoulders above the others.

Fletcher - a very good player in a very good team.

You used to hear the phrase 'an ability to hang in the air' he seemed to have that. He also generated a lot of power too from getting into a position where, more often than not, he made a near perfect contact.

The other three are all goods shouts, certainly the best of their respective eras.

Although not in the same class overall as those mentioned above Roger Eli's header past Peter Shilton in an FA Cup tie v Derby is a goal that lives long in the memory.

Once nutmegged Andy Lochead in a charity match, two seconds later all went dark.

One of the most well known incidents involving Lochhead was at the turf when Bremner had been putting it about a bit too much when Lochhead seized his chance when Bremner ended rolling about on the deck in apparent agony.
Having checked that the officials were'nt looking his way Andy proceeded to stamp all over Bremner and wipe his boots on his shirt.

I heard this some years before I actually met Andy when he was steward at the Ighten Mount,when I asked him if he could confirm it he told us with a contented smile

Edit

Rubstuds wrote:Once nutmegged Andy Lochead in a charity match, two seconds later all went dark.

Brilliant!

what about ron the sock

If we're talking about headers of a ball then Andy Lochead was the best IMHO. In terms of the most effective centre forward then Paul Fletcher was most likely the best. In terms of an out and out goal scorer then I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Andy Payton. He was pretty lethal in front of goal.

paulus the woodgnome wrote:They are both (Billy & Sam) 1 in 4 merchants, but Sam has done it at a higher level. So, Sam gets my vote.

Unless you are playing Spain in the World Cup finals

Andy Lochead would have made the list if he'd have played for Burnley in the last 40 years

The names I put together for the thread are those that played for Burnley in my time as a supporter. I'd have loved to have seen Andy play but I'm a little too young unfortunately

Another vote here for Fletch. Ist claret I remember seeing was Gordon Harris in mid 60s but can't remember if he was as good as Fletch though.

Fletcher

Love these threads how some posters struggle with the concept of an opinion !

For me it was Fletcher because he did it at a higher level for longer than Taylor and Hamilton.
Think Taylor was a really under rated player for us and as somebody said SD would have loved him as he was great in both boxes.

In recent times Sam is the best header of a ball we have for a while, closely followed by Austin. The header Vokes scored for Wales v Belgium is one of the best headed goals I have ever seen.

When I watched Chris Wood away at Anfield last year totally dominate their centre backs in the air I thought we might have a real player on our hands. After the last 6 months or so of watching him I think he would be hard pushed to beat Jimmy Cranky in the air !!

ANDY LOCHHEAD

Definitely Fletcher the way he hung in the air was quite remarkable

As the OP asked for one of the four mentioned, and in a heading capacity, I have to say it’s a big ask to split them. Vokes is good in the air, but I can’t and won’t punish Taylor and Hamilton for playing at a lower level. Fletcher was great, but I only caught the tail end, so I’m afraid I go with my heart on this one...

King Billy. When the ball came in, you just “knew”.

joey13 wrote:Definitely Fletcher the way he hung in the air was quite remarkable

he didnt hang in the air.

Philliskirk scored a few good 'uns with his head

South West Claret. wrote:Talking about full length headers reminds me of a brilliant one from Andy Lochhead at Arsenal in the 60's I think crossed by Willie Morgan, I can remember it as if it happened yesterday such was the impact. I have a picture of it from one of the national papers but my scanner is out of commission at the moment otherwise I'd post it.

I can also remember the silence of the crowd at the sheer stunning brilliance of the goal. Andy Lochhead was by far the best header of a ball I have ever seen in an era when there were quite a few around.

Andy Lochead "Boom!" Vokes and Gareth very Good players.

Lochead

Very difficult to seperate the four in the thread title and they have all made a magnificent contribution to Burnley Football Club.

But Andy Lochhead was on another level.

Wile E Coyote wrote:he didnt hang in the air.

Andy Lochead floated upwards.....the cricketfield terraces it was nearly always there leaping like a salmon to Tottenham's despair...a distant memory it's always alive 1967 Greaves got 1 But Lochead got 2 And Burnley scored. 5!!!