There'll be some who went onto greater things after they left us (Phelan, Steven, Dixon, etc)
And there will be some who we had the tail end of their careers (Mitchell Thomas, Ian Wright, Paul Gascoigne)

But the ones who are really interesing are the ones we had who could have made it to the top with us if only they hadn't been playing with donkeys and journeymen.

I'll start us with an obvious one:

Andy Payton

Listen to the Glen Little podcast and you can still hear the disbelief in Glen's voice that Payts was playing at third tier level. It was crazy.

Here was a striker who had willingly left Celtic, had been scoring regularly at 2nd Division level and yet got shunted down rather than up.

Perhaps it's because he proved a bit more difficult to man-manage than the average player? Who knows? But there was nothing average about Andy Payton. It was a pleasure and a privilege to watch him play for Burnley.

Knowing he is a Burnley fan is the best explanation. Seeing that fight and passion on display from Payton every week was brilliant.

Trevor Stephen?

Glen Little

Ben Gibson

CFS wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 09, 2020 7:35 pm

Ben Gibson

Glen Little for me

I'd have Give Tony Hancock Half hour....maybe.

CFS wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 09, 2020 7:35 pm

Ben Gibson

I understand anyone wanting to block that Boxing Day 1st half against Everton from the memory

David Eyres.

Could Paul Cook have made it or am i being a bit misty-eyed?

Not misty eyed RB, specsavers maybe

Van Der schaaf

Steve Davis.

Diego Penny. Wasn't he only one injury away?

Chester Perry wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 09, 2020 7:32 pm

Trevor Stephen?

I'll go for Trevor Steven

Charlie Austin

Volvoclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 09, 2020 8:51 pm

Not misty eyed RB, specsavers maybe

I was in my teens when he played for us so I should have had a decent understanding of the game but maybe not!!! He always seemed a very cultured player who had time on the ball, but obviously lacked an engine.

Derek Scott

Tommy Hutchison

I know technically he played a few games, but I still think Chris McCann could have had a decent career in the PL if not for his injury.

Also, John McGreal wouldn't have looked out of place in a side at the top of the championship.

John Deary, better than Grealish & Fred put together

Mark Pugh?

Steve Kindon
Gordon Harris
Ralph Coates
Steve Taylor
Leighton James.

Rileybobs wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 09, 2020 8:38 pm

Could Paul Cook have made it or am i being a bit misty-eyed?

Played in the Premier League so not misty eyed at all - outstanding player, just a shame we didn't get him at Burnley when he was younger.

Payts and Super Glen are the two that immediately spring to mind, but Adie Randall was also a supremely talented footballer.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 09, 2020 10:16 pm

Played in the Premier League so not misty eyed at all - outstanding player, just a shame we didn't get him at Burnley when he was younger.

Just checked that, for Coventry? Wasn’t aware of that!

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 09, 2020 10:16 pm

Played in the Premier League so not misty eyed at all - outstanding player, just a shame we didn't get him at Burnley when he was younger.

Would probably have needed 'Dynamico Deary' alongside him

Billy Hamilton.

Pre-injury Paul Smith. Looked to be a real prosepect.

Phil Malley could have. Northern Premier!

(I've nothing against Malley. Made the absolute most of his limited talent, and when you have a side as poor as that was, a man who never gives up is essential.)

I think Payton could have as well. Always found it disappointing that he didn't play much of a role in the '00/'01 season. I can remember us at Palace in that season, and when Payton came on the game changed. We robbed them. Same season we were behind in the League Cup, and he came on and scored two or three goals to win the game. I'm sure Ternent had his reasons, but it's a shame, as he was such a talent.

Alan Moore is one who springs to mind,bags of ability,but no application,and a constant sicknote,Glen Little definitely could have been a decent top level player for us,he featured in the PL for Bolton,Portsmouth(who he played in Europe with) i didn't know that,and finally Reading,i felt his injury record wasn't the best at Burnley,but 246 appearances suggest different.

Jack Wiltshire had our board had some Kahooners first time round

David Johnson
Andy Gray
Tony Grant
Drissa Diallo

boatshed bill wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 09, 2020 9:00 pm

Diego Penny. Wasn't he only one injury away?

he played against Wigan in 2009

...Beast went off following a weak attempt at preventing a goal - appeared to feign injury!

Penny was sub many times!

Jean Louis Valois

Gary Cahill

Gareth Taylor

Marlon Beresford

The first name that came into my head was Steve Davis.

There’s some awful shouts in here

Richard Chaplow

Burnley1989 wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 10, 2020 8:05 am

There’s some awful shouts in here

Definitely some misty eyes about.

Already mentioned but I’d have liked to see Randell with more time on the ball and more motivation. There was a great footballer in there somewhere.

I'm not sure about Payton tbh. I don't think he was quite up to the top level. He didn't pull up any trees in the Championship for us.

claretblue wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 10, 2020 12:26 am

he played against Wigan in 2009

...Beast went off following a weak attempt at preventing a goal - appeared to feign injury!

Penny was sub many times!

Forgot he actually got on.
He was terrible.

Anyone from the 60s.....

jrgbfc wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:31 am

I'm not sure about Payton tbh. I don't think he was quite up to the top level. He didn't pull up any trees in the Championship for us.

I think that you're doing Andy Payton a disservice there. He was a goal scorer and would've scored goals in the Premier league given chance.

Claret Till I Die wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 10, 2020 11:02 am

I think that you're doing Amdy Payton a disservice there. He was a goal scorer and would've scored goals in the Premier league given chance.

Maybe, would have been interesting to see him get the chance in his prime. Apart from Charlie Austin and Chris Wood i think he's rhe best natural goalscorer I've seen in my time supporting us.

Tony Morley

jrgbfc wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 10, 2020 11:11 am

Maybe, would have been interesting to see him get the chance in his prime. Apart from Charlie Austin and Chris Wood i think he's rhe best natural goalscorer I've seen in my time supporting us.

Again its opinions but to me he is far more of a natural goalscorer than Chris Wood. Granted Wood will score goals but there is a difference between someone who scores goals and a goalscorer.