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Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:38 pm
by Mala591
Leading on from thoughts about another thread, which all time Burnley team would be considered the toughest/hardest tackling eleven?

Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:41 pm
by tiger76
Kevin Ball would have to be in that XI.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:43 pm
by durhamclaret
Colin “Chopper” Blant
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:44 pm
by durhamclaret
Also Big bad John Gayle
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:48 pm
by jdrobbo
Roger Eli said you never EVER messed with John Deary.
Ben Mee surely has to be in there? Firm but fair!
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:51 pm
by boatshed bill
Brian O'Neill, he'd be captain.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:52 pm
by ClaretLoup
Andy Lochhead and Adam Blacklaw have to be shoo ins for this.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:52 pm
by Devils_Advocate
Bertie Bee

Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:55 pm
by DomBFC1882
Lenny Johnrose
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:07 pm
by Mala591
Will Bardsley make the team at right back?
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:11 pm
by Bosscat
DomBFC1882 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:55 pm
Lenny Johnrose
🗣 Lennys gonna get ya 🗣
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:12 pm
by huw.Y.WattfromWare
Blacklaw
Angus..Blant..Rodaway..Thompson
Barton....O’Neil....Ball
Gayle....Akinbiyi....Barnes
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:15 pm
by tim_noone
Phil Malley.......Bardsley...Brian o Neil...
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:16 pm
by tarkys_ears
Ben Mee.. he looks soft as he's a bit lanky and blonde, but **** me he's a killer!
The one I'd really be scared of though is Westwood, those eyes don't lie!
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:20 pm
by tim_noone
tarkys_ears wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:16 pm
Ben Mee.. he looks soft as he's a bit lanky and blonde, but **** me he's a killer!
The one I'd really be scared of though is Westwood, those eyes don't lie!
I've Let Ashley know

Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:21 pm
by tim_noone
Mala591 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:38 pm
Leading on from thoughts about another thread, which all time Burnley team would be considered the toughest/hardest tackling eleven?
As Sean is the Leader of the team in gonna add Dyche...

Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:23 pm
by RalphCoatesComb
durhamclaret wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:43 pm
Colin “Chopper” Blant
Ouch !

Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:24 pm
by RalphCoatesComb
huw.Y.WattfromWare wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:12 pm
Blacklaw
Angus..Blant..Rodaway..Thompson
Barton....O’Neil....Ball
Gayle....Akinbiyi....Barnes
Good call
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:35 pm
by dandeclaret
Mark Monnington?
My grandad always used to say Brian O’Neil.
What about Dearysoff.... as it used to appear on teletext, alongside Penderog....
Danny Fox had a nasty way of tackling too.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:40 pm
by Peter Loo
Blacklaw
Angus..Blant..Merrington..Wharton
Barton....O’Neil....Ball
Barnes ..Lochhead ..Harris
Subs: H Thomson..Malley.. Hankin..Thomson.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:42 pm
by Colburn_Claret
Mick Doherty used to get stuck in.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:52 pm
by Rowls
Blacklaw
Bardsley
Peter Swan
Mee
Mitchell Thomas
Joey Barton
Kevin Ball
John Deary
Steve Kindon
George Oghani
Andy Payton
I’m too young to have seen kindon & blacklaw but struggled to think of players I’d seen for their positions. They made the team through reputation only.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 12:01 am
by dandeclaret
Ronnie Jepson not getting a mention is surprising......
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 12:03 am
by dsr
I don't know who they final XI will be, but when they have been selected, please can we play Leeds and they can take turns at "tackling" Norman Hunter.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 1:08 am
by claret4blue
Billy Elliot ?
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 6:41 am
by Stockbrokerbelt
Pope, Bardsley, Pender, Mee, Taylor, Ball, Deary, Johnrose, Hankin, Jepson, Lochead. 4-3-3.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 7:01 am
by TheFamilyCat
Branchy
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 7:20 am
by Burnley1989
dandeclaret wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:35 pm
Mark Monnington?
My grandad always used to say Brian O’Neil.
What about Dearysoff.... as it used to appear on teletext, alongside Penderog....
Danny Fox had a nasty way of tackling too.
Danny Fox, biggest coward I’ve seen at Burnley, went to hurt the player rather when he could cleanly win the ball with ease, usually the weaker players as well
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:23 am
by bfcjg
From the dark days Andy Wharton, full back born in Bacup BFC tattood on his knuckles, not the best ever full back but he went in as though every opponent was a mouthy Bstards fan.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:28 am
by mikeS
Sir Les Thompson
Brian O’Neil
Colin Blant
Tommy Boyle
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:37 am
by Stayingup
I think some are mixing up hard men with hard tacklers and frankly dirty b*****s.
Colin was once booked at QPR for intent. He missed the man but smashed a chair on the sideline.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:39 am
by Stayingup
mikeS wrote: ↑Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:28 am
Sir Les Thompson
Brian O’Neil
Colin Blant
Tommy Boyle
Tommy Boyle. I once knew a Tommy Boyle. But this one I presume is from the famous Halley, Boyle and Watson team? Didn't that team create a record?
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:53 am
by bf2k
dandeclaret wrote: ↑Wed Feb 03, 2021 12:01 am
Ronnie Jepson not getting a mention is surprising......
I don't think we ever got to see the full "potential" of a fully flying Jeppo tackle. He was on his last legs when we had him.
I can't have Akinbiyi either. Apart from him being built like a brick s*^t house and his adrenaline fuelled head butt I can't remember anything special about him when it come to putting himself about.
I think most players from the late 80s/90s era (when I was growing up) probably had a more "competitive" edge should we say over the modern footballer. However, I wouldn't like to be on the end of a Tarky or Mee 'you shall not pass' tackle.
Kevin Ball has to be in there as well as Lenny Johnrose. Both had their mistimed moments (that Dunn tackle still makes me smile) but both equally knew how to win a ball and make sure the man stayed on the floor

. I can remember Paul Weller being a tough nut as well. Don't you'd come out of many 50/50's on the winning side with Adrian Randall at the time either.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:59 am
by Harrythomsonscap
Harold Mather has got to be in that team
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 9:32 am
by lancastrian
Alan Brown
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 9:48 am
by uwe
bfcjg wrote: ↑Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:23 am
From the dark days Andy Wharton, full back born in Bacup BFC tattood on his knuckles, not the best ever full back but he went in as though every opponent was a mouthy Bstards fan.
I played in the Waterfoot junior school team with Andy for 3 years. He was like that then, and he wasn’t the only hard case in the side, even at that age. His drive helped us lift the trophy in our final year.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 9:52 am
by Pad1951
Gordon ( Bomber) Harris.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 10:11 am
by claretabroad
I remember Inchy laying one on a Shrewsbury player in the John-Bond-Hiding-As-A-Steward game after said player had got a man sent off. He didn't get up.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 10:15 am
by ClaretTony
Long before my time but if my dad were here he would very definitely have Billy Elliott on the wing.
I've seen John Gayle's name mentioned. One act of thuggery doesn't make him a hard tackler.
John Angus, Gordon Harris, Colin Waldron, Geoff Nulty are some of the players I saw in my early days who would get in and I wouldn't have liked to have played against a central defensive pairing of Waldron and Vince Overson.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 10:32 am
by The Enclosure
Blacklaw
Angus Bardsley
Mee Waldron O'Neil
Barton
Harris Lochead Barnes Elliot
Subs.Kindon Wharton Blant Docherty
Manager..Dyche.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 10:37 am
by mikeS
Stayingup wrote: ↑Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:39 am
Tommy Boyle. I once knew a Tommy Boyle. But this one I presume is from the famous Halley, Boyle and Watson team? Didn't that team create a record?
Burnley went 30 League games undefeated in the 1920-21 season and went on to win the League for the first time, with Halley, Boyle and Watson at the back. Burnley would have won the League the following season had Boyle not got injured.
Only Arsenal in 2003-4 went 38 League games undefeated to surpass the Clarets record.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 10:51 am
by ClaretTony
Stayingup wrote: ↑Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:37 am
I think some are mixing up hard men with hard tacklers and frankly dirty b*****s.
Colin was once booked at QPR for intent. He missed the man but smashed a chair on the sideline.
I’d agree with that
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 11:01 am
by spt_claret
Burnley1989 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 03, 2021 7:20 am
Danny Fox, biggest coward I’ve seen at Burnley, went to hurt the player rather when he could cleanly win the ball with ease, usually the weaker players as well
Can't agree with that, Fox to me always seemed right on the edge of what was permissible under the rules, "get the ball then get the man after" type tackles.
Ben Mee is the only player I've ever seen someone else kick him and they're the one who gets injured.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 12:03 pm
by SalisburyClaret
There has to be a place for “the dark destroyer “
Stan never was that PC
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 12:27 pm
by Firthy
Surprisednobdies mentioned Brian Miller and John Talbot, they were a couple of hard men.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 1:31 pm
by Spike
Kevin Ball gets in for just the one tackle.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 2:25 pm
by SouthLondonexile
Colin Waldron, Mee of course, J Barton as well.
Hardest in my lifetime Brian O Neil.
I know the challenge is for eleven players ,those are at the top of my list of Claret hardmen.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 3:16 pm
by Conroy92
Tough choice for manager, we all know Dyche is hard as nails but Stan the man would have give him a run for his money.
Perhaps Lord makes it as chairman.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 4:30 pm
by HuncoatClaret
Andy Wharton and Vince Overson would surely make the 11.
Re: Burnley’s ‘hardest tackling’ ever eleven?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 5:09 pm
by dsr
Tommy Cummings?