According to twitter our former captain is battling motor neuron disease ...Best wishes to him

Reading on Twitter that during the evening with John Francis,Roger Eli and Chris Pearce, it was announced that the captain of our 1992 4th Division title winning side is suffering from Motor Neurone Disease. Devastating to read that another person so strongly linked to our club is diagnosed with this dreadful condition.

Sure the thoughts of all Clarets will be with Big John tonight.

Dreadful, dreadful disease. Seeing my mate Beeky suffer with it is still fresh in my mind, then Lenny Johnrose and now John Pender. My heart goes out to him and his family.

Will be just 58 next Saturday.

Such sad news all the best to him

mill hill claret wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 13, 2021 11:59 pm

According to twitter our former captain is battling motor neuron disease ...Best wishes to him

Ahhhh ffs! Went to school with his daughter, loved seeing him on the playground after school. Awful disease

Best wishes John. Be strong.

So sad to hear. Best wishes to 50p head

This is a nice read

https://www.wolvesheroes.com/2019/02/16 ... e-front-2/

Penders a defender….

Terrible disease, best wishes to him.

Terrible news for him.

Was a warrior for us on the pitch.

Captained two promotions.

Such awful news.

On another note. It's been announced this morning that the Govt is to pledge £50million to help find a cure. Let us all hope for a breakthrough.

Terrible disease and sad to read this.

Lifted promotion trophies as captain for Burnley in two different divisions. Not many Burnley captains down Memory Lane will have done that.

Sad news. An important part of our success starting with promotion from division 4.

Another awful illness that may have a link to contact sports apparently

jdrobbo wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 14, 2021 8:56 am

Terrible disease and sad to read this.

Lifted promotion trophies as captain for Burnley in two different divisions. Not many Burnley captains down Memory Lane will have done that.

The article on the Wolves site posted above, states only Pender and Martin Dobson have done so.

Awful news, best wishes John.

All the best John

A leader on the pitch for us……

And now a leader off it………….

Always a Claret, and remain strong big chap!

Quickenthetempo wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 14, 2021 9:42 am

The article on the Wolves site posted above, states only Pender and Martin Dobson have done so.

Many thanks

Best Wishes John - one of the best

Quickenthetempo wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 14, 2021 9:42 am

The article on the Wolves site posted above, states only Pender and Martin Dobson have done so.

It's spot on too, Dobbo in 1973 & 1982, Pender in 1992 & 1994.

Dreadful news.

Best Wishes John.

Stay Safe Skipper
The Pender ‘s our Defender song is legendary!

Horrible news to hear, best wishes to John in his fight against this horrendous illness.

He was a key member of 2 promotion sides, and that period in our history played a large part in where we are today.

Horrible news. Not sure if he still does, but he used to live near me, just off Lakeland way. Nice bloke.

Fretters wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 14, 2021 5:44 pm

Horrible news. Not sure if he still does, but he used to live near me, just off Lakeland way. Nice bloke.

Moved in about 98/99 mate

Damn shame for John Pender OG.

Hope is is an extremely slow developing attack on his system, so a cure can arrive before it is too late.

Burnley1989 wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 14, 2021 5:55 pm

[quote=Fretters post_id=<a href="tel:1678009">1678009</a> time=<a href="tel:1636911890">1636911890</a> user_id=171]
Horrible news. Not sure if he still does, but he used to live near me, just off Lakeland way. Nice bloke.

Moved in about 98/99 mate
[/quote]
He did indeed live on Dovedale Drive, right at the top off Lakeland Way near Ightenhill Park Lane, but he moved in way before that .Bovis, the developers threw a party for new residents, we moved in in Dec 1990, and I rememember talking to him at the “do”, and he was telling me about the Russian tour. I’m sure CT will have the dates for Russia. They had only just got back, ‘92 rings a bell.

Terrible news. I’ll always remember him scoring a header in a big game vs Mansfield in our championship season.

Story of his life since football shows how the game has changed. Lived amongst the fans in the town, retired and ended up driving buses. Suspect not many current players who play a decent chunk of their playing career in the top two flights will see out their working days doing that.

agreenwood wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 15, 2021 2:07 pm

Terrible news. I’ll always remember him scoring a header in a big game vs Mansfield in our championship season.

Story of his life since football shows how the game has changed. Lived amongst the fans in the town, retired and ended up driving buses. Suspect not many current players who play a decent chunk of their playing career in the top two flights will see out their working days doing that.

The days of top players working after their football careers end is a thing of the past.

Jimmy McIlroy journalist
Willie Irvine DIY store owner
Billy Ingham Bus Driver
Peter Noble Market stall
John Connelly Fish and Chip shop
Andy Lochead Tommy Cummings and a few others publicans

All the above played in the top division of English football, several were international players and 1 a member of the World Cup winning squad.

Sure there are countless others. Today's players are millionaires several times over with the players at top clubs earning 10 times and more the average weekly wage.

I hope the recently announced £50m government funding for research into MND helps find treatment and hopefully a cure and that it is not too late to help John and other sufferers.

bobinho wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 14, 2021 7:19 am

Penders a defender….

Terrible disease, best wishes to him.

oh what lovely times 'John Penders a defender we're goin on a bender tra la la I loved the guy a rock, this is awful news, prayers and best wishes for him.

Looks like there's a crowdfunder to help out...

justgiving.com/crowdfunding/n-pender

Such sad news,you only have to look at Rob Burrow the rugby league player to see how awful this disease is.

Claretitus wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 14, 2021 7:04 pm

Moved in about 98/99 mate

He did indeed live on Dovedale Drive, right at the top off Lakeland Way near Ightenhill Park Lane, but he moved in way before that .Bovis, the developers threw a party for new residents, we moved in in Dec 1990, and I rememember talking to him at the “do”, and he was telling me about the Russian tour. I’m sure CT will have the dates for Russia. They had only just got back, ‘92 rings a bell.
[/quote]

I reported on them as part of the Burnley are Back series - pre-season 1991

agreenwood wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 15, 2021 2:07 pm

Terrible news. I’ll always remember him scoring a header in a big game vs Mansfield in our championship season.

Would never have thought this was going to be the news when I wrote the very article last Thursday.

https://www.uptheclarets.com/its-captai ... are-beaten

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 15, 2021 4:34 pm

Would never have thought this was going to be the news when I wrote the very article last Thursday.

https://www.uptheclarets.com/its-captai ... are-beaten

My first ever game, sat near the back of the Cricketfield stand having been taken by my neighbour using her daughter's season ticket!

Very best wishes John and like many here I have golden memories of 91/92 as I am sure you do too.

I see there is now a just giving site to try and support his family.

I really hope that something can be arranged by the club to raise some additional money.

https://t.co/c3QJke86E2

His family are asking for help. Sorry if already posted.

Just seen a few of his family's pictured posted by his son and retweeted by Clive Lawrence.
Great to see all his family are Clarets. They have plenty of different shirts of ours on.

Sad news, good luck JP

BobLordsPencil wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 15, 2021 8:54 pm

https://t.co/c3QJke86E2

His family are asking for help. Sorry if already posted.

More than half way to their target in just over a day.....

Good Luck to JP one of the players who helped us to were we are today,such a terrible illness.