Burnley Sunday League is terrible now about 10 teams in one division, not a good standard. The Blackburn league on the other hand is still going strong a few divisions and lots of teams

I caught the end of the decline where George IV cleaned up and won everything.

Who did you play for and who were the best teams and players in your era ?

Any memorable incidents, matches ? Trophies ?

Not Burnley Sunday League but played against Oli Norwood and Matty James a few times playing for St Teds and Fearns. Both were at United at the time but Norwood always stood out a lot more than James did.

Goliath wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 15, 2024 6:04 pm

Not Burnley Sunday League but played against Oli Norwood and Matty James a few times playing for St Teds and Fearns. Both were at United at the time but Norwood always stood out a lot more than James did.

Ollie was a few years above me at Teds. Played against him on the yard

I briefly remember a few teams with Burnley Wood affiliations being half decent, CWR scaffolds, George IV, there were always plenty of good games to be had.

I started my adult Sunday league with Red House, then had a stint with St Paul’s and finished off playing for the Dugdale. It’s a shame to see the state of grassroots football at the minute, like you say, gone from a good few divisions with plenty of teams in each, to basically nothing now.

CryerBFC wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 15, 2024 6:24 pm

I briefly remember a few teams with Burnley Wood affiliations being half decent, CWR scaffolds, George IV, there were always plenty of good games to be had.

I started my adult Sunday league with Red House, then had a stint with St Paul’s and finished off playing for the Dugdale. It’s a shame to see the state of grassroots football at the minute, like you say, gone from a good few divisions with plenty of teams in each, to basically nothing now.

St Paul’s under Baz ? Good man him

ClaretsPadiham wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 15, 2024 6:16 pm

Ollie was a few years above me at Teds. Played against him on the yard

He had a hell of a ping on him, im surprised he didnt do more with his career tbh. Not sure he had the mobility in the end.

ClaretsPadiham wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 15, 2024 6:26 pm

St Paul’s under Baz ? Good man him

Yes mate! That’s the one

Goliath wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 15, 2024 6:28 pm

He had a hell of a ping on him, im surprised he didnt do more with his career tbh. Not sure he had the mobility in the end.

He’s had an unbelievable career, over 50 international caps, played in a euros and spent his whole career in the top two divisions, winning promotion 4 times from the championship.

I think 99.99% of footballers would settle for that

Team - Ventura, player - Ray Walne

When I played between 08-13 most decent Saturday players didn’t bother playing Sundays that often.
Gaz Stopforth was obviously different gravy when he played but he played at a very good level.

basil6345789 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 15, 2024 6:53 pm

Team - Ventura, player - Ray Walne

Now we are talking. Ray was class - played with him at Grammar School Old Boys youth team when I was 16. We were in one of the Lancashire mens leagues on Saturdays but we had a couple of older players of which Ray was one.

For Sunday league I set up St Theodore’s Old Boys. Four divisions at the time and after winning the lower leagues and getting promoted we spent a good few years in to 2 or 3 of first division but never won it. We got to the Hospital Cup final and won the Towneley Cup (think that’s what it was called).
We were around for around 10 years I reckon - other than a couple of our lads best players in the league during that time were probably Kiko (Jays dad), Ian Monk and Leon Barnett.

Baz Barlow played for us and he was as good as anyone locally - great player.

Shame there’s been such a decline in local football - great days and still miss it a lot.

Burnley1989 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 15, 2024 7:01 pm

When I played between 08-13 most decent Saturday players didn’t bother playing Sundays that often.
Gaz Stopforth was obviously different gravy when he played but he played at a very good level.

Yep that’s probably right - but quite a lot did play for Belvedere or GSOB (or Burnley United) on Saturdays and for Sunday teams. If you were at the level above Belvedere / GSOB and playing semi pro then they tended to not play Sundays.
For a couple of years when I was 16 I played 3 times in the weekend. Saturday morning for school St Teds first eleven ; Saturday afternoon GSOB and then in the Sunday League.

Oh the things you’d do when you were fit and healthy !!

One Saturday team I played for when I was 18 or 19 I think was Stanley United which was ran by the late Jez Rainford (who I believe played for England schoolboys). We had a really good team and played in Lancs league where we walked the leagues. It was a combination of ex Townley and St Teds lads…..some interesting characters !

Lowerhouse Canteen FC

Played for Red Star managed by Chaz Goodwill
Then Coal Clough Casuals for 14 years

Best opponent - Craig Robinson - Burnley Boys Club

Was it Park United had a lot of Accrington Stanley players in their team medal hunting on Sundays. Northern Diecasters were a bl0oody dirty bunch likewise The Black Bull from Padiham.

Played my first game at the age of twelve in 1988 on pitch eight at Towneley, played last one in 2008 when I'd had enough.

As was said above, there were four divisions of ten teams in the Burnley Sunday League with a surplus of players. Lads stood outside the dressing rooms asking if any teams were short of players.

Fast forward to late licenses in town and a complete collapse in local league football, the young lads would rather stay out till 6am than get muddy on a Sunday afternoon.

Not only did the council kill the nightlife but a large element of local football in the borough, something that'll never return.

Was at Brierfield Celtic when I was a kid, we were awful but I only have good memories of spending Sunday mornings with my mates.

Later at Burnley Supporters Team, we were a great team and I think finished second in the supporters league. Some really good players there. Always remember the away game at West Ham, they were awful and we cleaned up but they were incredibly dirty

Big Vinny K wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 15, 2024 7:06 pm

Now we are talking. Ray was class - played with him at Grammar School Old Boys youth team when I was 16. We were in one of the Lancashire mens leagues on Saturdays but we had a couple of older players of which Ray was one.

For Sunday league I set up St Theodore’s Old Boys. Four divisions at the time and after winning the lower leagues and getting promoted we spent a good few years in to 2 or 3 of first division but never won it. We got to the Hospital Cup final and won the Towneley Cup (think that’s what it was called).
We were around for around 10 years I reckon - other than a couple of our lads best players in the league during that time were probably Kiko (Jays dad), Ian Monk and Leon Barnett.

Baz Barlow played for us and he was as good as anyone locally - great player.

Shame there’s been such a decline in local football - great days and still miss it a lot.

Leon would pull a hamstring just reading that nowadays....

basil6345789 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 15, 2024 6:53 pm

Team - Ventura, player - Ray Walne

Tony Andrews was a pretty good winger for Ventura too.

BleedingClaret wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 15, 2024 8:02 pm

Played for Red Star managed by Chaz Goodwill
Then Coal Clough Casuals for 14 years

Best opponent - Craig Robinson - Burnley Boys Club

What year was Coal Clough ? Wasn’t they the top team at one time ? Who played for them ?

Jonny Hutton and Teddy Edwards

The Angel team was really good at one point. Gagsy, Matt Scaife, Scott Gizzon, Damo Stuttard ( RIP ) Richard Saga, Damien Ellison, Dennis Taylor. And a fantastic pub in its day

in the early 70s there was a lot of young talent around the Fulledge and Burnley Wood areas who today would have gone on and made it but in them day's it was hard to get trials at Burnley because Mr Lord like young players from outside of Burnley for some reason...

Quite a lot of good players come from the Stoops/Accy Rd area.

ClaretsPadiham wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 15, 2024 9:34 pm

What year was Coal Clough ? Wasn’t they the top team at one time ? Who played for them ?

I played for them mid nineties. Definitely wouldn’t say we were the top club, but we were infinitely better than that bunch of old cloggers Red Rose…..

Some great days (and nights) were had. None more so than winning the Chas Express cup at Michelin, having had a full English breakfast including 3 pints before we kicked off.

Just in case I haven’t mentioned before, yours truly put in a man of the match performance and walked off with the most bizarre trophy on the planet. Think Barden high school remidial woodwork project gone wrong.

1fatclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 16, 2024 9:28 am

I played for them mid nineties. Definitely wouldn’t say we were the top club, but we were infinitely better than that bunch of old cloggers Red Rose…..

Some great days (and nights) were had. None more so than winning the Chas Express cup at Michelin, having had a full English breakfast including 3 pints before we kicked off.

Just in case I haven’t mentioned before, yours truly put in a man of the match performance and walked off with the most bizarre trophy on the planet. Think Barden high school remidial woodwork project gone wrong.

I bet you still have it though

JMU81 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 15, 2024 10:10 pm

The Angel team was really good at one point. Gagsy, Matt Scaife, Scott Gizzon, Damo Stuttard ( RIP ) Richard Saga, Damien Ellison, Dennis Taylor. And a fantastic pub in its day

They started in league 2 with us but were streets ahead of everyone.
A few years before it was Ightenleigh and General Havelock fighting it out at the top and then them two teams merged. Not sure that merged team lasted that long.

I think the Angel picked up a lot of players from them.

claretonthecoast1882 wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 16, 2024 9:30 am

I bet you still have it though

Nope. It was a one year loan. Had to be returned so that the next, bright shining star, could have the pleasure.

In the late 1960s there was a team called Albion Rovers who I understand were very good. My friend's older brother played centre forward for them - he was called David Allen, and I think his dad was the manager. Not sure if this was Sunday League but I was in awe of David, he looked like a giant to the 10 year old me.

Kiko, Jay's dad, has to amongst the best that I faced and Pete Wharton (Andy's Brother) was a really great player and much better than Andy who weirdly made umpteen first team appearances for the Clarets.

Dark Cloud wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:13 am

Kiko, Jay's dad, has to amongst the best that I faced and Pete Wharton (Andy's Brother) was a really great player and much better than Andy who weirdly made umpteen first team appearances for the Clarets.

Yep agree.
during the time I played from early 80s to end of 90s for a big chunk of that time there was quite a lot of dross that got to don the famous claret shirt !
I played with and against a few who I thought had more talent than some of the dross. And I also realise how difficult it is to make a professional footballer and the big differences in speed, fitness etc.

On the other side I have also seen some ex pro players after they finished their pro careers play in the local amateur leagues and many of them stand out a mile as to how good they are. Usually it’s the first touch and how they strike a ball. They also often find themselves in space when they get the ball - a skill in itself. Strange how some are think as pig muck off the pitch but great footballing brain on it !!

Best ex pro I ever played against was Steve Heighway. He played in the Zingari league over in Liverpool and played against him in a cup match. Not sure how old he was but I was in my late teens and he had to have 20 years on me but he still looked really young and fit. He was ridiculously good and I am convinced he would have walked into the Burnley team at that time and been easily our best player !

Big Vinny K wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:25 am

Yep agree.
during the time I played from early 80s to end of 90s for a big chunk of that time there was quite a lot of dross that got to don the famous claret shirt !
I played with and against a few who I thought had more talent than some of the dross. And I also realise how difficult it is to make a professional footballer and the big differences in speed, fitness etc.

On the other side I have also seen some ex pro players after they finished their pro careers play in the local amateur leagues and many of them stand out a mile as to how good they are. Usually it’s the first touch and how they strike a ball. They also often find themselves in space when they get the ball - a skill in itself. Strange how some are think as pig muck off the pitch but great footballing brain on it !!

Best ex pro I ever played against was Steve Heighway. He played in the Zingari league over in Liverpool and played against him in a cup match. Not sure how old he was but I was in my late teens and he had to have 20 years on me but he still looked really young and fit. He was ridiculously good and I am convinced he would have walked into the Burnley team at that time and been easily our best player !

True its quite an eye opener when you see a pretty crap prp playing against amateurs. I also played against Paul Weller about 5 years after his retirement at soccerdome in Blackburn and he was the best player on the pitch by a country mile.

Some continue to be rubbish though !!
Played against Phil Malley a couple of times. He was not that old either. He was just ok - no way you would have said he was an ex pro.

Big Vinny K wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:25 am

Yep agree.
during the time I played from early 80s to end of 90s for a big chunk of that time there was quite a lot of dross that got to don the famous claret shirt !
I played with and against a few who I thought had more talent than some of the dross. And I also realise how difficult it is to make a professional footballer and the big differences in speed, fitness etc.

On the other side I have also seen some ex pro players after they finished their pro careers play in the local amateur leagues and many of them stand out a mile as to how good they are. Usually it’s the first touch and how they strike a ball. They also often find themselves in space when they get the ball - a skill in itself. Strange how some are think as pig muck off the pitch but great footballing brain on it !!

Best ex pro I ever played against was Steve Heighway. He played in the Zingari league over in Liverpool and played against him in a cup match. Not sure how old he was but I was in my late teens and he had to have 20 years on me but he still looked really young and fit. He was ridiculously good and I am convinced he would have walked into the Burnley team at that time and been easily our best player !

Spot on. I played some matches with Paul Whittaker who'd been on the books at Rovers without quite making it quite a few years earlier. He was probably at least 40 by then, but he was clearly a really good player with loads of time which I could never quite fathom.
I also played in a charity game once and was up against a very old Arthur Bellamy. He was simply sensational and although I must have had 20 years or more on him, I simply couldn't get anywhere near him. Like all sports, people who are genuinely talented always seem to make it look easy, but when us mortals try it we find it really, really isn't!

Dark Cloud wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:38 am

Spot on. I played some matches with Paul Whittaker who'd been on the books at Rovers without quite making it quite a few years earlier. He was probably at least 40 by then, but he was clearly a really good player with loads of time which I could never quite fathom.
I also played in a charity game once and was up against a very old Arthur Bellamy. He was simply sensational and although I must have had 20 years or more on him, I simply couldn't get anywhere near him. Like all sports, people who are genuinely talented always seem to make it look easy, but when us mortals try it we find it really, really isn't!

I played in a charity game v the ex Burnley team that have been around a few years….Jamie Hoyland, John Deary, Paul Smith, Hoskins, Payton, Eli and a few others.
On the day it clashed with another game they already had scheduled but they wanted to play the charity game too (it was for a well known local sportsman who had passed away at a young age). So in the game I played in they brought in some new ex Burnley players to make their debut including Junior Bent.

It was a Sunday in a May and it was boiling - about 26 degrees.

I was in my late 40s and not played 11 a side for a few years - I was (and still am) playing 5 a side. They won 7-0 I think….Junior Bent ran riot.
That will be my last game !!!

Paul Smith scored a 30 yard strike and he was pinging 50 or 60 yards balls across the pitch with that sweet left foot.

In the Pendle Sunday Charity League - Vale Weavers dominated for quite a few years. Played against them once when they had Kiko up-front and Ian Britton in midfield.

Anyone remember The Bridge from the 80s. It was a team full of dysfunctional delinquents but there were some very good young players in that team especially Knoxy at the back, Gaz Evans in centre mid and Kiko up front.

Anonymous Claret wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:42 pm

Anyone remember The Bridge from the 80s. It was a team full of dysfunctional delinquents but there were some very good young players in that team especially Knoxy at the back, Gaz Evans in centre mid and Kiko up front.

Yes, I also remember being on the adjoining pitch when they played Paak United at the Prairie.

An interesting day.

Goody1975 wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:46 pm

Yes, I also remember being on the adjoining pitch when they played Paak United at the Prairie.

An interesting day.

Yep me too.
Hundreds of people watching and Bridge aswell as having some colourful characters playing shall we say also had a very interesting manager - I’m trying to be polite.

Paak United had a decent team - couple of really good players like Ajaz.

In reality I know these were different times but it was horrible to see the blatant racism they faced from opposition players and on days like the one you are referring to from many of the spectators too.
Undoubtedly it’s one of the reasons Paak United left the Sunday league shortly after.

It might have actually been Town Mouse and not the Bridge ? Bridge, Town Mouse, Railway - it was all pretty much the same lads playing for all of them

Big Vinny K wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 16, 2024 1:14 pm

Yep me too.
Hundreds of people watching and Bridge aswell as having some colourful characters playing shall we say also had a very interesting manager - I’m trying to be polite.

Paak United had a decent team - couple of really good players like Ajaz.

In reality I know these were different times but it was horrible to see the blatant racism they faced from opposition players and on days like the one you are referring to from many of the spectators too.
Undoubtedly it’s one of the reasons Paak United left the Sunday league shortly after.

It might have actually been Town Mouse and not the Bridge ? Bridge, Town Mouse, Railway - it was all pretty much the same lads playing for all of them

You are correct that the teams listed above were the same players but at that time they were the Bridge.

I just remember the game finishing 1-1 with a late equaliser which caused carnage amongst the spectators. Our game decided to finish 15 minutes early and retreated to the dressing room.

1fatclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 16, 2024 10:35 am

Nope. It was a one year loan. Had to be returned so that the next, bright shining star, could have the pleasure.

That was me
We won it again at Bank Hall I think
I got a hat trick and was presented with the hideous chunk of wood by Jimmy Robson
Have to say as his lad Craig was playing for us, that he’d have likely got the MOM as his surprising pace for a fat lad had kept us in the game defensively so that when I scored the first of my hat trick on 89 minutes it took us to extra time broke the spirit of Longside who having beaten us by 6 or so in both league games had walked out, being video’d, in suits before the game and then trotted out again being filmed in all orange ready to give us a pasting.

ClaretsPadiham wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 15, 2024 5:26 pm

Burnley Sunday League is terrible now about 10 teams in one division, not a good standard. The Blackburn league on the other hand is still going strong a few divisions and lots of teams

I caught the end of the decline where George IV cleaned up and won everything.

Who did you play for and who were the best teams and players in your era ?

Any memorable incidents, matches ? Trophies ?

In the George IV side, that cleaned up

Paak ended up joining the Pendle Charity league. Always tough games against them, obviously the 10.30 am kickoffs played into their hands a bit when most of the opposition were hungover/still half cut.

Just out of interest this is the current league table for this season.

1 league with 11 teams

jrgbfc wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 16, 2024 3:38 pm

Paak ended up joining the Pendle Charity league. Always tough games against them, obviously the 10.30 am kickoffs played into their hands a bit when most of the opposition were hungover/still half cut.

They're not in it this year. Think they left just before the season started so not sure what's happened to them this season.

ClaretsPadiham wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 17, 2024 3:03 pm

Just out of interest this is the current league table for this season.

1 league with 11 teams

Ozzie Wolves shipping 7 goals a game on average. Reckon they might have to try and shore it up a bit at the back

Kilson810 wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 17, 2024 3:58 pm

Ozzie Wolves shipping 7 goals a game on average. Reckon they might have to try and shore it up a bit at the back

Wow didn’t notice there GD

How on earth aren’t they bottom.

ClaretsPadiham wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 17, 2024 4:06 pm

Wow didn’t notice there GD

How on earth aren’t they bottom.

I know they lost 12-3 to AFC Burnley earlier in the season.

ClaretsPadiham wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 17, 2024 4:06 pm

Wow didn’t notice there GD

How on earth aren’t they bottom.

They must be the team to watch, guaranteed goals at either end with them

Kilson810 wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 17, 2024 3:58 pm

Ozzie Wolves shipping 7 goals a game on average. Reckon they might have to try and shore it up a bit at the back

What they need is one of the greatest premier league defenders as manager. That will sort them out. Surely ?