One year deal at Gillingham for Sam

See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/vokes-joins-the-gills

One of my favourite clarets. Maximised his talents, worked hard (especially after his terrible injury) and more than paid us back in goals and in transfer fee!

Epitomised that era of Burnley! Top pro. Wish him well. And was brilliant to see his euros goal against Belgium while a claret!

Met him on more than one occasion and he was brilliant.

Good luck to him .
Never let us down

I still miss big Sam in the same way I still miss Tom Heaton. Was properly gutted when both left. I've only had that feeling with a few players over the past 40 years. Eyres and Little being the other two. Good luck Sam.

Owed us absolutely nothing when he left - was brilliant in that Dyche team

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 2:44 pm

Owed us absolutely nothing when he left - was brilliant in that Dyche team

Not being a pedant here honestly, but that phrase "Owed us nothing" - just to add to the discussion, are there many players that we feel have owed us something after they've left? It's an interesting phrase when you think about it.

I fully agree Sam owed us absolutely nothing and worked his socks off for us and we couldn't have asked for more from him as a player and a servant of the club.

He was the perfect fit for what we were doing and how we were doing it.

Fond memories of Vokesy and rightly has a huge fan base here.

To be fair, nobody supported him more than his dad, he travelled with Burnley everywhere to watch his lad.

bobinho wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 2:48 pm

He was the perfect fit for what we were doing and how we were doing it.

Fond memories of Vokesy and rightly has a huge fan base here.

To be fair, nobody supported him more than his dad, he travelled with Burnley everywhere to watch his lad.

I think his dad used to sit in the home stands when we played at Southampton though, often seeing Sam score there.

Good luck, Sam.
His double act, with Ings, was superb.
Scored some memorable goals.
Great professional. And always came across as a thoroughly nice person.

Another in a number of players around that time who were brilliant in the team and the set up. Many, including Sam were literally maximising the talent they had by giving everything and realising that the "collective" was far greater than the individual parts. Few, if any went on to better things after leaving which kind of bears my point out, but all were heroes in claret and blue and left with great memories and genuine good wishes and Sam was one of the best.

His dad (Tim) made many friends whilst Sam was with us and despite being a Southampton die hard, he did (as mentioned above) hardly ever miss a Burnley game home or away when Sam was playing, which living in Southampton was some commitment! Great bloke Tim and still keeps in touch with some and met us for a few pints in Hammersmith after QPR away only a few weeks back.

4:20 wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 2:34 pm

I still miss big Sam in the same way I still miss Tom Heaton. Was properly gutted when both left. I've only had that feeling with a few players over the past 40 years. Eyres and Little being the other two. Good luck Sam.

I know what you mean. And all four of them fit in the same camp.

Everyone rightly remembers that partnership with Ings But he was equally good with Gray (remember that Liverpool win at home?) and when he needed to play alongside others or up top alone!

Chelsea away, another top performance. Outstanding that day!

They mentioned this on the Lancashire versus Kent cricket commentary !

CyrilEbokiPoh wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 3:16 pm

Everyone rightly remembers that partnership with Ings But he was equally good with Gray (remember that Liverpool win at home?) and when he needed to play alongside others or up top alone!

Chelsea away, another top performance. Outstanding that day!

I didn't think he was anywhere near as good with Gray. He was still effective but I still think he was a much better player before his injury in terms of his all round game. He had less mobility after the knee problem

Whenever Sam Vokes' name comes up, it always puts me in mind of that 2-0 win against Liverpool and to this day it remains one of my favourite Clarets Premier League matches.
I've just watched the short highlights back and those 2 goals looks just as beautiful today as they did back on the day.
Good luck to Sam Vokes at Gillingham. There's something very 'old school' about a former Premier League and international player dropping down the divisions. Puts me in mind of some of the fairly big names in the twilights of their careers who would turn up at the Turf back in our 4th division days.
Short Liverpool highlights here: https://youtu.be/zKajRoO-0vI?si=Uw_deEdO9gVhFflH

Goliath wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 4:16 pm

I didn't think he was anywhere near as good with Gray. He was still effective but I still think he was a much better player before his injury in terms of his all round game. He had less mobility after the knee problem

I disagree. In our first Prem Season alongside Ings, he scored 0 Prem goals.

In the Prem season alongside Gray he scored 10! (After 15 in the Champ the year prior alongside Gray).

His season with Ings in the champ was great for sure. No disputing that!

CyrilEbokiPoh wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 4:27 pm

I disagree. In our first Prem Season alongside Ings, he scored 0 Prem goals.

In the Prem season alongside Gray he scored 10! (After 15 in the Champ the year prior alongside Gray).

His season with Ings in the champ was great for sure. No disputing that!

He was injured before the prem season started?
The only comparison we have is the 2 champ seasons. In the first he was on 20 before the injury so could realistically have got to 25. In the 2nd season he got 15.

Goliath wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 4:30 pm

He was injured before the prem season started?
The only comparison we have is the 2 champ seasons. In the first he was on 20 before the injury so could realistically have got to 25. In the 2nd season he got 15.

He only missed the last 6 games from memory. Wasnt it Leicester he was injured against (when Wood scored that volley).

As I say, he was excellent in both. And excellent alongside both Gray and Ings. Not disputing either fact. The opposite!

Vokes was a great player for us

CyrilEbokiPoh wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 4:47 pm

He only missed the last 6 games from memory. Wasnt it Leicester he was injured against (when Wood scored that volley).

As I say, he was excellent in both. And excellent alongside both Gray and Ings. Not disputing either fact. The opposite!

That Leicester game was in the Championship. He got injured and then missed 12 months, returning for the last bit of the prem season

Goliath wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 4:30 pm

He was injured before the prem season started?
The only comparison we have is the 2 champ seasons. In the first he was on 20 before the injury so could realistically have got to 25. In the 2nd season he got 15.

But he played a different role in the second of those seasons. My thought is he was every bit as good in the second as he was in the first.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 6:30 pm

But he played a different role in the second of those seasons. My thought is he was every bit as good in the second as he was in the first.

Yep but I think it was a more limited role, like a straight forward targetman reflecting how his game changed slightly post injury. I felt there was more to his game pre Injury. The Vokes/Ings combination for the famous Ings goal against QPR being a prime example.

Only an opinion, no problem with anyone disagreeing.

Spike his dad Tim was great drinker with us, was he not?

Goliath wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 6:36 pm

Yep but I think it was a more limited role, like a straight forward targetman reflecting how his game changed slightly post injury. I felt there was more to his game pre Injury. The Vokes/Ings combination for the famous Ings goal against QPR being a prime example.

Only an opinion, no problem with anyone disagreeing.

Not for me - the difference was going from Ings to Gray.

Goliath wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 6:36 pm

The Vokes/Ings combination for the famous Ings goal against QPR being a prime example.

Never, ever get tired of watching that goal.
A thing of beauty. Made better with it being a big clash of promotion hopefuls.

He proved most of us wrong. Sean Dyche got the best out of him.

Sam knew his limits, he knew what he could and couldn't do.

I loved him. Comes across as a good person like many of the lads we had under SD.

ecc wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 7:50 pm

He proved most of us wrong. Sean Dyche got the best out of him.

Sam knew his limits, he knew what he could and couldn't do.

I loved him. Comes across as a good person like many of the lads we had under SD.

He’s a brilliant lad is Sam

Goliath wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 6:28 pm

That Leicester game was in the Championship. He got injured and then missed 12 months, returning for the last bit of the prem season

I know

Became one of my favourite players of my time watching us. Gave it everything for the club on the pitch and seemed like a proper good bloke. Whilst he scored many goals the one at Aberdeen remains one of my favourite ever Burnley goals. Simply because growing up watching us in the late 80s i never ever thought id watch Burnley in the top flight let alone play in Europe. That moment was so special.

Buxtonclaret wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 7:43 pm

Never, ever get tired of watching that goal.
A thing of beauty. Made better with it being a big clash of promotion hopefuls.

If I remember it correctly it was like a Cole and yorke goal vs Barcelona. 1-2 dummy style. I vaguely remember it being like that.

KlyBfc wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 8:34 pm

Became one of my favourite players of my time watching us. Gave it everything for the club on the pitch and seemed like a proper good bloke. Whilst he scored many goals the one at Aberdeen remains one of my favourite ever Burnley goals. Simply because growing up watching us in the late 80s i never ever thought id watch Burnley in the top flight let alone play in Europe. That moment was so special.

Agreed. Waiting to get in Europe. Then ending up with Aberdeen felt like an anticlimax. But it’s one of my favourite ever away games / two legged ties. And had a fantastic long weekend in Aberdeen. Great times.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 7:54 pm

He’s a brilliant lad is Sam

From what i've seen and read Sam Vokes was (still is)a model professional, and he obviously loves playing football.
I hope he does well with Gillingham.

Buxtonclaret wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 25, 2025 7:43 pm

Never, ever get tired of watching that goal.
A thing of beauty. Made better with it being a big clash of promotion hopefuls.

Good call. He took out the entire QPR defence with laser like precision and execution. Nice finish from Danny but it was on a plate for him. He wasn't just a head on a stick.

I remember also a late equaliser vs Rovers at the Turf.

Opening game of the season for the Gills will be at the Crown Ground vs Accy Stan Saturday 2nd August