Best four midfielders to have played for Burnley

[bfcjg]

Well he seems to have forgotten it.

I read somewhere that Gascoigne can't remember playing for Burnley.

Likewise I'm trying to forget about the time he wandered aimlessly around the pitch,shocking signing by Stan.

[warksclaret]

Good shout with Djemba Djemba - always looked like he had ages on the ball and sprayed it around everywhere. Loved watching him back in the day.

He was a brilliant loan made by Cotterril when we were skint. Saw him play 3 times and he was a brilliant play maker. Imagine him today playing in front of our back four. Think he had money problems and went abroad after us

[Hipper]

Martin Dobson
Doug Collins
Geoff Nulty
Ralph Coates

All top division players and in the case of the first three, part of our most successful team since the early sixties.

[ashtonlongsider]

Jimmy Mcilroy
Brian O'Neil
Martin Dobson
Joey Barton

I'd have liked to have included Trevor Steven who for me was the most talented young player I saw in a Clarets shirt but he achieved his fame at lofter heights.

[Cirrus_Minor]

O'Neill
Dobson
Coates
McIlroy

Agree with this.

[Peter Loo]

McIlroy: for his creativity.
O'Neil: for his aggression, tackling/ball winning.
Harris: for his aggression, tackling and goals.
Noble: for his aggression,tackling/ball winning and goals.

[Quicknick]

From 88

Deary
Defour
Barton
Marney

How can you include a player that never played in the top flight?

[Buxtonclaret]

Jimmy Mac
Brian O’Neil
Trevor Steven
Martin Dobson just beats Dufour

That's my 4

[Buxtonclaret]

Well he seems to have forgotten it.

I read somewhere that Gascoigne can't remember playing for Burnley.

Lot and lots of stories about Gascoigne..
Many distorted or, even made up.
I can definitely find myself believing that one though.

[Dark Cloud]

Several have mentioned Paul Cook and although I didn't squeeze him into my 4 I ALMOST did. Absolutely phenomenal when he played for us. Yes, it's all relative because we were well down the leagues at the time, but he completely changed the team with his amazing work rate and no small amount of skill. I often used to say "are you sure there's not two Paul Cooks playing for us" as he was literally everywhere and in a midfielder that is absolutely fundamental. (As well as being able to play a bit!)

[Peter Loo]

Cook used to go bright red in the face didn't he when running about I remember, thought he was going to have a heart attack sometimes.

Good player for us at the time though as said.

[Stayingup]

Jimmy McIlroy, possibly the best ever, was obviously playing before most posters here were watching Burnley.

[helmclaret]

Centrally and relative to the level (and who I've seen).

Deary
Defour
Barton
Cook

Djemba-Djemba surprised me how good he was.

[JinkingJames]

In my time supporting Burnley:-

Trevor Stevens
Peter Noble
Kevin Ball
Peter Cook

[SalisburyClaret]

Deary
Defour
Westwood
Marney

[KRBFC]

Central midfielders or wide players too? if wide players are included, Mcneil is probably near the top of the list since I've been watching. I loved Wade's consistency of getting to the byline and chipping a cross in, nothing fancy but effective. Eagles was very talented, absolutely ran the show at Coventry and Brammal Lane. Glen has to be up there, not quite the same achievements as the others though.

CM's
Barton, Defour.

Marney and Jones have to be up there for sheer service and accomplishments.

I thought Djemba Djemba was an incredibly talented player, hard to put him on a list of best ever after a short loan spell though. Same with Nathan Dyer and a young Jack Cork who never quite lived up to potential he showed while on loan with us.

[Bin Ont Turf]

It doesn't really matter how old you are, if you haven't got Defour in there then you're watching the wrong sport.

Dobbo is a shoo in.
Always like to get Doug Collins in personally.
Never saw him but stats, figures and a stand say Jimmy Mc.

[Stayingup]

It doesn't really matter how old you are, if you haven't got Defour in there then you're watching the wrong sport.

Dobbo is a shoo in.
Always like to get Doug Collins in personally.
Never saw him but stats, figures and a stand say Jimmy Mc.

Defour had that hallmark of top players. Time on the ball to.make the right pass. Sadly his time with us was all.too short.

[Bin Ont Turf]

Defour had that hallmark of top players. Time on the ball to.make the right pass. Sadly his time with us was all.too short.

Aye that's true. Same with Trevor Steven.

[TheFamilyCat]

Always difficult to rank players from different eras and especially different divisions. I watched my first game in 1987 so the best players I've seen are all from the last seven years, or 2009/10. But there's no way I would choose Arfield, Boyd, Kightly or Eagles in the wing in front of Super Glen.

For 'best' I'm going for those who had the most impact or stood out relative to the level we were at:

John Deary
Graham Alexander
Joey Barton
Steven Defour

Just missed out:
Dean Marney/David Jones - brilliant pairing so unfair to choose one over the other.

[turfytopper]

In my lifetime of watching the Clarets?

Coates, Dobson, Collins, Steven (though he was only really a youngster)

[dermotdermot]

In my time supporting Burnley:-

Trevor Stevens
Peter Noble
Kevin Ball
Peter Cook

Are you forgetting Dudley Moore?

[helmclaret]

Always difficult to rank players from different eras and especially different divisions. I watched my first game in 1987 so the best players I've seen are all from the last seven years, or 2009/10. But there's no way I would choose Arfield, Boyd, Kightly or Eagles in the wing in front of Super Glen.

For 'best' I'm going for those who had the most impact or stood out relative to the level we were at:

John Deary
Graham Alexander
Joey Barton
Steven Defour

Just missed out:
Dean Marney/David Jones - brilliant pairing so unfair to choose one over the other.

Totally forgot about Grezza. Played the holding role in a 3/5 brilliantly.

[TheFamilyCat]

Totally forgot about Grezza. Played the holding role in a 3/5 brilliantly.

Very effective and vital in the success of that team.

[gtclaret]

Would agree with that.

Me too

[ElectroClaret]

Obv Jimmy Mac and O'Neil.
Yes Dobbo and Peter Noble.
Maybe Defour.

We've had some brilliant talent, I'm sure all would agree.

[Boss Hogg]

Centrally and relative to the level (and who I've seen).

Deary
Defour
Barton
Cook

Agree with this selection on the basis you state. I saw Noble but too young to appreciate him fully really. The best were obviously before my time.
I did like Marney and Jones as a pairing too. The latter was masssively under appreciated by many imo.

[dermotdermot]

Very difficult because I have seen lots of excellent central midfield players since I started watching Burnley
So here goes
Jimmy Mcilroy
Brian O’Neil
Jimmy Adamson
Martin Dobson

Best selection so far.

[Suratclaret]

Jimmy McIlroy
Martin Dobson
Brian O’Neil
Trevor Stephen

Anyone of those great players would transform the present day team.

[CharlieinNewMexico]

Dobson
Cochrane
Steven
Noble

[Sozturf7]

Jimmy Mac
Jimmy Adamson
Martin Dobson
Joey Barton

[minnieclaret]

Trevor Steven, when he played for us, wasn’t in the top 4 ever.

Snap your white stick and kick the dog. At 16yo Trevor Steven bossed our midfield. Anybody in bother gave it to him and he sorted the problem.

[Gordaleman]

Clearly this is an age related thread. If you're as old as me, then both Adamson and O'Neil have to be included, but it was a totally different game then, so it's hard to judge in a meaningful way.

Dobbo was fantastic but Defour was exceptional. Marney was an excellent defensive midfielder, and we've never found a replacement for him. So picking the best four is very difficult. Let's just say we've had some crackers over the years.

[CharlieinNewMexico]

Clearly this is an age related thread. If you're as old as me, then both Adamson and O'Neil have to be included, but it was a totally different game then, so it's hard to judge in a meaningful way.

Dobbo was fantastic but Defour was exceptional. Marney was an excellent defensive midfielder, and we've never found a replacement for him. So picking the best four is very difficult. Let's just say we've had some crackers over the years.

Great point. I think all of the 4 I picked were relegated in Burnley colors.

Defour exceptional.

[Burnley Ace]

Snap your white stick and kick the dog. At 16yo Trevor Steven bossed our midfield. Anybody in bother gave it to him and he sorted the problem.

In division 3.

[Frenchclaret]

Having watched Burnley for over 70 years I am finding it difficult to name only 4 midfielders. But here goes
Jimmy McIlroy
Jimmy Adamson
Peter Noble
Martin Dobson

Close runners up - Brian O’Neil and Graham Alexander.
Steven Defour didn’t really play enough games to be included though he was a great player.