Burnley vs. Inter Milan

[dvalley69]

Just been looking on Twitter and saw that someone replied on the Inter Milan English page saying their first ever game at San Siro was against Burnley!!
Is this true? Did we play Inter at San Siro in the past? Anyone know about it?

[HiThere]

I thought it was vs AC Milan.

[Leisure]

Burnley did play in Milan in 1922 but was against Liverpool.

[sjb]

I thought it was vs AC Milan.

It was. 19 September 1926.

[Royboyclaret]

George Beel......who else ?

[elwaclaret]

Many connections with Milan, I remember the grounds man for many years maintained he ground wore a Burnley bobble cap as part of his uniform.

[ClaretTony]

Many connections with Milan, I remember the grounds man for many years maintained he ground wore a Burnley bobble cap as part of his uniform.

Don’t think he was there too long but it was Steve Taylor from Rawtenstall

[Leisure]

It was. 19 September 1926.

What was?

[dvalley69]

In the Clarets Chronicles book, it has us doing an Italy tour post-season in May/June 1922, where we played in Milan against Liverpool, before some other Italian XI teams. But San Siro hadn't even been built in 1922 so it can't have been there.

Nothing about playing in Sept 1926.

[Sproggy]

Don’t think he was there too long but it was Steve Taylor from Rawtenstall

Before his career change he was head barman at St Matthias halls of residence in Bristol in 1986. I was basically on free beer for the year when he found out I was a Burnley fan. Also bumped into him on the train back to Bristol after the Sherpa Van final.

[Cirrus_Minor]

The San Siro groundsman used to be from Burnley. Maybe he still is groundsman?

[Stalbansclaret]

I have a photograph which I took at half time at the 2001 Champions League Final in the San Siro. This shows the Groundsman referenced above forking the pitch in his Burnley shirt. The day before the final I remember there was a feature on him in one of the national newspapers here.

[Juan Tanamera]

Weren't we invited in the late 50's to a mini tournament to celebrate the opening of the Nou Camp, Barcelona's new stadium?

[Pickles]

Didn't know Burnley had played there.

Phenomenal spectacle of a stadium. A bit bonkers it's being demolished. It's a stunning place to watch football. The loos aren't great, especially for women, and it's generally a tad shabby with minimal of the all important corporate facilities but come on, it's San Siro! You've got to try and get yourself there for a game if you can.

[Royboyclaret]

It was. 19 September 1926.

19.September 1926 was the inauguration date of the San Siro when Inter beat AC 6-3.

So the story goes (according to Dad)......We arrive on Monday 20th by invitation and play a combined Inter/AC side the following day. George Beel scores a last minute equaliser for us in a 1-1 draw.....Major problems on our return to England......three days later we arrive home before a big Division One game against Derby on the Saturday......John Bruton scores an unlikely winner for us in an action packed week.

[sjb]

What was?

It was a reply to HiThere's post. Seems pretty self-explanatory.

[Leisure]

It was a reply to HiThere's post. Seems pretty self-explanatory.

But we didn't play them on that date!

[sjb]

I thought it was vs AC Milan.

I know! The above was the post I was replying to!

[ClaretTony]

Before his career change he was head barman at St Matthias halls of residence in Bristol in 1986. I was basically on free beer for the year when he found out I was a Burnley fan. Also bumped into him on the train back to Bristol after the Sherpa Van final.

He moved to Italy having married a Milanese woman. He got a job as a part time gardener which eventually led to the San Siro job.

[sjb]

19.September 1926 was the inauguration date of the San Siro when Inter beat AC 6-3.

So the story goes (according to Dad)......We arrive on Monday 20th by invitation and play a combined Inter/AC side the following day. George Beel scores a last minute equaliser for us in a 1-1 draw.....Major problems on our return to England......three days later we arrive home before a big Division One game against Derby on the Saturday......John Bruton scores an unlikely winner for us in an action packed week.

I'm intrigued to know why there is no mention of this game in Clarets Collection, Burnley FC - A Complete Record or David Wiseman's Up The Clarets. I've only had a cursory glance at the following week's Burnley Express and the lead story is our beating Rochdale in the Lancashire Cup. Hopefully a more in-depth perusal of the paper will yield some information.

[Royboyclaret]

I'm intrigued to know why there is no mention of this game in Clarets Collection, Burnley FC - A Complete Record or David Wiseman's Up The Clarets. I've only had a cursory glance at the following week's Burnley Express and the lead story is our beating Rochdale in the Lancashire Cup. Hopefully a more in-depth perusal of the paper will yield some information.

Please keep us updated with your "in-depth perusal of the paper"......As a newcomer you have a lot of catching up to do on this site bjs.

[Bfc]

Juan Tanamera, we were invited to play Barcelona, on the opening of the the Nou Camp around 1955. We also played at Real Madrid. I have a postcard of the team lined up on the pitch. We drew 1 and won 1, but without digging out records, I can't say which way round they were. I will try and post the pic, on here, when I've time.
FCBurnley may have the programme for the Barcelona game.

[sjb]

Please keep us updated with your "in-depth perusal of the paper"......As a newcomer you have a lot of catching up to do on this site bjs.

I'm not sure why you should take this attitude. I've had an interest in Burnley's history for many years and was excited to hear about a prestigious game which I never knew existed. I checked several sources in the hope of gleaning some more information - team line-up, a contemporary report of what must have been an arduous trip perhaps, but found nothing. I've now read the Burnley Express sports pages for the weeks before and after the date you provided for the match and there is no mention of it. In fact, the paper of 22 September gives Burnley's line up for the following Saturday home game against Derby, which is a little surprising if they were fitting in a trip to Italy beforehand.

I'm not disputing either your dad's or your recollections but am genuinely interested in this and just find it strange that it doesn't appear to have been deemed worthy of a mention in any Clarets history account, contemporary or otherwise. I'm sorry if my post upset or offended you but I look forward to being enlightened as to the catching up I have to do.

[Dougall]

Burnley were invited to play in a four team round robin type tournament to inaugurate the Nou Camp stadium. Barcelona chose NOT to play Burnley in the first game because they didn’t want to begin with a defeat. (Think they may have played Notts County?)

[ClaretTony]

Burnley were invited to play in a four team round robin type tournament to inaugurate the Nou Camp stadium. Barcelona chose NOT to play Burnley in the first game because they didn’t want to begin with a defeat. (Think they may have played Notts County?)

We played Flamengo and won 4-0

[sjb]

We played Flamengo and won 4-0

The scoreline is correct but we lost 4-0.

[ClaretTony]

The scoreline is correct but we lost 4-0.

Which is what I meant

https://www.uptheclarets.com/programmes-season-195758

[footballdiedin92]

Before his career change he was head barman at St Matthias halls of residence in Bristol in 1986. I was basically on free beer for the year when he found out I was a Burnley fan. Also bumped into him on the train back to Bristol after the Sherpa Van final.

UWE peasant