" Iron Curtain " Defence ...

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Clarets4me
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" Iron Curtain " Defence ...

Post by Clarets4me » Fri Apr 25, 2025 1:25 pm

The 1946-47 Burnley team that won promotion to the top flight conceded 29 goals in 42 games, and never more than 2 in one game. Reg Attwell was signed to complete the half back line of Attwell, Brown and George Bray and with Jimmy Strong in goal and full backs Arthur Woodruff and Harold Mather. They were collectively known as the " Iron Curtain " ... Their modern day counterparts have also won promotion, conceded just 15 League goals in 44 games, and never more than 1 in a game ( although I'm aware I'm tempting fate by writing this with 2 games to go ).

Any ideas for a suitable " nickname " for the current defensive line-up ?

Rowls
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Re: " Iron Curtain " Defence ...

Post by Rowls » Fri Apr 25, 2025 1:28 pm

Winston Churchil coined the "Iron Curtain" phrase in a speech on 5th March, 1946.

A similar analogy these days might be to compare our defence to Trump's Border Force? I'm not sure many would be happy at that.

Vino blanco
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Re: " Iron Curtain " Defence ...

Post by Vino blanco » Fri Apr 25, 2025 1:50 pm

The term Iron Curtain was first used in 1918 by Vasily Rosenov in his polemic “The Apocalypse of our Time” where he wrote “With clanging, creaking and squeaking an iron curtain is lowering over Russian history “.
In 1920 Ethel Snowdon used the term in her book “Through Bolshevik Russia” to describe the Soviet border.
Even Josef Goebbels in 1945 commented in “Das Reich” that “an iron curtain would fall over the enormous territory controlled by the Soviet Union, behind which nations would be slaughtered “.
William Joyce aka Lord Haw Haw also used the term Iron Curtain in his last propaganda broadcast to the world on April 30th. 1945.
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Vino blanco
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Re: " Iron Curtain " Defence ...

Post by Vino blanco » Fri Apr 25, 2025 1:54 pm

I would suggest a more similar analogy might be used to what would happen to the people of The Ukraine, were Putin to achieve his goal of taking over the whole country.

Bow
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Re: " Iron Curtain " Defence ...

Post by Bow » Fri Apr 25, 2025 1:58 pm

We’re going to build a wall and make Blackburn pay for it
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Hibsclaret
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Re: " Iron Curtain " Defence ...

Post by Hibsclaret » Fri Apr 25, 2025 2:25 pm

I think it needs to be in honour of our simply brilliant centre back and I suggest defense du rideau de fer.

timshorts
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Re: " Iron Curtain " Defence ...

Post by timshorts » Fri Apr 25, 2025 3:21 pm

Give any of our players that took to the field this season a red star on their shirt like they give gold ones for champions league wins, but just personal to those players.

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Re: " Iron Curtain " Defence ...

Post by gawthorpe_view » Fri Apr 25, 2025 3:27 pm

The Burlin Wall.
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Taffy on the wing
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Re: " Iron Curtain " Defence ...

Post by Taffy on the wing » Fri Apr 25, 2025 3:36 pm

Rowls wrote:
Fri Apr 25, 2025 1:28 pm
Winston Churchil coined the "Iron Curtain" phrase in a speech on 5th March, 1946.

A similar analogy these days might be to compare our defence to Trump's Border Farce? I'm not sure many would be happy at that.
There!........much better.
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AndrewJB
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Re: " Iron Curtain " Defence ...

Post by AndrewJB » Fri Apr 25, 2025 6:18 pm

The "one-five-two." :D

Grimsdale
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Re: " Iron Curtain " Defence ...

Post by Grimsdale » Sat Apr 26, 2025 2:18 am

In honour of the famous Italian defensive system, how about Claretaccio
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Clarets4me
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Re: " Iron Curtain " Defence ...

Post by Clarets4me » Sat Apr 26, 2025 8:50 am

Grimsdale wrote:
Sat Apr 26, 2025 2:18 am
In honour of the famous Italian defensive system, how about Claretaccio
" Catenaccio ", the original word means " Door Bolt " in Italian ..... " Claretaccio ", I love it !

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Re: " Iron Curtain " Defence ...

Post by boatshed bill » Sat Apr 26, 2025 10:09 am

Catenaccio was a term for the sweeper system, so not really what we do.

Clarets4me
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Re: " Iron Curtain " Defence ...

Post by Clarets4me » Sat Apr 26, 2025 11:42 am

boatshed bill wrote:
Sat Apr 26, 2025 10:09 am
Catenaccio was a term for the sweeper system, so not really what we do.
Despite the availability of war-surplus, the lads of 1946-47 didn't actually hang an iron-curtain around the 6 yard box either, to be fair ! 8-)

Speaking of Catenaccio, just had a lovely message from " Beehole Claret ", who is also the admin. of the " Pike Hill Bombers " F/B page. The " Bombers " were a Sunday League team from the 1970's to early 1990's. He claims they used a " Chocolate Fireguard " defence, the much lesser known " parafuoco al cioccalato " system .... :lol:

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