The best player Burnley never signed

[wildcat391]

Anyone remember Nigel Pepper?
I think we (Adrian Heath?) announced that he was signing from York City but someone else (Bradford I think) came in and scuppered the deal at the last minute for an.extra 5 grand. He was superb for Bradford following the move.
As for one I wished we had signed when the time was right, how about Geoff Horsfield.

[ClaretTony]

That’s different from what he said in my son’s Match of the Day annual where he claimed he was turned down after having a trial at Burnley

He wasn't turned down at all, and didn't have a trial at Burnley. He trained for a few days at Gawthorpe but a story has been made out of it when there was nothing in it.

[ClaretTony]

Anyone remember Nigel Pepper?
I think we (Adrian Heath?) announced that he was signing from York City but someone else (Bradford I think) came in and scuppered the deal at the last minute for an.extra 5 grand. He was superb for Bradford following the move.
As for one I wished we had signed when the time was right, how about Geoff Horsfield.

It was Heath - when I heard that someone called Pepper, who had been at Bradford City, was taking over our academy last year I wrongly assumed this is who it was.

Heath also all but announced the signing of Colin Murdock from Man U - one day later he signed for Preston. And finally, on Heath signings, the signing of Mark Patterson from Sheffield United was announced by when Heath left the club swiftly moved to get the transfer cancelled.

[houseboy]

Presumably from reading the OP, the suggestion is a player that we were linked with, so therefore not really “a pointless discussion”, especially when posted on a Burnley fans’ forum.

But it didn't actually say that did it? And as we all know 'linked with' doesn't mean anything really. Over the last couple of years we have been linked with so many players I can't remember half of them.

[claret59]

Although a lifelong claret there was a time when Scunthorpe Utd were my nearest local club and I would go along quite often to see them play. At that time they had a certain Kevin Keegan playing for them and he was nearly always 'head and shoulders' the best player on the pitch. I wrote to the Burnley Manager ( Harry Potts at the time, I think,) and recommended the club to have a look at him. I never got a reply and a little while after I wrote he signed for Liverpool , for £30.000 I seem to recall.
I have often wondered a to what might have been and this prompts me to ask has anyone else from the stands recommended a player to the club?

[FeedTheArf]

Was gutted when we didn't sign Djemba Djemba the season after we had him loan for a couple of months. Think he ended up at some random foreign club because he needed the money

[keith1879]

In our one season in the second division after our first promotion from the third we were on the point of signing Peter Reid I seem to remember - and he got injured. So we would have had Peter Reid and Trevor Steven in midfield. I t worked OK for Everton.

[UpTheBeehole]

God I remember the days when Peter Reid was linked with the Burnley managers job every time it came up.

Coyle beat him to it, and then Laws got the nod when Coyle went.

[Woodleyclaret]

Peter Crouch are you guys serious?
.He is probably the most overrated player ever to get an England cap.For a big guy he's crap in the air with most balls seeming to bounce off him rather than a concerted attempts to actual direct it.We got a far better player in Jon Walters.

[groove]

Alan Birch! Seem to remember a deal fell through at the very last minute with John Bond declaring he would never do business with Chesterfield again.

[BarstewardsEnquiry]

Another shout for David Johnson of Ipswich and Forest fame. Always seemed to be on the scoresheet. I was over the moon when he came on loan to us about 2002.

[turfytopper]

Not sure where you're coming from with that,,
Beardo was first at Newcastle when a teenager but was released without breaking through.
He then signed for Carlisle making over 100 appearances (79-82)

Really? I used to drink in a pub in Wakefield (1981) and on a thursday night Beardsley's uncle, a lorry driver, used to drone on about how his nephew who was at Carlisle, would one day play for England....i kid you not...Of course we all thought he was a tosser (the uncle)...my recollection was that he was still a Newcastle player...

[Cleveleys_claret]

Gerry Creaney
David Johnson
Paul Shaw
Nicky Walker

Not suggesting any had fantastic careers after their loan spells were up but during their time here really wanted them to stay.

Also after Wembley always had a feeling Kevin Francis was going to sign for us but never did. Just the way he acted on that day to us fans....seemed very congratulatory

[Dazzler]

Really? I used to drink in a pub in Wakefield (1981) and on a thursday night Beardsley's uncle, a lorry driver, used to drone on about how his nephew who was at Carlisle, would one day play for England....i kid you not...Of course we all thought he was a tosser (the uncle)...my recollection was that he was still a Newcastle player...

Time to put this to bed


http://www.soccerbase.com/players/playe ... yer_id=522" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CnBtruntru]

Messi.

[scouseclaret]

Time to put this to bed


http://www.soccerbase.com/players/playe ... yer_id=522" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You live and learn. I didn’t know Beardsley had one been at Man U, and I don’t remember him going on loan to Fulham!

[Dazzler]

Without wanting to name-drop,,,I was first enlightened of Beardsley having had a trial at Burnley from a son of a former Claret legend of the 70's.

[turfytopper]

Time to put this to bed


http://www.soccerbase.com/players/playe ... yer_id=522" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I wasn't doubting you or arguing the case. Just explaining how. I first heard of Beardsley. His uncle must have been have been a better judge than the Newcastle management as clearly Newcastle didnt sign him initially and Carlisle got him from a local Geordie club (Wallsend).
I do vividly recall his uncle telling me to note the name peter beardsley....as he was a Geordie maybe he said he'd play for England and Newcastle ....all wishful thinking....

I stand corrected he wasn't at Newcastle in 1981 and looking back signed perm for Carlisle.

[boatshed bill]

David Johnson, he was a class above but out of our price range.

[Diesel]

I would have loved to have seen Kris Commons at Burnley, great left foot, would have been a real fans favourite.