Our greatest living player

[The Enclosure]

One of our greatest full back pairings.
John Angus and Alex Elder.

[The Enclosure]

Ashingtonclaret46, whenever I read your articles, you come across as someone like me, as far as having seen Burnley from the early fifties and having many fond memories to look back on.
John as you probably know was a very good golfer. Do you know if he still plays?.
I remember talking to him at one the re union dinners at the Turf and mentioned spending quite a bit of time bird watching around Northumberland. John said I was welcome to call in and have cup of tea anytime I was up there. I think he was living in Amble then.

I spent about 15 minutes with John one morning drinking coffee together at my golf club.He was meeting up with John Connelly who was also a member at Nelson for a round of golf.
A really unassuming lovely man to chat to and it was lovely to meet one of my BFC heroes from when I started watching the Clarets and talk about other great players in the team of that era.
Seem to remember that he still had a single figure handicap.It was probably 7 or 8 years ago so unsure if he is still playing golf,I expect like most footballers the knees start to stiffen up as the years go by.

[ashtonlongsider]

Very difficult question to answer and obviously subjective and choices will vary depending on age. Suppose the older we are, the more choice we have. 3 names immediately spring to mind for me. Trevor Steven is the most gifted young player I've seen player for us, however his potential and greatest success came when he moved to Everton. The next is Willie Irvine. I'm partly thinking about how he'd fit in to the present set up and bring much needed goals on a consistent basis. However, as for greatest, I'd have to plum for Brian O'Neil, what we wouldn't give for a modern day version. Just what were lacking. A strong tackling midfielder driving the team forward.

[Bfc]

Ashingtonclaret46, the first game I can recollect going on was the Man Utd 5-3 cup game, stood on the Beehole behind the goal. I missed the first goal because I was so small compared to everyone else stood around me. My dad lifted me onto his shoulders for the rest of the game.
Would you ask John if it’s true he only played the 1 game v Austria (A) (as left back and Miller right half),because he wasn’t interested in playing for England. In my mind he was a far better player than Jimmy Armfield, who as you know was an England first choice and others who were picked instead.

I’m not sure whether it was Bobby Charlton who said, him and his brother Jack were fishing near Ashington and were talking about past times as kids, when they mentioned John and having not seen or heard much of him. Shortly after Bobby bumped into John and mentioned they had recently been fishing and said they’d not seen him about. John replied “yes I saw you both fishing while I was having a walk” and John had just walked on past them.
See if he remembers little Arthur (Duck) Duckworth who worked in the workshops at Bank Hall pit. Every player working at the pit knew Arthur, who went to all the games inc European Cup away legs.

[Better Call Saul]

Our greatest living player.
BRIAN O'NEIL
Sadly not seen on any of the large pictures outside the Turf.
Unbelievable!

[Blackrod]

Seriously though, while the most talented is probably Robbie Blake, i think Mike Duff is more deserving of the "greatest" title. But i think it depends on your criteria for choosing.

Of course these players were more ' talented ' and 'greater' than players that played consistently in the top flight teams of the 60s and 70s

[bfcjg]

Yaya Toure .
Past their prime when signed but Gasgoine and Ian Wright.
All time Dobson or James can't split them

[Adrianthepostman]

Adrian Randall

[RalphCoatesComb]

Our greatest living player.
BRIAN O'NEIL
Sadly not seen on any of the large pictures outside the Turf.
Unbelievable!

I couldn't believe that either.

But we do have Trevor Steven who played in a lower division and less than half the games that the Bedlington Terrier played for us.

[RalphCoatesComb]

However, as for greatest, I'd have to plum for Brian O'Neil, what we wouldn't give for a modern day version. Just what were lacking. A strong tackling midfielder driving the team forward.

And his goal against Stepney was one of the best EVER at t'Turf !

[Joe14]

Glen Little

[ClaretTony]

I go along with O'Neil.

Any day of the week for me - brilliant player

[Claret-On-A-T-Rex]

Brady!

[Ashingtonclaret46]

".......See if he remembers little Arthur (Duck) Duckworth who worked in the workshops at Bank Hall pit. Every player working at the pit knew Arthur, who went to all the games inc European Cup away legs."

Bfc ---I won't be back in Northumberland until the start of 2019, however, I will certainly try to remember to pose the question when I next see John.

[Aclaret]

Any day of the week for me - brilliant player

Just wish the younger generations could see what he was like, I was only a youngster myself in the 60s but he was such a great player.

[ClaretTony]

Just wish the younger generations could see what he was like, I was only a youngster myself in the 60s but he was such a great player.

You can't even begin to describe how good he was. Unbelievable player. Sadly not very well these days.

[Ashingtonclaret46]

You can't even begin to describe how good he was. Unbelievable player. Sadly not very well these days.

He was at school with my brother-in-law and they were good friends until Brian left to go to Burnley and my brother-in-law, also Brian, joined the RAF.
He was a smashing player in an era when we had quite a few to eulogise over!

[Rodleydave]

Ashington remind me of your email ta
beehive thomas at aol dot com
need to mail you

[Rodleydave]

Brian O Neil, oh what we would give for someone like him in midfield today.

[Longsidelenny]

All about personal choice mine bye a country mile Trevor Steven pure class

[Buxtonclaret]

Our greatest living player.
BRIAN O'NEIL
Sadly not seen on any of the large pictures outside the Turf.
Unbelievable!

There were a few comments on a big Brian pic not being up on the wall.
As you say, unbelievable.

[mikeS]

Sir Les Thompson

[joey13]

In my time Martain Dobson Head and shoulders above any both as a player and a role model

Head and Shoulders surely should be Joe Hart

[Steve1956]

I challenge you sir, to a duel!

Why?

[ClaretTony]

Our greatest living player.
BRIAN O'NEIL
Sadly not seen on any of the large pictures outside the Turf.
Unbelievable!

He was the one player I voted for who didn't make it onto the list and he wasn't even next one from that era with Andy Lochhead beating him.

[HiroshimaClaret]

Why?

Mentioning Joyce in the same sentence as ADRIAN RANDALL is borderline heresy!!!!!!

[Steve1956]

Mentioning Joyce in the same sentence as ADRIAN RANDALL is borderline heresy!!!!!!

[Hipper]

I don't think any of today's players can be considered as they haven't played long enough at the top level for Burnley. For example, Defour may be brilliant on his day, and undoubtedly was at other clubs, but he's only really had a few good months with us.

I agree with John Angus, with Alex Elder a second choice. Both served the club a long time at the top level.

[HiroshimaClaret]

I agree there has to be some Claret longevity. A tough one but for me in my `in person`, week in week out experience (45 year old)...Steve Davis.

[Tread Warily]

Tom Heaton (A wasted talent) and Nick Pope,following in his footsteps.

[Lord Rothbury]

Colin McDonald would possibly have been Burnley's greatest ever player but for injury.

Colin played 6 times for England including 4 WC appearances he was considered by some to be of such quality that he would have been a regular for England many years including the 62 WC.

Colin was in the Rosegrove Unity Club about 18 mths ago and looked well.

Other to mention Angus ,Elder,Dobson Morgan,James,O'Neil and the Ginger Pele would have been on if he was still here.

[SussexDon1inIreland]

Dobbo Taffy or Defour

[claret_tyke]

the Beddlington terrier Brian Oneil