Pathetic Burnley go out in cup shock
Having needed a replay against Cardiff City to reach the third round of the League Cup, it all ended in disappointment for the Clarets with Plymouth Argyle coming to Turf Moor and beating us 2-1.
Just three days earlier Burnley had been held to a draw by Manchester United but it was a fixture that caused problems due to the behaviour of some of those who attended. The events before, during and after the game were described as some of the worst seen for years as the rampaging fans left a trail of destruction and shattered nerves.
The trouble started just after noon with a gang of red and white scarf wearing youths although there had been some issues as early as three hours earlier. There were incidents in Yorkshire Street, Oxford Road and throughout the Fulledge area as well as in the ground itself.
Most of the problems were outside with plate glass windows often the target. Old people were terrorised out of their wits. Detective Inspector Bob Saunders reported: “These were not just United fans, we have arrested people from Flintshire, Wrexham, Derbyshire, Barrow-in-Furness and Leeds,” seemingly unaware that every United fan didn’t live in Manchester. He added: “It would appear that football matches have now become an excuse for certain elements to go berserk. It’s the worst match for violence of all sorts since the Manchester City match of 1968.”
However, Superintendent Joe Henderson told the local press: “We have our own problems here and a small pocket of Burnley supporters are no angels. We do get trouble from them but on this occasion all the hooligans came from among United supporters.”
To add to all that, two of the Burnley players, Paul Fletcher and Keith Newton, returned to their cars after the match to find them extensive damage caused by stones thrown at them.
I always thought the Ashes was the reward for winning a test cricket series held between England and Australia. Not always the case, Clitheroe had won them against Burnley in a Master Brains challenge. At the end of the contest, Mr Ken Nightingale, the general manager of the Burnley Express, ceremoniously burned the final scoresheet and placed the ashes in a casket which was then handed to the vicar of Clitheroe.
The council were being targeted with letters sent to the Burnley Express. One reader had just returned from Vitry annoyed to hear the news that the twinning arrangement could be over. Welcomed by a local family in Vitry during their stay, Mr Campbell suggested they were nice people and it would be our loss should the arrangement end. Another letter came from Disgusted of Burnley who really was disgusted because we’d sold the council chamber oak panelling to Americans without advertising them for sale in Burnley. “We have been sold down the river. The councillors responsible should be named,” he said.
Councillors don’t always help themselves. The Burnley Express had reported on all the vandalism issues at Barclay Hills Estate, which featured in our last article, but Councillor Albert Pickup hit back and claimed: “As far as I am aware the situation at Barclay Hills is not as serious as that at another estate. I know of only one complaint and that was in relation to the children’s play area. I believe there is a bit of rowdyism, but this is a problem all over the town and is by no means isolated at Barclay Hills. Quite honestly, I have no evidence of vandalism at Barclay Hills and the first I hear of widespread trouble is in the Burnley Express.”
Then in an about turn, he all but admitted the problem but put the onus on residents to collect name and addresses of the culprits and added: “The main problem might be caused by hooligans coming on to the estate from outside, in which case it is a more difficult problem. I feel deeply for the decent residents, especially the older ones who have to put up with these roughnecks. We must do all in our power to stamp it out.”
Tuesday night was League Cup night in Burnley and we’d been installed as favourites to win the competition. There was good news too for manager Jimmy Adamson ahead of the home tie against Plymouth, he was able to recall Colin Waldron to the side after the defender had completed his three match suspension following his dismissal at Cardiff in the previous round. The team showed just the one change with Billy Rodaway who had deputised for Waldron, dropping out.
We went into the game in third place in the First Division; our opponents were tenth in the Third Division and the lower division club, managed by former Burnley goalkeeper Tony Waiters, were nearly in front in only the fourth minute when a poor back pass from Waldron gave Steve Davey a golden opportunity which he failed to take.
But we got ourselves in front on 16 minutes following a foul on Paul Flether. Doug Collins floated the free kick into the box for Ray HANKIN to head home.
That didn’t prove to the catalyst for a good performance and we struggled with Plymouth levelling just past the half hour. Ernie Machin knocked a free kick over our defence and WALDRON could only turn it into his own goal past a helpless Alan Stevenson.
Paul Fletcher thought he’d restored the lead with a brilliant header only to see another former Burnley goalkeeper Jim Furnell make a brilliant save and that save ensured we went in at half time with the scores level.
Twice in the second half we were close to falling behind through two efforts from 19-year-old Paul Mariner who Plymouth had signed from Chorley. We just couldn’t get going but we gave it a really big push in the final quarter of an hour, clearly looking to avoid a midweek replay trip to Devon.
Leighton James came close, Hankin blazed over an effort from five yards out and Furnell again denied Fletcher with a superb save. Then, with just three minutes remaining, Alan Welsh got down the flank for Plymouth, centred for Davey who flicked the ball on and Neil HAGUE was there to divert the ball past Stevenson.
Manager Adamson was far from impressed. After the game he said: “For the first forty-five minutes we were pathetic. We were much too complacent and much too casual. It was the worst we’ve played for a very long time.
“All credit to Plymouth. They played very well and lifted their game tremendously. This was just what we were afraid of, but we must take a lot of the blame for their good performance by allowing them to play.”
The teams were;
Burnley: Alan Stevenson, Peter Noble, Keith Newton, Martin Dobson, Colin Waldron, Jim Thomson, Geoff Nulty, Ray Hankin, Paul Fletcher, Doug Collins, Leighton James. Sub not used: Billy Ingham.
Plymouth: Jim Furnell, Colin Randell, Colin Sullivan, John Hore, Bobby Saxton, Neil Hague, Alan Welsh, Steve Davey, Paul Mariner, Ernie Machin, Alan Rogers. Sub not used: Derek Rickard.
Referee: Mr R. N. Perkin (Stafford).
Attendance: 11,167.
League Cup Third Round Results
Tuesday 30th October
Birmingham 2 Newcastle 2
Bristol City 2 Coventry 2
Burnley 1 Plymouth 2
Everton 0 Norwich 1
Southampton 3 Chesterfield 0
Wednesday 31st October
Fulham 2 Ipswich 2
Luton 0 Bury 0
Millwall 1 Bolton 1
Orient 1 York 1
Stoke 1 Middlesbrough 1
Tranmere 1 Wolves 1
West Brom 1 Exeter 3
Tuesday 6th November
Carlisle 0 Manchester City 1
Hull 4 Stockport 1
QPR 8 Sheffield Wednesday 2
Wednesday 21st November
Sunderland 0 Liverpool 2
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