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 fixture. The events before, during and after the game were described as one 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 issues in Yorkshire Street, Oxford Road and throughout the Fulledge area as well as in the ground itself.
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.”
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 getting it with letters sent to the Burnley Express. One reader had just returned from Vitry annoyed the hear news
that the twinning arrangement could be over. Welcomed by a family, 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 of 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
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.
Leave a Reply