The Longside Reference

John "Bloody" Bond!!!!!!!!!!!

I know what you all will be thinking with the title, but if he built the foundations with his only season in charge 1983-84, well he built them out of straw! (left, how the Sun newspaper broke the news)

The season started with Bond's old Manchester City's old boy's leaving(Steve Daley, Denis Tueart, Gerry Gow), Burnley legend Billy Hamilton unhappy and sold, new recruits by the bucket load Hampton, Grewcock, Devine, Taylor, Hird, Powell, Whatmore, Turner(who never got a game).

The first league game home to Plymouth Argyle, 5 days after Bond's acrimonious departure, the only players who played and were at the club last season were Roger Hansbury(who's days were numbered), Derek Scott who would leave at the season, Vince Overson who would depart for stoke at the end of the season, Micky Phelan who also was playing his last season in the Claret and Blue of Burnley, Tommy Hutchinson who would be stripped of the captaincy in December, and former Matlock striker Wayne Biggins. Too many changes the team had not only had to get use to a new manager, they also had to get to know each other.

This season hard to take, from the championship season two season before, the list of quality players who came through the ranks, to now, Burnley were reliant on journeymen players who have no connection with this once great club, players who just didn't care, Derek Scott, Vince Overson and Micky Phelan apart Burnley were shite, it was horrible, there was no light at the end of the tunnel.

 The only light came when Jackson, who was chairing the club with massive debts took local businessman Frank Teasdale and former Lancashire cricket legend Jack Simmons onto the board to increase the capacity to the six.

John Benson the man Bond brought in to assist him, tried, he was given the job straight after Bond was sacked, Bond who in mine and other opinion wrecked the club from the top to the bottom, had the absolute nerve to try and sue Burnley for breach of contract, and wrongful dismissal, the man spent Burnley's little money on old mates and long contracts, but the John Bond legacy was still to affect Burnley.

In December John Bond took over at Swansea City, who like Burnley were struggling at the foot of the third division, and it was Bonds team who played out a draw six days after Burnley had given the supporters hope with a hard fought 3-2 win away at Walsall.

So Bond the man Jackson hired, had the last laugh, Jackson himself stood down with Teasdale a board member for just four months taking the chair at this once great club, Benson also left.

Burnley were in debt, with no manager, Burnley were in trouble, the Fourth Division beckoned for the first time in Burnley's 103 year history, dark dark days lay ahead!

One of John Bond's acts as manager was to have a young Andy Payton released, but one youth player who did progress was Ashley Hoskin (third from right, front row seated)