The Longside Reference

Things were bad at Burnley, Harry Potts resigned after the 2-0 defeat against Cardiff at Turf Moor. which led to Brian Miller stepping into the void bringing with him Frank Casper as his no 2 .and Arthur Bellamy as youth coach. Burnley needed a miracle and it was only November.

Brian Miller could not have asked for a harder start, Preston away losing 3-2, and a trip to Loftus Road and QPR, what saw Burnley's young goalkeeper leaving the field in tears after conceding seven on his debut, Billy O'Rourke would be the lamb to the slaughter that day Burnley lost 7-0, Miller kept faith and O'Rourke played the next game at home to Orient, losing again this time 2-1, which incidentally was the first time since the 1900's where Burnley fielded two brothers.

Kindon was sold to Huddersfield Town, Fletcher was sold to Blackpool, Hall left and Noble would be sold,again to Blackpool! and Burnley hadn't left the 70s.

In came Billy Hamilton a £55k signing from Queens Park Rangers, and (my all time favorite Claret) almost made the dream debut by having put the ball in the net away  at Eastville the (former) home of Bristol Rovers, but it would be disallowed, leaving Burnley with just a point a 0-0 draw on Hamilton's debut. The signing of Hamilton marked the end for Paul Fletcher who went 23 games without scoring a single goal,Fletcher subbed during the 5-3 win at home to Cambridge United his last appearance in a claret shirt, his No9 would be passed on to a new hero.

Kindon who's last season in a Claret shirt would be stop, start playing 9 games coming of the bench twice scoring 3 goals, his final appearance would come in the Orient game where he left the field to allow Vince's older Brother Richard to create history, Kindon would be on his way across the pennines to Huddersfield.

Leighton James would join his Boyhood heroes this season too, when speculation linking James for a move to Manchester United, although unsubstantiated, just upset Burnley's novice manager Brian Miller, but he would be leaving to join Swansea City for a fee of £130k where he joined up with former international team mate John Toshack. James played in the 0-0 draw at home to Birmingham City in the penultimate game of the season, his replacement for the last game away at Watford would be the last in a Claret shirt for the "Ginger Pele" Billy Ingham would leave before the next season Bradford his destination.

Burnley were relegated, but with only six wins all season, survival was never an option, Burnley were 8 points away from safety, with 2 points for a win and Burnley only taking 2 points in the last 8 games, the writing was on the wall at a very early point of the season. Harry Potts left in Oct with the new blood coming in, in the shape of Claret legends Miller, Casper, and Bellamy.

 The future wasn't bright, third division football was waiting and with 11 players sold or released at the end of the year, Miller needed more that just luck to save his Burnley.

The Burnley Express ran a story Blaming Bob Lord for Burnley's failings, the sports editor put the blame entirely on Lord shoulders, implicating lack of serious funds and interference in team selection coaching and training. which was rebuffed in the managers programme notes in the last home game of the season, Brian Miller attacked the sports editor of the Burnley express, a thing he did earlier in the season when unsubstantiated  rumors surounding James and his transfer to United.

Brian Miller who was born a stones throw away in Hapton, who had supported Burnley from the age of eight, would if cut, bleed Claret and Blue, and who felt the hurt of relegation just as much if not more than the Clarets faithful who had never seen Burnley sink so low.