The Longside Reference

"A game of two halves" some sporting philosopher once said, well 1977/78 was 'a season of two halves'.

Potts saved Burnley the season previous, with 6 wins in the last twelve games, well one thing is for sure, Burnley with more or less the same team that finished the season before, did not follow on in that winning form. In fact no wins in the first nine, only four goals scored in those nine games, and one of those was an own goal. Burnley were struggling.

Potts who spent the sixties bringing through young players for the Burnley coaching system, was in the late seventies going to the cheque book, Brian Hall signed from Plymouth Argyle for £25.000, and a masterstroke when Potts brought home Steve Kindon for a bargain £80,000 from Wolverhampton Wanderers. But with Burnley Chairman Bob Lord always keen on balancing the books, allowed Brian Flynn to move to Leeds United for £175.000 which financed the deals.

Kindon started 27 League games this season, following his return 'home'. and with a return of 12 League goals, and with a partner for Paul Fletcher, turned Burnleys stumbling season.

Kindon scored on his 'second debut' against Notts County on November 12th, with strike partner Fletcher notching his first league goals of the season, a 3-1 victory was a start, But Burnley were stuck deserted at the bottom of the second division.

Two more wins and a draw in the next four games and a first league goal in a Claret shirt for former Liverpool man Brian Hall, against Luton in a 2-1 win, still could not uproot Burnley form the base of the Division.

Christmas came and with just single point in the festive period, Burnley were starting 1978 looking up at the rest, But Potts started to work some magic, and with a win at Burnden Park, Bolton, and then a home victory over Stoke City, Burnley started to climb of the foot of the table.

Derek Scott's first ever goal for the Clarets in the 1-2 defeat at the Goldstone Ground, was little consolation as Burnley's Keith Newton called it a day on his great career. One door closes, another one opens...or so to speak.

The second part of the season was promotion form, 11 victories, since the turn of the year, and goals a plenty, 38 goals scored since January, while Stevenson and co only let past 24 ! Burnley finished the season in 11th Place, after spending the first five months of the season rock bottom.

Burnley's looked to the next season full of hope, full of belief, would Potts deliver?