The Longside Reference

Name:William Vincent Rodaway                                                                                         

D.O.B:26th September 1954 (Liverpool)

Clubs:Burnley(twice), Peterborough, Blackpool, Tranmere, Runcorn, Altrincham, Colne Dynamoes,

Fee payed by Burnley:Apprentice (Youth) and free in Aug 1986

Signed by Jimmy Adamson and Brian Miller           

Burnley Debut:25th April 1973 Luton Town

Last appearance for Burnley:9th May 1987 Orient

International Honours: England Youth International

Claret Stats: 304/2 Games 3 Goals

Unfinished Business!

When footballers return to a former team "Unfinished Business" is the newspaper headline, when Billy Rodaway returned to Burnley in 1986 who was to know what unfinished Business was to mean to the Town of Burnley?

Liverpudlian Rodaway played for Liverpool Schoolboys as well as representing England at the Schoolboy level.  With the Liverpool Schoolboys Billy Rodaway won the prestigious 'English Schoolboys Trophy', while earning 9 England Schoolboy caps, not a bad start.

In the Summer of 1970 Billy joined Burnley as an apprentice, as was Burnleys way in the sixties he would look forward to a few seasons of Central League/Reserve team football as an apprentice learning is trade.

Injury to Colin Waldron forced Waldron out of the last two League games of the 1971/72 season, Billy took his chance, two wins one clean sheet as Billy, who at 5'9 was not the biggest centre half about, gave his all, and still aged just 17.

Although it was back to Burnleys nursery the following season, as Waldron and Jim Thompson cemented their place's at the heart of Burnleys defence, both ever presents as Burnley won promotion.  Billy who was still only 18 would be waiting in the wings.

First Division football beckoned, Rodaway played his first ever 1st division game on Merseyside against the feirce rivals of the club he has supported as a boy, Everton! but it wasn't a dream return for Billy, Everton nicked it 1-0. his second game of that season would be in front of over 31000 fans at Turf Moor with Manchester United as the visitors, another game to remember for Rodaway  as he gave no way through. Burnley held the Red Devils to a 0-0 Draw. Billy Rodaway played the final 7 games of this season, as Burnley finished in 6th place.

The heart of Burnley's defence was changing, Waldron was to be partnered for half the season by Rodaway, Billy played 28 games scoring his first ever Claret goal at Bramall Lane a 2-2 draw with Sheffield United.

1975/76 Burnley relegated back to the second division and Billy would be back out in the cold, as established Centre half's Waldron and Thompson were preferred to the youthful Rodaway. Billy did manage to make fifteen appearances, the first again away at Everton, but wearing a Alien No9 shirt.

With Waldron now sold the centre back birth became Rodaway's own, playing in all Burnleys games in the 1976-77 season. Billy's only silverware with Burnley came via the Anglo-Scottish Cup the following season, with Billy a prominent member of the squad.

The emergence of 'Big' Vince Overson spelt 'End of part 1' as relegation to the third tier of English football beckoned, so did Billy Rodaway's cemented centre half spot. In 1980/81 Billy would make just 5 appearances for the Clarets, and a subsequent transfer to Peterborough followed.

Two successful seasons at London Road where Rodaway became Club Captain, before Billy moved back up North to Bloomfield Road and Blackpool after only a year by the seaside Billy moved closer to home, returning to Merseyside and Tranmere Rovers in 1984 where yet again he was made Club Captain.

Two seasons later and Billy Rodaway returned to Turf Moor a place where he had spent 11 seasons, 1986/87 would be the most dramatic season in Burnleys history! Billy Returned, his swansong on his professional career was to play 44 games in a very poor Burnley side, only a last day victory against Orient saved Burnley from extinction, Billy's 'Unfinished Business' was now Complete, he walked of the Turf on the 9th May 1987, his last game in Claret ensured the Clarets would play again.

The overriding image of that dramatic day in 1987 was when Billy dropped to his knees head in hands, seemingly hugging the Turf, as the thousands of Burnley fans pored on to the pitch, Billy was submerged in emotion, a feeling that brings tears to the eyes of those who hold Burnley in their hearts, Pride, Passion, Relief!

With his professional career ended so dramatically, Billy with so much still to offer, played for Runcorn, Colne Dynamos, Emley, with a Wembley appearance with Emley in th FA Vase Trophy, Scoring in both legs of Emley's semi-final and helping little Emley win a trophy at Wembley.

Club Historyian Ray Simpson sums up Billy in this sentence taken from an old Burnley programme: "Ther has been more skillfull players than Billy Rodaway to grace the Turf Moor football scene, but he ranks with the best in terms of grit and determination"