Burnley Memorabilia And Programmes

Saturday 5th September 1959

Chelsea 4-1 Burnley

Goalscorer: Connelly

Att:    36,023

 Teams

Chelsea: Matthews, Sillett, Tindall, McMillan, Scott, Anderton, Brabrook, Greaves, Livesey, Tambling, Blunstone.

Burnley: Blacklaw, Angus, Cummings, Seith, Miller, Adamson, Connelly, McIlroy, Pointer, Robson, Pilkington.

Referee    Mr.R.E.Warnke  Coventry
Linesmen Mr.K.E.Laflin and Mr.A.F.Mason

Once again the Clarets were hopeful of picking up the points after their midweek win at Goodison and after Chelsea having just lost 6-3 at home to Manchester United. But it was the young newcomer Jimmy Greaves who was the major influence in the Clarets travelling back to Lancashire with nothing.

John Connelly was the first on the scoresheet when he scored from a good cross come shot very early in the game. But Burnley's hopes of another victory were shortlived as Burnley's defence were being run ragged by a very determined Chelsea line up.

It was from a mistake by Seith that led to the Chelsea equaliser, when Brabrook picked up the ball and passed to Livesey who put the ball in the back of the net to go 1-1. Just as the first half was coming to an end Brabrook put Chelsea in the lead at 2-1.

Jimmy Greaves took up the mantle in the 2nd half putting on a brilliant display of attacking football. Whenever he got the ball he had the Burnley defence at sixes and sevens, and it was Greaves next putting himself on the scoresheet and Chelsea into a 3-1 lead.Greaves continued to dribble his way around the Burnley defence and from another of his accurate passes Livesey popped up to score his 2nd and put the game beyond the reach of the Clarets at 4-1.

It was a big blow to all the Clarets faithful and was a taster of the roller coaster season that Burnley were going to experience.

Programme review

The Chelsea programme contained 16 pages costing 6d.

  The teams were as printed in the programme.Interestingly this was Burnleys 5th outing with the same team.

Although it was twice the price of the Burnley programme, it was a very interesting read indeed, and unusually there were no adverts whatsoever.Ted Drake the Chelsea manager in his notes made reference to the Burnley goalkeeper Colin McDonald who last March had broken his leg playing for the Football League side, and he asked all to join him in wishing him a speedy recovery and hoping that he would be back challenging for his England place very soon.

He also spoke of the way that Manchester United had put in a World class performance in beating them 6-3 the previous Wednesday, and about how delightful it had been to watch United's style of attacking play.

Also in the programme was a very interesting feature written by someone who goes by the name of True Blue. This was a man who had the privelidge of visiting the Inner Sanctum's of other teams grounds. One thing that stayed in his mind from his visit behind the scenes at Turf Moor was an inscribed brass plaque fixed on the wall in the home dresing room, inscribed on it was this " This tablet is here placed to perpetuate the memory of a wonderful record to the honour of the players who took part in the games, and as an incentive to all the players of the club to maintain, and if possible to surpass the results set hereforth "This plaque was to commemorate the achievements of the 1920-21 side that went 30 consecutive league games without defeat. Also engraved on the plaque were the names of the players who took part in those games and the results of each match.

Another little story he related was a reference to Tommy Boyle, Burnley's centre half. It was during the preparations for the 1914 cup final when Burnley had gone to Blackpool for training, the team were out visiting the attractions of the town, they were strollling past a wrestling hall where a challenge was being shouted out. A booth wrestler was offering £5 to any challenger who could stand up to him for 10 minutes. Boyle rubbed his hands and told his team mates that he would have a go. They all went into the hall with all but Boyle fearful of what might happen to their skipper. But they were ready to give him full encouragement. They nearly blew the roof off the building when Boyle had the boastful wrestler full length on his back in just under two minutes.Proving what was well documented that Boyle was one of the strongest centre halfs of all time.

One last interesting mention of Burnley in this feature was a reference to the 1898 season where Burnley were involved in end of season test matches which were played to decide which clubs should stay up and which would go down. Burnley and Stoke played in the last of these test games and the position was such that provided neither team scored, both clubs would remain in the top flight. In the effort to make sure that no goals were scored the players of both sides took every possible opportunity of putting the ball out of play, they kept up this dodge so wholeheartedly that in the course of the match no fewer than 6 balls were lost.

One notable inclusion in the programme was the mention of Terry Venables , His debut in the Blue of Chelsea playing in a combination game against Bristol City ,the programme states that "This is the First step to 'Blood'our young and potential stars. Venables had already gained Schoolboy honours for England , His illustrious career had yet to start .