Burnley Memorabilia And Programmes

1980/81.	1983/84

**His debut came against Bristol Rovers wearing the No9 ,a shirt he wore right up untill his last game at home to Hull City in May 1984**

Big Billy Hamilton Legend ! and i don't think any Burnley fans can argue . His physique and style of play, from his debut against Bristol Rovers in 1979 ,to his last game against Hull City in 1984 had legend status written all over it.

Billy ,Or if you prefer his Sunday name 'William', started his career at Linfield in 1975 ,three years later his move to London and Queens Park Rangers was completed for a fee of £25k, but with only 2 goals down south in 12 games ,QPR allowed Brian Miller to bring Billy up north to Burnley ,and a legend was born.

 His first goal for the Clarets in the 3-2 win against the Geordie's on a certain Boxing day ,is still sung today amongst the Claret faithful in the "Hark now hear ..." roar..His partnership with Kevin Young and stalwart Joe Jakub had not scored enough goals to stop Burnley dropping down to the third tier of English football for the first time in nearly 100 years of the English league.

 He started the 1980/81  season with Burnley now cast adrift of the elite of English football ,partnering Steve Taylor (signed from mansfield for £80k),Billy who was ever present that season scored a measly 9 goals ,his failier  to score in the last ten games of the 1980-81 season saw Burnley picking up 8 points from a possible 20 ,which condemned Billy and Burnley another year in the lower dvision.8th place in the league and only 11 points off top spot .It coins a phrase "Goals win prizes".

 Billy Hamilton with strike partners Steve Taylor and Paul Magee plundered 27 League goals between them in  1981-82 ,netting Billy Hamilton the Top League Goalscorer in the third division,as Burnley finished champions

 The following season saw Billy ,now a legend in the Claret shirt saw him propelled in to World Cup folklore with two goals against Austria what had many a Claret turn to Cheer on the Northern Irish with a striker who was one of there own.Back in the league Billy's Strike partners were Steve Taylor and Terry Donovan (recruited from Aston Villa),notched 31 league goals between them, Hamilton bagged two hat-tricks that season ,his third for Burnley.But that was not enough to save Burnley from relegation,Brian Miller who brought Billy to Burnley had been sacked by new chairman John Jackson,replaced by his No2 and Burnley legend Frank Casper to act as caretaker,on a day the older Burnley fans will never forget ,Billy struck twice in a game at White Heart Lane ,what saw Burnley knock Tottenham Hotspur out of the league cup with an impressive scoreline (4-1). 

 Relegation back to the third tier was hard to take,and Billy found himself at a club with big ambitions ,out goes Frank Casper and in came John Bond .With another season in the lower league about to begin and Billy Hamilton found himself with a new strike partner in the shape of former England International Kevin Reeves . All was good in the Claret world 24 goals was plundered by the partnership leaving Burnley in 6th place in the Third division by the end of 1983  .But disaster would strike  for Kevin Reeves who' injury early in 1984 ended his playing career and with that the goals dried up, Billy Hamilton now trying to forge a partnership with Wayne Biggins a Striker who was notching goals for fun at Matlock Town a team in the Northern Premier League .While Biggins scored 8 league games in 20 ,Billy Hamilton's goals dried up 5 goals in the remaining 24 league games.

 At the seasons end and Burnley sat mid table, Billy would leave his new found home ,in the shape of Robert Maxwell's Oxford United who had been crowned Champions of the Third Division,and a partnership with John Aldridge awaited him.

His time with the Clarets was hard fought,with as many highs as lows ,he played under two contrasting managers in Club Legend Brian Miller and John Bond ( who's name fills me with hate).Hamilton's 77 league goals in his 252 games might not set the world alight ,but in this part of East Lancashire will always be a Legend.