Figure 24
Clarets On International Duty
The demands on the Burnley players increased as the season continued with the International trial matches followed by the Home Championships. Eddie Mosscrop had played outside-left for England in the full international match against Wales at Cardiff on Monday 16 March, England winning 2-0 and Mosscrop having an excellent game. George Halley and Dave Taylor had played in the trial match between the ‘Home’ Scots and ‘Anglo’ Scots on the same day in front to 20,000 spectators in Glasgow, Taylor and Halley both in the Anglo-Scots side. Taylor was apparently the best full-back despite him playing with a swollen foot and picking up a knock to his knee. In 1914, there was no shutdown of the Football League programme for International games. If players were selected to play for their country, they turned out and the club suffered as a consequence. Due to their good form, a number of Burnley players came under the International selector’s spotlight. No fewer than five Burnley players, Bert Freeman, Jerry Dawson, Tommy Boyle, Teddy Hodgson and Eddie Mosscrop were all ‘possibles’ for a call-up for the forthcoming English League v Scottish League match that was to take place at Turf Moor on Saturday the 21st Match.
Before that match, Burnley had to visit the North-East for the re-arranged League match against Newcastle United. Burnley were struggling with injuries to six players.
Tommy Boyle – lacerated toes against Liverpool.
Dick Lindley – groin injury and a cold.
Bert Freeman – knee tendon trouble, making progress.
Dave Taylor – swollen foot and knee injury from the Anglo-Scots game.
Jimmy Bellamy – suffering from pleurisy.
Dave Taylor was ruled out and Bob Reid filled in as full-back. Tommy Boyle was replaced by Levi Thorpe and Billy Watson was replaced by Ernest Bradshaw. George Milligan, Billy Pickering and Bill Husband, covered for the injured Dick Lindley, Bert Freeman and Eddie Mosscrop who couldn’t play due to his teaching.
Newcastle United v Burnley, Wednesday 18th March 1914, St. James’s Park Kick-Off 3:00 pm
The teams lined up:
Newcastle United: Mellor, Hampson, Hudspeth, Spink, Hewison, Hay, Douglas, Hibbert, Sheperd, Wilson, Goodwill.
Burnley: Dawson, Bamford, Reid, Halley, Thorpe, Bradshaw, Nesbitt, Milligan, Pickering, Hodgson, Husband.
Referee: Mr I. Baker (Nantwich)
Newcastle won the toss and had the advantage of the breeze in the first half. The home side battered the patched-up Clarets in the first ten minutes. United should have been at least two goals to the good but their finishing was poor and Dawson kept them out. On twenty-five minutes, United won a corner. The ball came out to Hibbert whose shot hit a defenders leg and deflected into the back of Dawson’s net. Hibbert’s goal must have been the only event worthy of mention of the first half. Sportsman expressed his frustration on how timid Burnley were in attack, “In the whole of the half, they only journeyed three times beyond the Newcastle 18-yard line.”
John Haworth made changes at the start of the second period. The first change the travelling Burnley supporters noticed was Billy Nesbitt playing at centre-forward! Billy Pickering moved to inside-right and George Milligan to outside-right. Amazingly, Burnley’s shape looked much better. After fifteen minutes, Burnley centre-forward Billy Nesbitt scored with a fierce shot during a goalmouth melee to make it 1-1. Burnley then had their best period of the game up until the 75th minute. Douglas took Sheperd’s pass and with Bob Reid slipping Dawson was left alone. Douglas made no mistake and put United 2-1 up. Jerry Dawson then saved a penalty following a Tom Bamford handball to keep the Clarets in the game. Eight minutes from time, Newcastle sewed up the points when Hibbert hooked the ball into the penalty area for Goodwill to score. Newcastle running out comfortable winners in the end, 3-1.
At Full Time: Newcastle United 3 (Hibbert, Douglas, Goodwill), Burnley 1 (Nesbitt)
Attendance: 15,000.
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Burnley made a “gallant show” according to Sportsman but with so many injuries and several players playing out of their normal positions, the team performance couldn’t be blamed. Burnley’s only consolation was ‘centre-forward’ Billy Nesbitt’s brilliant goal!
Women’s Football in Burnley
Teams to play in Midweek Matches
An interesting article written in the Daily Express about women’s football in Burnley said that, “A women’s football club has been formed at Burnley and the first practice game will be played today - weather permitting. It is the intention to run two teams who will take part in matches in mid-week. The players will wear white jerseys and short navy-blue skirts over knickers. The ground of a Sunday school club has been rented and a ball with the initials “B.L.F.C.” has been purchased. This will not be the first time that women have played football in the town for many years ago a team of professional women footballers opposed the town club.” (Daily Express Tuesday 17/3/1914)
Figure 25: Burnley Ladies Play the Game
Burnley Invaded by Tartan Army
On Saturday the 21st March, Burnley Football Club played host for the first time to an FA International match, The English League playing the Scottish League. Each side were represented by players from their respective home countries. Selected for England duty were three Burnley players; Tommy Boyle, Teddy Hodgson and Eddie Mosscrop. As it was a Saturday, Burnley supporters had a difficult decision to make. Should they travel to Villa Park and watch Burnley in action in their League match or stay at home and cheer on the three Burnley players playing in the ‘three lions’ for England.
The game brought interest from across the country. The Football League management committees and their Scottish counterparts were present. New telegraphic equipment was installed at Turf Moor for the assembled pressmen to transmit their copy to the various press agencies in Scotland and London. Also making the journey to Turf Moor for the match came a tartan-wearing, kilted army of some six thousand Scots. Brunbank of the Burnley Express describes the scenes in Burnley that Saturday.
“One couldn’t help but laugh heartily at the pranks the visitors played. They saw the comical side of everything and were like mischievous monkeys with their practical jokes and tricks.
One train arrived into Bank Top with scores of windows broken. A party stormed the station waiting room, rearranged the furniture and proceeded to brew up with a kettle they had brought along. The Scots were intrigued with the dress of the local Burnley women wearing clogs and shawls. Scores of them following the women on their way to work in the mills.
One group stopped a horse and cart and took the horse from the shafts. Another group raided a fish cart playing ‘catch’ with the fish. One Scot pushed a bloater down his shirt. A window-cleaner was knocked from his ladder, the group catching him as he fell. A large body of Scots paraded St. James’s Street seeking liquid refreshment. Many drank from flasks and bottles brought with them. One group hijacked a tram in St. James Street, the driver and conductor powerless. Another group commandeered a bread van, looted it of its contents - and then paid the baker the bill. The police however were very indulgent. Only one or two people were arrested. One Scot was badly cut in getting out of a public-house cellar after the trap door had fallen on him.”
One of the things Brunbank described was the chant the Scots sang inside Turf Moor before the start of the game,
Scotland will ne-ver fail
Ne-ver fail, never-fail;
Scotland will ne-ver fail,
No, no ne-ver!
“it was sung to the old Sunday-school hymn, Kind words will never die. The verses varied between Scotland will ne-ver die and Scotland will ne-ver lose”
Like Aston Villa, Burnley had three players selected for the English side. Tommy Boyle had been suffering from bruised feet and a groin strain but had recovered and would play. Teddy Hodgson had recovered from his injury as had Eddie Mosscrop and lined up with the other English League players. Bob Crompton the Blackburn Rovers skipper was England captain.
Scottish League v English League Inter-League Trial Match, Turf Moor, Saturday 21 March 1914
Figure 26: English League and Scottish League Teams
Figure 27
The teams lined up:
Scottish League: Shaw (Celtic), McNair (Celtic), Dodds (Celtic), Gordon (Rangers), Wright (Greenock Morton), Nellies (Hearts), McAtee (Celtic), McMenemy (Celtic), Reid (Rangers) Croal (Falkirk), Smith (Hibernians).
English League: Hardy (Aston Villa), Crompton (Blackburn Rovers - captain), Boocock (Bradford City) Barber (Aston Villa), Boyle (Burnley), McNeal (West Bromwich Albion), Jephcott (West Bromwich Albion), Stephenson (Aston Villa) Peart (Notts County), Hodgson (Burnley) Mosscrop (Burnley).
Referee: Mr H. H. Taylor.
Abel Hudson had done a fine job in preparing the Turf Moor pitch for the occasion. A strong south-westerly breeze blew across the pitch as the teams appeared. The teams lined up for photographs and England captain Bob Crompton won the toss, electing to play with the wind towards the Bee Hole End.
The English side had the better of the opening exchanges and on seven minutes, Claude Jephcott got down the right wing and put in a good centre. Teddy Hodgson brought the ball down and hit it with force goal-ward. The ball hit Nellies on the goal-line but he could do little but deflect Hodgson’s shot it into his own net and give England the lead. Three minutes later, Eddie Mosscrop worked his way down the left-flank toward goal. He cut inside, got into the Scots penalty area and was about to let loose when he was brought down by Wright. Mr Taylor had no option but to point to the penalty spot. Bob Crompton signalled to Tommy Boyle to take the kick. Boyle placed the ball and stepped back his usual ten yards. His shot flew past Shaw to put the English side two goals up with only ten minutes gone.
Directly after the goal, “a mishap occurred” according to Sportsman in the Burnley Express. Teddy Hodgson was kicked by the full-back Gordon and had to be attended to. “Though he resumed and pluckily stuck to his task he was handicapped by the injury.”
England continued to have more of the play but the Scots came more into the game. Mosscrop and Jephcott plagued the Scots defence the whole of the first half. Mosscrop coming close on two occasions to scoring himself. On the first half’s play, the English side should have been four goals to the good and they wished they had later.
Whatever was said to them in the dressing room, the Scots team were transformed in the second half. They pushed forward, sometimes with seven forwards to find a way back into the game. Two minutes into the second half, a centre from McAteer found Croal and the Scots pulled a goal back. The English were limited to attacks that came mainly through Mosscrop. Teddy Hodgson was clearly lame from the first half tackle but he limped on all regardless throughout the second half.
Eighteen minutes into the second half the Scots attacked and found Smith to centre for Croal who scored his second goal to put the Scots on level terms. Croal was hurt in scoring his goal and was taken off the field and he was absent a good ten minutes. The English were stunned by the Scots comeback. Sam Hardy in the England goal was now the busier goalkeeper and with eleven minutes to go the Scots took the lead. Good work on the right-wing by Reid, who cut inside his defender. unleashed a shot that went straight over Hardy’s head and into the net. With Peart struggling to adapt and Hodgson injured, the English attack lacked bite and couldn’t counter –attack. In the end the Scots won a memorable game 3-2.
At Full Time: Scottish League 3 (Croal 2, Reid), English League 2 (Boyle pen, Nellies o.g.)
Attendance: 34,607 (Gate Receipts £1,241 6s 6d - Admission Price 6d - a record at the time for an Inter-League match in England)
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For one Burnley resident, the behaviour of the Scots visitors it was the final straw. Burnley supporters didn’t escape his wrath either as the vicar of St. James’s Church, Reverend Whitfield told the Editor of the Burnley Express,
BORDERLAND PLEASURES
“Some five thousand football excursionists came into Burnley early on the Saturday and for the rest of the day the town was turned into what is usually styled a pandemonium, a general assembly of evil spirits, whisky in this case appearing as Beelzebub, the chief of spirits. Disorder, drunkenness and extravagance prevailed, respectable people avoided the town and shopkeepers suffered and a sign of relief was raised when the railway companies again swallowed up the pleasure seekers whom they had disgorged in the early morning.”
Then the Reverend brought his fire to bear on Burnley supporters…
“Take the English Cup competition at Sunderland. Thousands of our Burnley working men spent the whole time from 6:00 am on the Saturday to 6:00 am on the Sunday to see this match at Sunderland. We are told that the whole week’s wages were selfishly and meanly taken up in many cases for the excursion that families were cruelly left un-provided for that tradesmen went unpaid for the weeks goods supplied to the homes which had to depend on further credit, that the pawnbrokers did a roaring trade the day before. The railway journey was largely taken up with gambling that many found themselves pounds in debt on their return and many unfit for work the day after.”
(Burnley Express 4/4/1914)
Meanwhile at Villa Park
With three players playing in the International at Turf Moor and with four players injured, Burnley were down to just four regular first-teamers for the match at Villa Park. Dick Tranter, the youngster from the reserve team and former Padiham player made his Burnley first team debut. With Dawson out injured, reserve goalkeeper Ronnie Sewell came into the Burnley side for his first League match of the season and Bob Kelly came back into the first team.
Aston Villa v Burnley at Villa Park, Saturday 21st March 1914 Kick-Off 3:00 pm
The teams lined up:
Aston Villa: Anstey, Lyons, Weston, Morris, Harrop, Leach, Dyke, McLachlan, Boyne, Bache, Edgeley.
Burnley: Sewell, Bamford, Reid, Halley, Thorpe, Watson, Nesbitt, Kelly, Pickering, Tranter, Husband.
Referee: Mr H. Swift (Sheffield)
The makeshift Clarets “did exceedingly well” at Villa Park according to Sportsman. Ronnie Sewell in goal was reportedly, “a shining light.”
Billy Watson captained the Clarets for the match and won the toss. Burnley wearing a changed strip of light blue and white stripes, kicked off. Villa had much more of the play but the Burnley defence held well. Ronnie Sewell made several good saves from distance. On thirty minutes a Villa attack opened the scoring when a centre from Dyke found Joe Bache. His shot hit Tommy Bamford’s leg, the ball rebounding to Edgeley on the edge of the Burnley penalty area to score. At the end of the first half, Aston Villa led 1-0.
In the second half, Burnley again were on the defensive but Villa were poor at finishing in front of goal. The best Burnley chance fell to Billy Pickering. Bill Husband’s shot from distance struck the Villa crossbar and from the rebound the ball found Pickering but he miscued and his scuffed shot was saved on the floor by Anstey. Burnley threatened to equalise late on but the Villa defence repelled the attack. At the end of a fairly uneventful match, Villa ran out winners, 1-0.
At Full Time: Aston Villa 1 (Edgeley), Burnley 0
Attendance: 25,000
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The FA CUP Semi-Final
Preparations for the Match
Following Burnley’s defeat at Villa Park, the players re-grouped in Lytham the following Monday. It was hard to tell who would show up at Lytham, there were so many players injured and carrying knocks.
The Semi-Final at Old Trafford was now only six days away. Teddy Hodgson had been for an x-ray on his ankle following the International match. The x-ray showed no bones were broken but Hodgson would probably miss the Semi-Final. Reserves Billy Pickering, Levi Thorpe and Bob Reid joined the Burnley party for Cup training as Ernie Edwards, Charlie Bates and Doc Hodges worked flat out getting the first-teamers fit for Burnley’s biggest game of the season.
Figure 28: Burnley Players Enjoy the Sea at Lytham
L to R: Billy Nesbitt, Richard Lindley, Levi Thorpe, Jerry Dawson, Bob Reid, Billy Watson, Dave Taylor, Tommy Bamford. (Getty Images)
Figure 29: Football Training at Lytham
Sheffield United had already made a name for themselves in the competition for their ‘robust style of play.’ Sheffield’s opponents in the First Round, Newcastle United, had limped off St. James’s Park with only eight men, Sheffield winning 5-0. In the second round, United dispatched Bradford Park Avenue 3-1 at Bramall Lane and in round three, they had a convincing victory over Millwall, winning 4-0 at The Den. In their Quarter-Final, it took United three games to overcome Manchester City. For the second replay, City had lost the services of both of their first-choice wingers, Cummings and Cartwright due to injury.
Burnley captain Tommy Boyle knew all about United, particularly their captain, George Utley, his old defensive partner at Barnsley. Both men had begun their careers working in the South Yorkshire coalfield. They were brought up a pit village apart, Boyle in Platts Common and Utley in Elsecar. Both had joined Barnsley and had played in the team that met Newcastle United in the 1910 Cup Final. Both had experienced defeat in the replay a week later but Utley had gone one better than Boyle. When Boyle became a Burnley player in September 1911, Utley replaced him as captain and he lifted the Cup in April 1912 after Barnsley beat West Bromwich Albion in the Final. The two men may have been team mates once but today they would be slugging it out for a place in the Final.
What George Utley didn’t know was the state of his opponent’s health. Tommy Boyle had been suffering from pleurisy for several days before the game. Each time Boyle had drawn breath, he had winced from the pain in his ribs. Each time he moved he felt the pain. During the week at Lytham, Boyle had woken the Burnley Trainer Ernie Edwards at 4:00 am in agony. Jimmy Bellamy had been sidelined with the same complaint earlier in the month so it must have been ‘something going around.’ Under examination, Boyle masked the pain from Doc Hodges who could tell he wasn’t a hundred percent from the colour of his complexion. Boyle simply lived to play football. He had missed out on a Cup medal once and didn’t intend to miss out a second time. He would not miss the greatest occasion of a footballer’s career, in leading his team out at the Final, even if it killed him. Despite Boyle’s illness, Doc Hodges shook his head and sighed and then passed him fit to play.
The Burnley directors met on the Thursday evening of the 26th March to select the team. The Burnley Express reporting the day before, that; “The composition of the side is doubtful at present owing to injuries.” It didn’t look good as the mid-week Express usually named a team even if it wasn’t the team. The newspaper didn’t even print the squad.
From 9:00 am onwards on the Saturday morning, thousands of Burnley supporters began arriving at railway stations all along the East Lancashire line from Colne to Accrington. From the station newsstand, supporters found out the latest team news for the match. As they boarded the twenty-four special trains bound for Manchester, it was a feeling of all-round relief. Captain Tommy Boyle would play and Burnley would field their strongest side. The same side for the sixth time in the Cup.
Old Trafford
Corporation buses and trams greeted the scores of trains arriving at Manchester Victoria and Piccadilly stations from all over the country as a ‘human tide surged toward Old Trafford’ from noon. One Sheffield supporter carried a giant scythe with a blade on the end decked in red and white. Numerous supporters had their faces painted in red and white. The flower sellers did a roaring trade selling coloured favours. There were Burnley supporters carrying banners, wearing rosettes and “fool hats.” Along the route to Old Trafford were stalls selling merchandise and souvenirs of the occasion; teddy bears clothed in the team colours, team photographs, match programmes, local newspaper vendors. On the ground, around 2:00pm, the players came out to look at the pitch, Sheffield first, wearing their suits. They were noisily greeted with cheers by the crowd. Unlike the previous rounds, there were no team mascots on the ground. However, according to ‘Brunbank’ in the Burnley Express, “The Burnley runner, George Brunton, did scramble over the rails and commenced to run around the enclosure in his bare feet, but he ran full tilt into the arms of some policemen and was removed. Although he only got thirty yards however, he got five shillings and ten pence collection. Evidently any popular demonstrating was tabooed.”
Before the match and again at half-time, there were toffee sellers walking around the pitch ‘feeding’ the crowd’s appetite for sweets. They would throw packets of toffee into the crowd and receive the pennies in return. The Football Association had only given licences to six news agencies to take photographs of the match. The Burnley Express were not among them and had to take their photographs from the terraces rather than sit at pitch side with the ‘officials’.
It was a fine but breezy afternoon at Old Trafford and though the pitch was dry it had been heavily sanded. The Irwell Springs Band provided the pre-match entertainment right up to the moment the teams emerged from the player’s tunnel. At just before three-o’clock, Tommy Boyle and George Utley led out their teams onto the pitch.
Figure 30: The FA Cup Semi-Final Programme
Sheffield United v Burnley, FA Cup Semi-Final, Old Trafford, Saturday 28 March 1914 Kick-Off 3:30 pm.
The teams lined up:
Sheffield United: Gough, Cook, English, Sturgess, Brelsford, Utley, Simmons, Gillespie, Kitchen, Fazackerley, Revill.
Burnley: Dawson, Bamford, Taylor, Halley, Boyle, Watson, Nesbitt, Lindley, Freeman, Hodgson, Mosscrop.
Referee: Mr H. H. Taylor (Altringham)
Mr Taylor called the captains together and George Utley beat Boyle in the coin-toss and United played with the breeze. As they had played in the earlier rounds, Burnley went on the attack right from the first whistle. Burnley hammered away for the first twenty minutes but the Sheffield defence broke down any attacks and neither Gough nor Dawson were severely tested. A Burnley corner that was met by Teddy Hodgson was Burnley’s first real chance, but Gough put the ball round the post. Burnley followed up with a header from Dick Lindley which Gough put out for a corner. Billy Nesbitt’s next centre found Lindley again and his shot hit the crossbar before clearing for a goal-kick. It was close but not close enough. Then Bert Freeman had two chances, sending the ball just wide on both occasions, with Gough at full stretch as the ball whizzed past his post. After Hodgson had tested Gough on 22 minutes, Freeman put the ball in the net but Mr Taylor refused the goal, ruling him offside.
The Burnley goal wasn’t in any jeopardy in the first half hour until United won their first corner. Simmons then hurt his ankle in a tussle with Dave Taylor and went off for the trainers’ attention, returning ten minutes later. Following a free-kick against Tommy Bamford, Fazackerley put the ball in the Burnley net but his effort was ruled offside. A Tommy Boyle header looked to be going in, but the captain’s effort was blocked on the line by George Utley’s nose. Utley was felled, covered in blood that formed a round red patch on the front of the United captain’s shirt. Following that incident, Eddie Mosscrop was marked out for some rough treatment by Sturgess who badly kicked the little winger from behind. Sportsman in the Express noted that Mosscrop wasn’t the same for quite some time later. The last fifteen minutes of the first half was littered with niggling fouls from both sides, “The Sheffielder’s were the greater sinners” said Sportsman. The worst feature of the half was the number of free-kicks and throw-ins which disrupted the flow of the game. Just before the interval the ball was crossed from United right and George Halley headed the wrong way, the ball striking the inside of Dawson’s upright (the photograph, shown later in the newspapers showed how close United came to taking the lead, the ball leaving an imprint in mud on the inside of Dawson’s post) and a quick move by Dawson saved the day. “It was a miraculous escape,” said Sportsman.
Figure 31: Burnley Attack in the Semi-Final at Old Trafford
In the second period, Eddie Mosscrop was hurt again following another rash challenge by Sturgess in what appeared to be an attempt to kick Mosscrop out of the game. Gough was the first goalkeeper called into action, and then Fazackerley badly fouled Dawson in a United attack, kicking the Burnley ‘keeper high up on his thigh while both players were in mid-air. A Bert Freeman run on goal looked promising. He got all the way to the penalty area before being brought down by Cook. From the free-kick, Boyle sent a flyer just over the United crossbar. United got more of the play as the match wore on and a limping Jerry Dawson just managed to fist out an effort from Kitchen. Burnley won a succession of free-kicks. Brelsford and Sturgess being the chief offenders, though Freeman was twice penalised for unfair shoulder charges. As the game progressed to its conclusion, Boyle and Watson who had both been hurt, “were in some distress”, said Sportsman. The Burnley skipper holding his sides obviously in great pain. Eddie Mosscrop recovered and came back more into the game in the last tem minutes of the second half. Mosscrop looked to have a good chance to score all on his own but his progress was blocked on the edge of the box. As full-time drew closer, Jerry Dawson was troubled two or three times by Sheffield attacks and a dangerous United corner was cleared away well by Taylor. Shortly afterwards Mr Taylor brought the match to a close and both bruised and battered sides limped off the field.
At Full Time: Sheffield United 0, Burnley 0.
Attendance: 55,812 (Gate receipts of £3,777) inc. 14,000 travelling supporters from Burnley. This was then a record attendance for an FA Cup Semi-Final.
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The Burnley dressing room at the end of the game looked like a war zone, all the players suffering damage to some degree. With Boyle struggling from the start and Mosscrop hurt and uncertain of release from teaching for the replay, it was difficult to see who would pull on a shirt for the replay at Goodison Park. Hamerold in the Burnley Express – “The injuries Burnley’s men received were the outcome not of mischance but by design. Dawson was badly lamed by one of Fazackerley’s insensate challenges, Taylor suffered to a less extent, Watson was elbowed out of the field and into unconsciousness, and all the forwards received some rude buffetings. Freeman and Lindley finding Brelsford so frequently guilty of shady tactics as to deserve censure. Utley thought nothing of putting his feet into Nesbitt’s back. Mosscrop received one wild charge that completely spoiled him for the rest of the game.”
After the final whistle at Old Trafford, thousands of spectators headed for the exits to catch their trams and trains home. The crush exiting Old Trafford was described by Brunbank in the Burnley Express.
“I am pretty comfortable in a crowd as a rule but on Saturday I came to appreciate the helplessness of a mere odd man. To safeguard my money I had one hand in my pocket and never got it out again. My feet only touched the ground in little inch strides. For a hundred yards they never felt the ground at all and I never knew I was on the bridge till I was half over it for I could neither see nor walk. I am sore yet - in body as well as mind.” Supporters made their way home slowly, feeling different to when they arrived. Brunbank again, “Going we were all agog with confidence, coming back we were depressed and dejected with not a shout or an excuse.”
It had been a poor match from both sides who had tested and probed for each others weaknesses that had offered only few opportunities at either end. They had also tried to kick the other into submission. And it would all be repeated at Goodison Park on Wednesday.
In the other semi-final at White Hart Lane in front of 27,464, Liverpool clinched their place in the Cup Final by defeating the Cup holders Aston Villa 2-0 with both goals scored by inside-forward Jimmy Nicholl.
The Burnley players had just 72 hours to recover. The team attended the Russian Hydrotherapy and Turkish Baths at the Mitre in Burnley on Sunday afternoon and both Dawson and Boyle were reported to have benefitted. “Jerry was very despondent over his injury on Saturday after the match and thought he would not be able to play again this season.” (Burnley News 1/4/1914)
Press Reports from Old Trafford:
“The officials at Old Trafford on Saturday were not satisfied that a legitimate goal had been scored. One was disallowed to each side but Sheffield claim that they did register a valid point in that Halley headed inside the goalpost and that when Dawson took the rebound the whole ball was within the net. “The Athletic News printed two photographs, one showing the imprint the ball had left on the inside of Dawson’s post with another photograph taken from a different angle. “They (the photographs) suggest that Sheffield won the match. Still we would be the last to declare that the evidence of the camera is irrefutable as much depends upon the position of the operator at the vital moment, and if we are to make the camera a new critic, the position of referees would become intolerable.” (Athletics News 30/3/1914)
Manchester Guardian
The match between Burnley and Sheffield United was a miserable affair…Burnley were lucky that fears about Boyle’s fitness to play were not realised. Boyle was one of the best men on the field.” (Manchester Guardian, 30/3/1914)
Burnley’s Cup Income so Far
Leaving the Semi-Final accounts out, Burnley have made the biggest profit to date. The receipts at their matches had been £8,810 compared with £8,445 for Liverpool, £7,476 for Sheffield United, and £6,580 for Aston Villa. The clubs take half the receipts less expenses directly connected with the matches and five percent which goes to the Football Association. (Manchester Guardian 30/3/1914)
Burnley Firm to Supply Cup Final Ball!
It was announced in the Burnley Express that, “Messrs Chas. A. Clegg Ltd of 10 Market Street Burnley, has been appointed as the official match ball provider for the 1914 Cup Final at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham.”
Mossy for England
The Monday after the Semi-Finals, the FA announced the England squad for the forthcoming full International match against Scotland at Hampden Park. Among the eleven players, Eddie Mosscrop had won the selectors nomination and would play for England.
The FA CUP Semi-Final Replay
Injuries Force Changes to Burnley Cup Team.
April Fools Day and it was near pandemonium at Burnley Bank Top station on Wednesday morning. Only three trains had been prepared to take six thousand Burnley supporters to Merseyside for the replay. There were simply not enough train carriages and hundreds of fans were left on the station platform with no means of getting to Goodison Park.
As it was a ‘half-holiday’ in Liverpool, there was a good crowd for a midweek match. The match attracted a number of Liverpool supporters (their team playing away at Newcastle in a re-arranged game) to witness who their team would play in the Final. From Kirkdale Station, along Westminster Road and all the way to Goodison Park, large numbers of spectators wearing their respective team favours were seen carrying their lucky mascots, loud-hailers, banners and decked out in either red and white or claret and blue.
Sheffield United v Burnley, FA Cup Semi-Final Replay, Goodison Park, Wednesday 1 April 1914, Kick-Off 3:00 pm
The Burnley team came out onto the pitch early and received a great welcome, but the big surprise among the Burnley supporters that had managed to make it to Goodison Park was the appearance of Ronnie Sewell on the pitch and not Jerry Dawson. Sportsman noted, “The Burnley section of the crowd were very quiet before the match but the Sheffielder’s were very confident to all appearances.” It was the first time Burnley’s line-up had changed in seven Cup matches. Since joining the Clarets from Gainsborough Trinity in February 1913, Ronnie Sewell had spent most of his time keeping goal in the reserves, playing in the Central League in front of crowds of a few thousand. He had only one Burnley first team appearance to his credit this season against Aston Villa at Villa Park in March where he had performed well, but Burnley had lost by a single goal. Burnley supporters were asking themselves how Sewell would cope with the big occasion, with a place in the Final at stake. Sheffield United also had one team change from the first game. Hall replacing the injured Simmons.
All the other ten Burnley outfield players were declared fit to play. Eddie Mosscrop took up his usual place, and after bed rest, Clarets captain Tommy Boyle had recovered from his bout of pleurisy over the weekend. The captain had got his colour back and was looking more like his old self as he met George Utley in the centre-circle to shake hands and toss the coin for a second time. It was a fine afternoon on Merseyside as Mr Taylor once again got proceedings underway.
Figure 32: Tommy Boyle Leads Out Burnley For the Semi-Final Replay.
Figure 33: Semi-Final Replay Programme
The teams lined up:
Burnley: Sewell, Bamford, Taylor, Halley, Boyle, Watson, Nesbitt, Lindley, Freeman, Hodgson, Mosscrop
Sheffield United: Gough, Cook, English, Sturgess, Brelsford, Utley, Kitchen, Gillespie, Hall, Fazackerley, Revill.
Referee: Mr H. H. Taylor (Altringham)
Sheffield United kicked off, with Burnley playing towards the Stanley Park End. Mr Taylor was, “down on rough play” right from the outset and the game was a much “cleaner” affair reported Sportsman, “Sheffield’s proneness to hacking the man was checked at the outset.”
Burnley won a series of early throw-ins on the left and an early shot from George Halley was headed away by Cook. On the wings, Utley and Sturgess had the better of Eddie Mosscrop and Billy Nesbitt in the early exchanges. United’s full-back, English, was injured in an early Burnley attack, from which Mosscrop’s first centre was cleared before Teddy Hodgson could intercept. United, with the wind at their backs, punted the ball up-field at every opportunity, trusting their forwards to get hold of it. The Burnley back line of Bamford, Sewell and Taylor stood firm, Sewell seeing a lot of the ball early on which allowed him to settle into his role. Mid-way through the first half, the ball came to Bert Freeman for his first real chance. Freeman spotted a gap in the United defence, set off on one of his runs but his progress was finally blocked. Freeman’s second chance came when Cook in the United defence was floored, but this second effort went behind the goal.
Two Eddie Mosscrop attempts, the first cleared by Brelsford and then a second, saw the United keeper’ pull off a fine save. “Burnley meant business” reported Sportsman and in the next minute a shot from Hodgson straight at Utley, burst his nose, as in the first game. Sheffield then had their best opportunity to take the lead. United centre-forward Billy Gillespie was running on goal. He drove the ball obliquely toward the right-hand side of Sewell’s goal, the ball going away from the goalkeepers reach. But Sewell calculated the strength and direction of the ball perfectly, “and flung himself, cat-like,” and palmed the ball round for a corner. “It was mastery and artistic in its brilliance” said Sportsman, “it was little wonder he had a special ovation all to himself before and after the interval.” The strong wind tended to carry the ball long, so that any long balls pumped forward were not reaching the Sheffield forwards and going out for Burnley throw-ins. The wind was a big factor in the first half as the sides went in for the interval with the score goal-less.
As the second half began, the wind had dropped slightly, Burnley playing with a lighter breeze at their backs. “Only once did Sheffield ever look like scoring,” said Sportsman. Ronnie Sewell, after catching a dropping shot which was about a foot inside the top left hand corner, had, “a few pointed words to Fazackerley who went for him.” A determined Bert Freeman set off on a run on goal. He was edged to the left away from goal but managed to reach the touchline and cleverly back-heeled the ball to a waiting Mosscrop who’s rising shot Gough did well to palm away. From the goal-kick a Sheffield attack through Kitchen saw him hit a low shot that Sewell saved at the expense of a corner. United hadn’t heard the referees whistle and Billy Gillespie played on and put the ball in the net. Bert Freeman had several more solo attempts on goal and almost scored with, “one of his glorious screw-shots - which seem to curl like a boomerang.” All Gough could do was tip it under the bar and Mosscrop running in could only see the ball strike the crossbar and roll on top of the Sheffield net. Another Freeman effort looked like a clear penalty when he was bundled over in the area, his penalty claim ignored by Mr Taylor.
Almost half an hour of the second half had gone, “and we were all looking like watching extra time”, said Sportsman, “when Boyle completely changed the picture.” Nesbitt playing now on the left, the captain having switched his wingers over, had been fouled and Billy Watson put the ball down for the free-kick, just in front of the goal to the right. Watson’s kick led to both Mosscrop and Freeman having shots blocked by Gough and Cook respectively. From Cook’s clearance Sportsman describes. “Then the ball went to Boyle who was waiting. It was as if he knew where the ball would come.” Boyle ran in and met the ball with force, it flew towards Gough but he had no chance of stopping it.”
Brunbank in the Express, “it was 28½ minutes into the second half. Those who saw it will for ever when they hear of good goals say, ‘Did you see that goal of Tommy Boyle’s?’
It crashed into the net like a projectile from a machine-gun and I believe that if the goalkeeper had been in the way it would have knocked him down, or if it had caught his outstretched arm it would have broken it.”
After two hours of football, the deadlock was finally broken and there was only one team in it. Burnley wanted another goal and Boyle’s men attacked United vigorously. After Burnley’s goal, any weary legs in the team were strengthened with renewed purpose. Burnley didn’t sit back. Burnley wanted another goal. Teddy Hodgson hit the ball square across the Sheffield box but no Burnley player could get on the end of it. Dick Lindley was then ruled offside for no reason with three Sheffield defenders in front of him!
Five minutes remained when a Freeman attack ended with “a nasty kick in the face.” Another free-kick netbuster from Boyle was only just saved by Gough. In the final seconds a bloodied Freeman was about to bang the ball into the net when it hit Gough’s body and deflected over the crossbar. “Thus ended a semi-final replay which, if not adorned with brilliance, was a mighty struggle,” concluded Brunbank.
At Full Time: Burnley 1 (Boyle), Sheffield United 0
Attendance: 27, 266 (The Times gave the figure as 35,000) Gate Receipts of £1,731
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What the Papers Said,
BURNLEY FOR CUP FINAL. Sheffield United beaten on their merits in hard game at Liverpool. “Burnley deserved to win on the run of play” (Daily Mirror 2/4/1914)
BURNLEY FOR THE FINAL!
Twenty-eight minutes after the interval, Boyle, the Burnley captain and centre-half put a fine finish upon an excellent personal display with a shot no goal-keeper could have stopped.
Watson had taken the free-kick for a foul by Cook on Nesbitt and he swung the ball across the goal mouth. Hodgson tried to find the net, but Gough, the United keeper’ pushed the ball out. Mosscrop returned it and Utley headed it out to Boyle who took the ball on the half-volley and crashed it into the net. (Daily Mail 2/4/1914)
BURNLEY FOR THE PALACE.
BOYLE SCORES ONLY GOAL IN CUP REPLAY.
The only goal of the match scored eighteen minutes from time by Boyle, their captain. The goal came in unexpected manner. English mis-kicking, let in Lindley who shot. Gough saved but the ball was met and returned by Boyle who was about eight yards out.
(Daily Express 2/4/1914)
A PRICELESS GOAL!
BOYLE’S WONDERFUL SHOT.
BURNLEY IN THE CUP FINAL AT LAST.
“What then was it which wrought the wondrous change from Saturday?
It was Boyle – the subtle difference between Boyle ill as on Saturday, and Boyle, bubbling with life, energy and directness as on Wednesday. Boyle’s magnetic influence electrified the nerves of every defender till they became perfectly tuned to the situation; and from beginning to end there was never a slip. It was Boyle, here, there and everywhere tackling, heading as far as some men can kick, swinging the ball to the wings…a great leader he was on Wednesday.” (Burnley Express 4/4/1914)
LIVERPOOL POST AND MERCURY
Burnley did not play nearly so well…They have gone stale and have suffered severely through leading men being injured. Sewell was excellent in all he did.
(Liverpool Post and Mercury 2/2/1914)
SHEFFIELD DAILY POST
The better team won. In the second half Burnley always seemed to have the whip hand. Freeman was a splendid leader even though he did appear to be walking in his sleep now and again. But that is Freemans little way. Boyle and Watson were great half-backs and Sewell saved the game in stopping Gillespie’s shot. (Sheffield Daily Post 2/4/1914)
Real Rejoicing
Leaving Goodison Park at the end of the match, Burnley supporters were in good spirits, cheering and singing at the top of their voices, noted Brunbank. “There were scores of cars but not enough trams which were all filled before they left the depot. On the way home as the trains passed through Blackburn, Accrington and Padiham, there were crowds to re-echo the expressions of pleasure which were voiced by crowds of trippers who flocked to the windows of the compartments.”
In Burnley itself there was an atmosphere of unrest. “After three-thirty that afternoon until quarter past five, almost everyone’s thoughts were fixed on something else than the matter immediately at hand. Even the sedate city fathers in the Burnley Council Chamber found municipal matters somewhat dull in comparison.”
The news that Burnley had beaten Sheffield United reached the town shortly after five o’clock. “The crowds outside the newspaper offices in Manchester Road and on St. James Street went frantic over the joyful intimation that Burnley had scored and the shout of triumph could be heard streets away.” The news seemed to spread from street to street, from mill to mill and workshop to workshop like wildfire. There were some lively moments in the mills and workshops when the news reached them.” In the Burnley Council Chamber, there were shouts of excitement and from the moment the result was known, “the streets in town thronged with people discussing the result, details of the play and the arrangements for getting to The [Crystal] Palace. Many holiday club funds will now be drawn upon and between now and then there is likely to be rigid economy to raise the ‘necessary’.”
The Burnley team with the exception of Freeman who stayed with friends in Liverpool and Mosscrop and Watson who had travelled home to Southport, returned from Liverpool by the 8:55 pm train. Waiting for the team at Bank Top station were upwards of three thousand Burnley supporters. At just past 11:00 pm, the train steamed into the station to great cheers. Teddy Hodgson was first out of the carriage to loud cheers. Hodgson managed to escape the gathering. George Halley and Ronnie Sewell came next but didn’t. Sewell was raised shoulder high, the crowd carrying him along Standish Street all the way to Market Place with hundreds of people following behind. Sewell later managed to escape and set off at a run towards the centre of town. Tommy Boyle was submitted to the same ‘chairing’ treatment as Sewell for a minute or two before he managed to escape and several of the other players were followed home by their ardent supporters.
The football club received many messages of congratulations on the team’s success. Philip Morrell, the Liberal Member of Parliament, soon after 8:00 pm despatched the following telegram to Harry Windle, the Burnley chairman.
“Warmest congratulations from Lady Ottoline and myself on Burnley’s great victory. Hope directors and players will honour us by dining with us here after final on April 25th.
Letter Following – Philip Morrell.”
From that afternoon, Burnley’s success in reaching the Cup Final at the Crystal Palace was the main subject of conversation in the pubs, clubs, workplaces and among families. Cup fever struck Burnley and the whole population was under its influence.
By the following Saturday, the 4th of April, local travel company’s in Burnley were advertising trips to the Cup Final,
ADVERTISEMENTS
CUP FINAL, APRIL 25th
Book Early At Althams’!
Return Fare 12 shillings.
If you require Saloon Travel, Meals, Drives, Hotels or any other special arrangements call without delay at any of ALTHAMS’ BRANCHES.
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WHITTAKER’S Ltd. (Est. 20 Years)
Cup Final Party Outing - only 21 shillings.
Includes Railway Fare, Drives, Three Good meals,
Admission to Palace and Ground, Conductor etc.
Extra Drives for those not going to match.
No Extra Charges.
Book at once to avoid disappointment. 2s 6d deposit.
J. B. Whittaker 19 Brooklands Terrace, Burnley or his agents.
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For any Burnley supporters who couldn’t make the Semi-Final, they could see all the action from the first game at Old Trafford any time during the week at the ‘newly opened’ Tivoli Picture Palace in Burnley.
TIVOLI PICTURE PALACE
The Management have secured a number of exclusive features this week:
Big Game Hunting in Central Africa – following a seven month expedition.
Burnley v Sheffield United. Cup Semi-Final at Old Trafford (matinees and evenings)
The Club of Black Masks
And another exciting episode of Count Zarka
and finally,
‘In the Bishop’s Carriage.’
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Not Sheffield Again?
The Burnley players had a rest day on Thursday before meeting up again at Turf Moor on Friday morning ahead of the following days League match. It was with none-other than Sheffield United, this time At Bramall Lane and the third meeting between the sides in a week who must have been sick of the sight of each other by now. After missing out on a trip to The Crystal Palace, George Utley’s men took swift retribution for their Cup exit. For Burnley, Ronnie Sewell kept his place as Jerry Dawson still wasn’t fit and Dick Tranter replaced Bert Freeman (suffering a bruised face). Bill Husband provided cover for Eddie Mosscrop who was on England International duty at Hamden Park. Mr Taylor from Altringham again took charge as referee for his third encounter between the two sides in a week.
Sheffield United v Burnley, Bramall Lane, Saturday 4 April 1914 Kick-Off 3:00 pm
The teams lined up:
Sheffield United: Gough, Cook, Richardson, Brelsford, Hawley, Utley, Revill, Gillespie, Kitchen, Fazackerley, Evans.
Burnley: Sewell, Bamford, Taylor, Halley, Boyle, Watson, Nesbitt, Lindley, Tranter, Hodgson, Husband.
Referee: Mr H. H. Taylor (Altringham)
Sheffield United stood in sixteenth position in Division One, only four points above the relegation places with Burnley in ninth and with games in hand. With the season drawing to a conclusion, the Blades desperately needed the points to move away from the bottom two.
Sportsman noted in the Burnley Express how different the performances of both sides were from only three days before. “Sheffield played a game which was streets ahead of anything they did during the Cup-ties, and by contrast Burnley were the reverse.”
Ronnie Sewell was the busiest man on the field and in the first fifteen minutes he stopped two good goal opportunities from Utley. With twenty minutes gone, United won a corner. From Revill’s cross, the ball hit a Burnley defender and landed at Gillespie’s feet who put the ball in the net before Sewell could move. Eight minutes later, United doubled their lead when Fazackerley scored with a swift hook shot from a pass by Gillespie. Tommy Boyle moved Teddy Hodgson to centre-forward and he had a good chance to pull a goal back but his shot went over the crossbar. Other than that one Burnley chance, Gough in the United goal had little to do. At half-time United led 2-0.
With the second half eight minutes old, Billy Gillespie put the game beyond Burnley’s reach with a headed goal from a United corner. Then Kitchen made it four-nil, fifteen minutes from time as he raced in on goal with only Sewell to beat, Burnley having pushed too far up field. And to cap off a miserable afternoon for the Clarets, Fazackerley scored a fifth goal for the Blades after a good effort from Evans. “Burnley were rather fortunate that one or two more goals were not scored against them,” wrote a despondent Sportsman.
At Full Time: Sheffield United 5 (Gillespie 2, Fazackerley 2, Kitchen), Burnley 0
Attendance: 18,000
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In the international match at Hampden Park on the same day, Eddie Mosscrop had won his second full international cap for England. Mosscrop had, along with most of the England side and according to the (English) newspapers account, a poor game as England went down 3-1.
Easter 1914
The Middlesbrough League game at Turf Moor was another match that had been rearranged after Burnley’s Cup run. It was played on a Monday afternoon before Burnley’s smallest home crowd of the season. After three League defeats on the trot, Burnley were sliding down the League table and were only five points above the relegation places. Several players were suffering from their exhaustive Cup run. The Middlesbrough game came only two days after Burnley had received a good kicking from the boots of George Utley and company. That match had sidelined both Tommy Boyle and Teddy Hodgson. Jerry Dawson was still recovering from the injury he picked up in the first Semi-Final and Eddie Mosscrop was teaching so Bob Kelly came into the side.
Bert Freeman returned after his facial injury and Dave Taylor took over as Burnley captain. Middlesbrough had to make three changes of their own from the weekend, Heyworth, Stirling and Stage all coming into the side.
Burnley v Middlesbrough Turf Moor, Monday 6 April 1914, Kick-Off 3.00 pm
Burnley: Sewell, Bamford, Taylor (c), Halley, Thorpe, Watson, Nesbitt, Lindley, Freeman, Tranter, Kelly.
Middlesbrough: Williamson, Heyworth, Walker, Davidson, Jackson, Malcolm, Stirling, Carr, Elliott, Tinsley, Stage.
Referee: Mr Garner (Barnsley)
A stiff breeze blew across Turf Moor as Williamson beat Dave Taylor for the choice of ends, Middlesbrough playing with the wind and Burnley defending the Bee Hole End. Despite the wind in their faces, Burnley started the game well. Bert Freeman seemed back to his old self and after receiving the ball from Thorpe, he set off with Kelly in support. Kelly took the ball forward before he floated the ball across to Freeman only for ‘Boro’s centre-half, Jackson to head clear. George Halley pushing forward and had a good effort saved and Billy Nesbitt’s centres were becoming more dangerous as the game progressed. With fifteen minutes gone, Halley found Freeman unmarked. Working inside the ‘Boro half backs, Freeman found an opening and his shot found the back of the Boro’ net. Good combinational play between Kelly and Freeman led to two more Burnley opportunities before Middlesbrough equalised on 25 minutes. A breakaway from midfield by Elliott, who was possibly a yard offside, shot with force, the ball rattling Sewell’s crossbar, “causing a shower of whiting” according to Sportsman. From the re-bound, Carr, running in, side-footed the ball into the Burnley goal and the teams went in at the interval at 1-1.
In the second half Sportsman noted that, “Burnley had the better of the play and were the rather more dangerous team, controlling the ball very well when the teams changed ends.” With the wind in their favour now, the Clarets should have capitalised as they looked more confident. For the first twenty minutes of the second half, Middlesbrough were kept on the defensive. A Burnley shot struck Davidson’s arm in the penalty area but the appeal from the Burnley players was turned down by Mr Garner. Billy Nesbitt was then shoved in the back but the resulting free kick by Burnley was wasted. A succession of shots, the first by Billy Watson and then from Thorpe, followed by Halley were all saved by Williamson. Middlesbrough had rarely travelled over the half-way line when on 26 minutes a quick attack saw Elliott race forward from his own half to score and give Middlesbrough the lead. Middlesbrough suddenly came to life with more attacks. One effort hitting Sewell’s crossbar. During the closing phase of the game, Dave Taylor pushed his troops forward and sent in a splendid long shot from a free-kick which Williamson saved on the goal-line. The Burnley forwards pressed forward to find the equaliser but the Middlesbrough half-back line held fast. Middlesbrough saw the game out, the final score being 2-1 in their favour.
At Full Time: Burnley 1 (Freeman), Middlesbrough 2 (Carr, Elliott)
Attendance: 7,000 (Burnley’s lowest gate of the season.)
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It was Burnley’s fourth League defeat in a row and with only four League games left, the Clarets were only five points above the relegation places. Their form had to improve soon or they could find themselves sucked into a relegation fight that could affect their performance in the Cup Final, now less than three-weeks away.
It was Easter week with two games in two days, but the League fixtures had been kind, giving Burnley two home games against Everton and Derby County. The Clarets urgently needed a return to their post Christmas unbeaten form. They needed all their key players fit again and a little bit of luck that had eluded them of late.
Herbert Bamlett to be Cup Final referee
Figure 34
Before Easter, The Football Association announced that the referee for the Cup Final would be none other than Herbert Sydney Bamlett. Bamlett’s appointment must have brought cries of despair from several quarters in Burnley. The Athletics News in profiling Bamlett as part of their lead-up to the Cup Final said,
“The Football Association announced in their last meeting the appointment of Mr H. S. Bamlett of Gateshead-on-Tyne to act as the Cup Final referee. Mr Bamlett is a native of Sunderland where he was born some 32 years ago. He joined the Durham Association in 1901 and joined the Football League and Southern League list of referees in 1907-08. He has had his ‘little troubles’ [not stated what these were] and has been subjected to criticism over his interpretation of the offside rule. Last Saturday he officiated at Glasgow at the Scotland v. England International.” (Athletic News 6/4/1914)
For the visit of Everton, Burnley were once again without the services of first-choice goalkeeper Jerry Dawson but apart from his omission, the Clarets lined up as they had done in the replayed Cup Semi-Final with the same outfield players that had beaten Sheffield United.
Burnley v Everton, Turf Moor, Good Friday 10 April 1914, Kick-Off 3:00 pm
The teams lined up:
Burnley: Sewell, Bamford, Taylor, Halley, Boyle, Watson, Nesbitt, Lindley, Freeman, Hodgson, Mosscrop.
Everton: Fern, Thompson, Maconnachie, Weller, Wareing, Grenyer, Chedgzoy, Jefferies, Parker, Bradshaw, Harrison.
Referee: Mr T. P. Campbell (Blackburn).
It was a sunny afternoon and there was a good attendance at Turf Moor for the Good Friday afternoon encounter with Everton. Tommy Boyle was fit again and won the toss and Burnley played toward the Bee Hole End with the wind. An Eddie Mosscrop attack from the kick-off was flagged offside as Burnley gained the upper hand in the early minutes of the match. A Tommy Boyle long shot was caught by Fern before Bert Freeman had his first chance of the game with a low shot that just went wide of Fern’s right-hand post. Dick Lindley was next in line with a goal-scoring chance but his attempt was cleared by Thompson. From the clearance, Everton broke and won the first corner of the match. From the corner-kick, Parker the Everton centre-forward, had a good header saved by Sewell. Then a cross from Harrison came to Chedgzoy, but he made poor use of his chance and Billy Watson cleared. Eddie Mosscrop combined well with Dick Lindley and Fern had to come off his line to foil another good Burnley goal attempt.
Bert Freeman got in a good shot which Fern managed to save on his knees, turning the ball round the right-hand post. It was all-out attacking from Burnley as Billy Nesbitt centred, and then Eddie Mosscrop struck the Everton post. The break-through came mid-way through the first-half. Tommy Boyle found Teddy Hodgson with a good pass and he worked inside to find Dick Lindley whose hard, low shot beat Fern to put the Clarets in front. Burnley should have gone further ahead from a Nesbitt corner, the ball twice coming out the Burnley half backs to knock the ball back into the area only for Everton to eventually clear. Everton had the occasional attack but Burnley were looking the much stronger and more organised side with Tommy Boyle commanding his forces well. Just before the break, Halley, Boyle and Watson had again pushed forward, right to the edge of the Everton area and each of them had shots saved by Fern. A rocket shot from Boyle bounced off an Everton defender to end the half, before the teams went in for tea with Burnley leading 1-0.
Burnley pressed straight from the start of the second half seeking a second goal. Four minutes in, a move started by Dave Taylor led to Burnley’s led to it. Taylor found Nesbitt, whose jinking run down the left put in a good centre which dropped just in front of Freeman. It was a typical Freeman dribble and run ended in Burnley’s second goal. “It was Freeman’s finest goal this year and richly deserved the enthusiastic cheers it elicited,” said Sportsman in the Burnley Express. Burnley looked hungry for more and forced a corner straight from the re-start. Boyle found Hodgson whose header was saved by Fern. Then a claim for a Burnley penalty was turned down by Mr Campbell. Everton attacked and in the process put the ball in the net but the effort was flagged offside by the linesman. Another dangerous Everton attack followed but that was safely cleared away by Tommy Bamford. “Burnley’s passing was up to their best standard,” noted Sportsman and as Everton looked to score, their forwards couldn’t make any impression. After his goal Bert Freeman looked to have got his old confidence back. Dave Taylor was hurt in an incident that put Burnley down to ten men temporarily. Meanwhile a run on goal by Freeman led to Fern coming out to meet him. Bert was about to let loose when Fern took the ball from his toes and was hurt in the process. Fern looked dazed and was helped off the field for attention but like Taylor, he later returned after treatment from the Everton trainer.
An Everton attack through Bradshaw saw Everton come close, the ball striking Sewell’s crossbar and Watson steering the ball away to safety. Another Everton attack saw Bamford clear the ball far over the grandstand roof and into Brunshaw Road. Fern in the Everton goal, was clearly unwell and had to leave the field again (he was later hospitalised in Burnley Victoria Hospital, suffering concussion) and Macconachie went in goal with Weller as full-back. With the Blues down to ten men, Burnley pressed home their advantage in the final minutes before Mr Campbell blew his whistle to end the game, the Clarets winning 2-0.
At Full Time: Burnley 2 (Lindley, Freeman), Everton 0
Attendance: 20,000 (Gate receipts of £538 11s 6d) Gate pooling with Everton had been agreed back in August agreed, the two clubs would pool the gate monies at Goodison Park and Turf Moor and the clubs would split the income. With this arrangement, Burnley benefitted to the tune of just over £200.)
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This had been a much better performance by Burnley, their first League win in nearly a month. With Boyle back in the middle directing the play, his tactic of attacking at speed and in numbers combined with the regular change in the direction of his attack, had paid dividends. Bert Freeman had looked much sharper and had enjoyed the match against his old club. Burnley’s four match losing streak had come to an end. The two points were welcome in Burnley’s quest for League safety. Burnley were in ninth place after the Everton result but were only six points above the relegation zone. A good result in Saturday’s game against Derby County who were battling against relegation, would secure the Clarets First Division status. Burnley did not want to be going into Cup Final week with their future uncertain.
Tom Charlton Badly Injured
Former Burnley inside-left Tom Charlton, who had moved to Blackpool in December 1913 after scoring three goals in seven appearances for the Clarets, was badly injured in a Good Friday game between Blackpool and Leicester Fosse at Blackpool. Charlton slipped over a player’s foot, and in trying to recover himself fell and his head came into violent contact with another players knee. Charlton was unconscious and the ambulance men and two doctors ferried him to hospital. Suffering a severe depressed fracture of the right-side of the skull, Charlton was operated on by Dr Richardson, who removed several pieces of bone. Charlton was only given a slight chance of recovery at first but since he has made good progress, “his vitality surprising the doctors.” (Burnley Express 15/4/1914)
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