Next Game – Chesterfield (away)

Last updated : 12 August 2003 By Tony Scholes

Steve Blatherwick
Drawn away we will be making our way to the town with the crooked spire and the Recreation Ground to take on a club who came close to playing 3rd Division football this season. After a run of five successive defeats, and fourteen defeats in nineteen games, it was a surprise 2-0 win against Bristol City in the last home game of the season that was enough to keep them up in 20th place.

They left it late too with the goals coming in the 86th and 90th minutes from Glyn Hurst and Mark Hudson and that result sent Cheltenham back down after a year at the higher level.

It did mean changes during the summer and having in recent years given the likes of Nicky Law a first chance in management they this time went for experience and appointed the former Bradford, Derby and Bolton manager Roy McFarland.

He’s added to the squad by bringing in two players with higher division experience on free transfers. The first to sign was Ian Evatt from Derby and he was followed by Gus Uhlenbeek from Bradford City.

Players have moved out though, a couple of younger players were released whilst Jonathan Howard has moved into non-league football with Burton Albion. Marcus Ebdon has gone to Leyton Orient and Huddersfield have snapped up both Rob Edwards and Martyn Booty.

Hopes are high for a much improved season this time round and it got off to a reasonable start with a point won in a 0-0 draw at newly promoted Wrexham.

As was the case with every match over the weekend it was played in incredibly high temperatures and this had an effect on the game. McFarland was happy enough though and said after the game, "It was an exceptionally hard game. Both sides were a credit to football. Perhaps if Hurst had taken the early chance a goal would have settled us down and we might have gone on to win."

The Chesterfield squad included two former Clarets. Loan striker from the 1987/88 season David Reeves was used as a substitute whilst one of the famous four Steve Blatherwick took up his usual place in the centre of defence.

Chesterfield lined up: Carl Muggleton, Kevin Dawson, Steve Blatherwich, Steve Payne, Alan O’Hare, Gus Uhlenbeek, Mark Hudson, Chris Brandon, Ian Evatt, Glyn Hurst, Mark Allott (David Reeves 70). Subs not used: Gareth Davies, Andy Richmond, Andy Rushbury, Stephen Warne.

In last season’s competition they defeated 1st Division opposition in the first round, winning 1-0 in extra time at Grimsby before going out on penalties to West Ham.

Past Results in the last 20 years

Season

Div

Ven

Result

Att

Scorers

a

1983/84

FA

a

2-2

5,788

Dobson Reeves

h

3-2

8,286

Reeves Hamilton(2)

1989/90

4

h

0-0

3,959

a

1-0

4,061

Mumby

1990/91

4

h

0-1

8,373

a

1-2

4,022

White

1991/92

4

h

3-0

6,647

Eli(3)

a

2-0

7,789

Deary Francis

1995/96

2

h

2-2

8,459

Nogan(2)

a

2-4

4,933

Nogan Eyres(pen)

1996/97

2

h

0-0

7,903

a

0-0

5,529

1997/98

2

h

0-0

10,861

a

0-1

7,406

1998/99

2

h

1-2

10,985

Cooke

a

0-1

5,426

1999/2000

2

h

2-1

10,615

Payton(pen) Johnrose

a

1-1

4,214

Payton

Click HERE to see more results against Chesterfield .

One from the past

Chesterfield 2 (Newton, Birch) Burnley 2 (Dobson, Reeves)
FA Cup Second Round – Saturday 10th December 1983

Burnley 3 (Reeves, Hamilton 2) Chesterfield 2 (Birch, Bellamy)
FA Cup Second Round Replay – Monday 17th December 1983

Bond and Benson - both win three year contracts
There was brilliant news for Burnley fans just before the FA Cup tie with Chesterfield almost twenty years ago. New manager John Bond had been working without a contract but with board and fans delighted with his efforts the club were finally able to announce a deal.

And it was not just Bond. Along with his assistant John Benson and Youth Development Officer John Doherty he signed on the dotted line of a three year contract at Turf Moor.

The Club’s Managing Director Derek Gill said, "We have been most impressed by their achievements so far and are highly confident that these latest moves will be of benefit to Burnley Football Club."

The manager was more than happy to sign. "Burnley has now become the Football Club I always thought it was," declared Bond. "I’m really happy here, I love it and it would take something really exceptional to remove the three of us from this Football Club now.

"This is now a well run club from top to bottom. In fact it is as well run as any club I’ve been at."

We struggled in the early stages of the 2nd round FA Cup tie and could have easily have been a goal behind but on 20 minutes we were in front when Martin Dobson latched on to the rebound after an effort from Micky Phelan.

We looked to be getting right on top of the game then but back came Chesterfield with Newton hitting home from 25 yards although they weren’t level for long and just before half time Kevin Reeves headed home from a Billy Hamilton cross.

The tie would have been won too but for a poor decision by referee Frangcon Roberts in awarding a penalty against Vince Overson but they scored from the spot and we had to start all over again at the Turf.

Manager John Bond had been claiming for weeks that we were the best team in the country when it came to corners and if ever he was proved right this was the match. We were predictable with them as Brian Flynn took the kicks for Reeves to flick on but no one had an answer.

Reeves gave us the lead and that was doubled when Billy Hamilton got on the end of a Revvo flick on from a corner. But the Spirites came storming back after winning another dodgy looking penalty as Alan Birch went down again. When they equalised with just a quarter of an hour to go what had looked an easy win suddenly looked like a tie going into extra time. But the corner routine worked again for Billy to get his second and see us through to a home tie against Oxford.

The teams were as follows:

At Chesterfield

Chesterfield: Jim Brown, Bryan Scrimgeour, Steve Baines, Gary Bellamy, Barrie Stimpson (Mick Higginbottom 60), Brian Hornsby, Steve Spooner, Steve Kendall, Alan Birch, Bob Newton, John Clayton.

Burnley: Roger Hansbury, Derek Scott, Vince Overson, Micky Phelan, Willie Donachie, Brian Flynn, Martin Dobson, Steve Daley, Tommy Hutchison, Kevin Reeves, Billy Hamilton. Sub not used: David Miller.

Referee: Frangcon Roberts (Prestatyn).

At Burnley

Burnley: Roger Hansbury, Derek Scott, Vince Overson, Micky Phelan, Willie Donachie, Malcolm Waldron, Brian Flynn, Steve Daley, Tommy Hutchison, Kevin Reeves, Billy Hamilton. Sub not used: Martin Dobson.

Chesterfield: Jim Brown, Bryan Scrimgeour, Steve Baines, Gary Bellamy, Barrie Stimpson, Steve Spooner, Bob Newton, Steve Kendall, Mick Higgnibottom, Alan Birch, John Clayton. Sub not used: Bryan Klug.

Referee: David Hutchinson (Harrogate).