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It wasn’t long into the New Year before we fell away and then it looked as though nothing would stop them. With just eleven games to go they were not just in the top two but were eight points clear at the top although admittedly KKMC did have three games in hand. It was obviously going to be a top two place and a place in the Premiership for the first time.
What happened was incredible and after seven successive victories they claimed only three more in those last eleven games and ended the season in third place and a place in the play offs. Norwich beat them in the semi-final and so once again they face another season in the First Division.
It will be there fourteenth successive season at this level after two successive promotions from Division Four to Two in 1987/88 and 1988/89. Their last appearance in the top division was 1983/84 before three successive relegations dropped them into the basement. Those two promotions in the late eighties saw Wolves become the first club to win all four divisions, the Clarets followed three years later with the last ever Fourth Division Championship.
A lot of money was spent at Molineux last season with big money paid for players such as Mark Kennedy, Colin Cameron, Kenny Miller, Alex Rae, Nathan Blake and Kevin Cooper. This summer though Dave Jones has had to trade in the Bosman market to bring in three new signings with two very experienced internationals with Premiership title medals amongst them.
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There have been a number of departures including Carl Robinson who signed for Portsmouth, Darren Bazeley who made the short trip to Walsall, Andy Sinton released and Kevin Muscat who moved to Glasgow to join Rangers.
Their season started with a televised 0-0 draw at Bradford last Sunday in front of the Sky cameras but they comfortably beat Walsall on Wednesday 3-1 with Colin Cameron scoring twice and Shaun Newton adding a third in front of a crowd of 27,904. Wolves lined up: Michael Oakes, Lee Naylor, Paul Butler, Denis Irwin, Jolean Lescott, Shaun Newton, Alex Rae, Ivar Ingimarsson, Colin Cameron, Nathan Blake, Kenny Miller (Dean Sturridge 75). Subs not used: Matt Murray, Ludovic Pollett, Kevin Cooper, Adam Proudlock.
There has been no place for Paul Ince yet with manager Jones saying he is not fit enough yet although he is expected to play a part on Saturday.
It was early in the 1986/87 season that the Clarets won at Molineux with a Neil Grewcock goal, since then every game has ended in a win for Wolves. Hopefully it is time to break that sequence.
He played for both
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Steve first came to the attention of the Burnley fans in the 1967/68 season when he burst on the scene during the FA Youth Cup run that saw us win the title. His pace and strength down the left wing proved too much for most and gave him his nickname of Skippy.
By the following season he had broken into the first team and such was his form that he became a regular almost immediately. His debut had come during a 5-0 defeat at West Ham but he was soon back in the side during the team’s run of eight wins in the autumn of 1968.
He was leading scorer in 1969/70 season despite playing on the left wing but he was soon to have competition for his place from a young Welshman by the name of Leighton James. By 1971 James had claimed the position and at the end of the 1971/72 season Kindon moved to Wolves for a £100,000 fee.
In over five seasons at Molineux he was a favourite with the crowd and it was Wolves who converted him into a central striker. He had scored 28 goals in 109 league games for the Clarets and then another 28 for Wolves in 138 appearances.
In late 1977 he returned to Burnley when Harry Potts, back as manager, paid £80,000 for him with us struggling at the bottom of Division Two. Former Liverpool midfielder Brian Hall signed from Plymouth on the same day but it was Skippy who had the greatest impact.
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The 1978/79 season proved to be his last full season with the club and he turned in a superb individual performance on the ice of Boundary Park in the first leg of the Anglo Scottish Cup Final against Oldham. He scored twice in a 4-1 win that as enough to see the Clarets lift the trophy.
The following season was a disaster for the Clarets as we went to the 3rd Division for the first time but before we got there Kindon had gone for a second and last time, this time to 4th Division Huddersfield.
He had a wonderful spell at Leeds Road and played in and scored in a superb game at Turf Moor that ended in a 4-2 Burnley win. After a knee injury he retired in 1982 but worked as Commercial Manager at Huddersfield for a time.
He is now an after dinner speaker and a couple of years ago made a return to Turf Moor where he received a superb reception from the crowd. A little more portly and not quite as quick but still as popular as ever with those who saw him play for the Clarets.
League results in the last 20 years
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
a | |||||
1986/87 | 4 | h | 2-5 | 2,947 | Grewcock James |
a | 1-0 | 5,786 | Grewcock | ||
1987/88 | 4 | h | 0-3 | 10,386 | |
4 | a | 0-3 | 10,002 | ||
1994/95 | 1 | h | 0-1 | 17,766 | |
a | 0-2 | 25,703 | |||
2000/01 | 1 | h | 1-2 | 15,483 | Branch |
1 | a | 0-1 | 20,156 | ||
2001/02 | 1 | h | 2-3 | 21,823 | I Moore Johnson |
2001/02 | 1 | a | 0-3 | 24,893 |
Last Time in the League
Wolverhampton Wanderers 3 (Taylor og 10, Rae 20, Cook og 39 ) Burnley 0 - Nationwide League Division 1, Sunday 28th October 2001
There was never any danger of us breaking the run of bad results against Wolves in this game. Stan produced one of his tactical masterstrokes that virtually handed the game to our hosts in the first half.
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Quite how we went in at half time only three down is difficult to believe as we faced an onslaught for forty-five minutes and making it harder for ourselves with an early own goal from Gareth Taylor as he headed in a cross from the right.
Paul Cook nearly followed suit shortly afterwards but his header landed on top of the net although he was to be credited, somewhat unfortunately, with an own goal later in the half.
The second goal was perhaps the most embarrassing as Alex Rae was given as much time and space as he needed in a crowded box to hit home an overhead kick.
Eventually we did get into the game, after an early second half spell from Wolves, and for the last half hour matched them. By then though we had reverted to 4-4-2 but it was too little too late and the points had already been lost.
It was certainly a shake up and it was to be another two months before we lost again as we went on our best run of the season. Once again though we had been beaten by Wolves but for once we could have no complaints whatsoever.
The teams were,
Wolves: Michael Oakes, Kevin Muscat, Jolean Lescott, Paul Butler, Lee Naylor, Shaun Newton, Colin Cameron (Carl Robinson 81), Alex Rae, Mark Kennedy (Adam Proudlock 34), Michael Branch, Nathan Blake. Subs not used: Cedric Roussel, Sean Connelly, Matt Murray.
Burnley: Nik Michopoulos, Paul Weller, Ian Cox (Glen Little 24), Steve Davis, Arthur Gnohere, Lee Briscoe, Kevin Ball, Tony Grant (Gordon Armstrong 75), Paul Cook (Dean West 45), Ian Moore, Gareth Taylor. Subs not used: Luigi Cennamo, Andy Payton.
Referee: Mr. P. Joslin (Newark).