Clarets to meet familiar face

Last updated : 24 July 2002 By Tony Scholes

Nigel Gleghorn in action for the Clarets in the FA Cup tie at Liverpool in 1997
The manager of Nantwich is Adrian Heath’s first signing Nigel Gleghorn who has been involved in non-league football since leaving the Clarets in 1998.

Heath unveiled him on the first day of pre-season training in 1996 having signed him on a free transfer from Stoke City. He won a place in the side immediately and became a regular in the side until injury cut short his first season in February. He had been an ever present until that time but he was then out of the side until the last game of the season when he returned as a substitute in the 4-1 win against Watford.

With Heath gone and Waddle in it was a different story in his second season, the 0-0 home draw at home to Bristol Rovers at the end of August was his only appearance. He did get some first team action though in loan spells with both Brentford and Northampton.

He lined up for Northampton against the Clarets at the Sixfields (incredibly Waddle allowed that) in what was a massively important game for us. As it turned out we won the game 1-0 with a goal from Andy Payton. It was Gleghorn’s last game for Northampton and his last game in the Football League. I’m sure it must be some sort of record that his last ever Football League appearance came against his own club.

He moved on to Altrincham for a short time but is now at Nantwich where Burnley will play tonight. Whether this is Burnley’s first ever game at the home of the Dabbers is not known but certainly they have never played there in recent times.

With a big squad in the Isle of Man it will be a relatively inexperienced team that takes to the field although with Earl Davis, Andrew Leeson, Andrew Waine and Liam Eves available will be a stronger line up than the youth team that lost at Fulwood on Saturday.