Doctor Iven passes away

Last updated : 29 December 2007 By Tony Scholes
Doctor Iven (right) receiving a memento from HRH Duke of Kent on behalf of the club on the occasion of the centenary of the FA Cup
His has been a truly remarkable life and our football club has been a major part of it for over fifty years after he first became the club doctor alongside Dr Kerr before joining the board of directors in the days of Bob Lord.

But the Doc's story is not all about football; it is an amazing and also very sad story. No one quite knows his exact age, he didn't himself, but he was born in the first decade of the last century and despite once seeing his date of birth listed as 1908 it is thought that he was well past his 100th birthday.

He was born into a Jewish family in Russia but along with his brother was sent to Palestine in 1917 after the Russian revolution. At such a young age he had seen his parents for the last time and the whole family he left behind lost their lives in concentration camps during World War II.

He eventually came to England, went to medical college and qualified as a doctor. After serving under General Montgomery during the war he moved to Burnley in 1945 and he was soon involved at Turf Moor.

Firstly club doctor and then director under Lord. When Lord put his shares on the market in 1981 he joined with John Jackson and Jack Eglin in buying out the chairman. In 1983 it was announced that he would become president but that didn't happen and he continued as a director, becoming vice-chairman during the Teasdale era.

In 1998 he sold his shares to Barry Kilby and finally left the board to become president, a position he held right up to his death.

Today's news really does close the door on that wonderful era when Burnley won the league title and challenged in European competition, the last survivor of those wonderful days.

It is also a day when, as we stand for a minute's silence, we can remember the other great Turf Moor servants who have passed away during 2007 - players Brian Miller, Billy Marshall, Eric Binns and more recently Les Shannon, and of course former club secretary Albert Maddox.

The Doc, who was married twice, lost his second wife in 1980 and is survived by one son Henry. Our thoughts and prayers are with him at this sad time.