Probert, a midfielder, wore the number eight shirt in that team and was the youngest player at just 16 when we lifted the trophy after beating
The strong tackling midfielder made his reserve team debut at just 15 and in November 1968 whilst still 16 was named in the first team for the first time against Arsenal at Turf Moor.
Four months later he scored his first
In the relegation season of 1970/71 he was the leading goalscorer, albeit with just five goals, and made a total of 30 league appearances during the season. In the following season he only won a place in the last three months but played in all of the last fourteen games.
They proved to be his last starts for the club and as we went on to win promotion in some style in 1972/73 he made just one substitute appearance for us, coming on for Keith Newton in a 4-0 win against
He moved to
Eric Probert looked as though he was going to be a top player but somehow it didn’t quite happen for him.
One of his former youth team colleagues said of him recently, “He was a smashing lad who would have tackled concrete walls for Burnley FC and was the kind of bloke who if he won a million he'd straightaway give it away he was so generous.”
He was hit by ill health and has now lost his life at the young age of 52. Clarets Mad’s thoughts are very much with Eric’s family and friends at this very sad time for them.