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Irvine to make draw

Last updated : 31 March 2007 By Tony Scholes
Willie is a regular at Turf Moor but he'll take a break from his duties of looking after the sponsors to step once more on the Turf Moor pitch to make the half time draw and if the Clarets haven't scored by then he's as good as anyone to give them some advice on finding the net.

In just 148 games for the Clarets Willie scored no fewer than 97 goals, and he still holds the post war record for goals in one season. That was in 1965/66 when he netted 29 league goals plus another 8 in cup competitions.

His partnership with Andy Lochhead sent Burnley back up towards the top of the league and we finished in third place in that season to qualify for the Fairs Cup. In the following season he broke his leg in an FA Cup replay and although he returned to action at the beginning of the following season his Burnley career was coming to an end.

In 1968, a year after the injury, he was sold to Preston and later he went on to play for Brighton and Halifax before retiring from the game. He returned to live in Burnley and still does over thirty years later.

What we wouldn't give for a couple of Irvine goals this afternoon.

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