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(c) 2007 Clarets Museum Copyright
|
and Halley was one of the meanest in the Division and in
striker Bert Freeman, one of the most potent attacks, but all
the dreams of success were shattered by the First World War,
by the time the League had recommenced, many players had
lost their best years to the struggles of European conflict, but
one last season of success would present it's self to the
Clarets.
On August 28th 1920, Burnley lined up on there first game of the
season with Jerry Dawson in goal, Smelt and Taylor as full backs, the
half back line as Halley Boyle and Watson, and the attack as
Freeman, Kelly, Anderson, Lindsay and Mosscrop. Burnley's game
against Bradford City ended with a defeat 4-1, with the Clarets being
4-0 down at half time.
This was followed with 1-0 defeat at newly promoted Huddersfield,
and a 2-0 loss in the reverse of the first game of the season, at
Bradford City, during which George Halley missed a penalty, and
with that Burnley, were bottom of the League, but unbelieveably they
went on to remain undefeated for 30 consecutive First Division
games with out loss.
A difficult decision had to be made about Burnley's front line, Joe
"Andy" Anderson had been installed as the main striker, but old
favouriate Bert Freeman was accommodated in the line-up, but he
had not been proforming, and so the 35 year old, former FA Cup
Final goal scored was dropped. With that Willie Nesbitt returned to
the starting line up, and two young players, Benny Cross and Walter
Weaver coming into the side, supporting front men Kelly and
Anderson.
With that reshuffle and the return of Boyle and Dawson after a small
injury, the Clarets commenced on their amazing journey. On
September 6 1920, Burnley beat Huddersfield 3-0 at Turf Moor.
A 2-1 Home win and 0-0 away draw against Middlesbrough followed,
and then a 4-0 win at home and a 1-1 draw away at Chelsea saw
Burnley take up a good position in the top half of the League. A
home and away win, 1-0 and 3-1 respectivley, against Bradford Park
Avenue came next, and then a hard fought 2-1 win at Tottenham
Hotspur.
Burnley then completed the double over Tottenham, with a 2-0 win
back at Turf Moor, Burnley's season went from strength to strength,
and after winning their 10 straigt win with a 2-1 win over Newcastle
United, which was incidently their first home loss of the season.
A 2-2 draw at Oldham on 20 November 1920, took Burnley to the top
of the League, and a 7-1 crushing of the same team back at Turf
Moor kept the Clarets top.
Next up were Liverpool, who were Burnley's closest League rivals,
and the top two teams slugged it out, first in a 0-0 draw at Anfield
and then in a 1-0 win for Burnley the week after back at Turf Moor. A
2-0 win over Preston followed and then a 6-0 Christmas day win
against Sheffield United, with Joe Anderson scoring 6 goals in the
two games.
The return game against the blades saw Burnley draw 1-1. Burnley
now had 18 games unbeaten, and had an eye on Preston's and
Sheffield United's record of 22 games with out defeat, and it was
Preston who were next up, to try and stop the Clarets, who were now
4 points clear a the top of the League, with a game in hand, but
Burnley stormed to a simple 3-0 win.
The FA Cup game against Second Division Leicester City, provided
a little respite, and a 7-3 victory gave hope to a League and Cup
double. Back in the League, a double header against Blackburn
Rovers loomed, first up was the home game, in which Burnley won
4-1 in front of 41,534, the biggest crowd Turf Moor had ever
witnessed. In the return game, over 43,000 fans turned up to see
Burnley win 3-1.
Another win over Third Division QPR in the FA Cup was followed by
the visit of FA Cup holders Aston Villa, Burnley were one game away
from equalling Preston North End's record, but no nerves showed as
Burnley ran out 7-1 winners, with Joe Anderson bagging 5 goals, the
return game at Villa park was drawn 0-0, and Burnley had made
history.
23 games unbeaten soon became 24, when Derby County were
beaten 2-1 at Turf Moor, but Derby almost shocked the Clarets by
missing a penalty and having a goal disallowed whilst the game was
0-0.
The third round FA Cup the against Second Division Hull, gave
Burnley their first taste of defeat in 26 League and Cup games, as
the hopes of a League and Cup double were dashed in a 3-0 defeat.
Burnley instantly returned to League action, first with a 0-0 draw at
Derby and then the visit of second in the League Bolton, but Burnley
prevailed, winning 3-1. Burnley then went to Burnden Park the week
after and earned a 1-1 draw.
1-0 home wins against Arsenal and Manchester United (on March 25
1921, Good Friday) then put Burnley 8 points clear of Liverpool in
second place, and gave Burnley their 30th game with out defeat.
With 9 games left and the title in sight, Burnley travelled to
Manchester City, the day after they had beaten Manchester United
and were promptly beaten 3-0, ending the Clarets unbeaten record.
3 days later, Burnley beat Manchester United at Old Trafford 3-0. To
complete the Easter programme, Manchester City travelled to Turf
Moor, and left beaten 2-1, with Joe Anderson scoring his 24th
League goal of the season.
A 1-1 draw at Everton on 23 April 1921, sealed the title with 3 games
remaining, and although they only managed 4 points over the final 6
games of the season Burnley had just missed out on surpassing
WBA's record total points for 60, with Burnley collecting 59 at the end.
On the last game of the season, the League Trophy was paraded
around Turf Moor at the head of an Army band. The club had won the
League with only 15 players, all of whom received Championship
medals, along with manager John aworth, and trainer Charlie Bates.
Joe Anderson had finished as top scored, netting 25 times in the
League, and 6 in the Cup, Burnley had also conceded on 36 goals in
42 League matches, with Jerry Dawson keeping 15 clean sheets.
The average gate at Turf Moor that season was 32,850.
The record of 30 games undefeated in the top division during one
season was held until 2004, when Arsenal went the whole season
without being beat.
*Goal Average applied instead of goal difference
striker Bert Freeman, one of the most potent attacks, but all
the dreams of success were shattered by the First World War,
by the time the League had recommenced, many players had
lost their best years to the struggles of European conflict, but
one last season of success would present it's self to the
Clarets.
On August 28th 1920, Burnley lined up on there first game of the
season with Jerry Dawson in goal, Smelt and Taylor as full backs, the
half back line as Halley Boyle and Watson, and the attack as
Freeman, Kelly, Anderson, Lindsay and Mosscrop. Burnley's game
against Bradford City ended with a defeat 4-1, with the Clarets being
4-0 down at half time.
This was followed with 1-0 defeat at newly promoted Huddersfield,
and a 2-0 loss in the reverse of the first game of the season, at
Bradford City, during which George Halley missed a penalty, and
with that Burnley, were bottom of the League, but unbelieveably they
went on to remain undefeated for 30 consecutive First Division
games with out loss.
A difficult decision had to be made about Burnley's front line, Joe
"Andy" Anderson had been installed as the main striker, but old
favouriate Bert Freeman was accommodated in the line-up, but he
had not been proforming, and so the 35 year old, former FA Cup
Final goal scored was dropped. With that Willie Nesbitt returned to
the starting line up, and two young players, Benny Cross and Walter
Weaver coming into the side, supporting front men Kelly and
Anderson.
With that reshuffle and the return of Boyle and Dawson after a small
injury, the Clarets commenced on their amazing journey. On
September 6 1920, Burnley beat Huddersfield 3-0 at Turf Moor.
A 2-1 Home win and 0-0 away draw against Middlesbrough followed,
and then a 4-0 win at home and a 1-1 draw away at Chelsea saw
Burnley take up a good position in the top half of the League. A
home and away win, 1-0 and 3-1 respectivley, against Bradford Park
Avenue came next, and then a hard fought 2-1 win at Tottenham
Hotspur.
Burnley then completed the double over Tottenham, with a 2-0 win
back at Turf Moor, Burnley's season went from strength to strength,
and after winning their 10 straigt win with a 2-1 win over Newcastle
United, which was incidently their first home loss of the season.
A 2-2 draw at Oldham on 20 November 1920, took Burnley to the top
of the League, and a 7-1 crushing of the same team back at Turf
Moor kept the Clarets top.
Next up were Liverpool, who were Burnley's closest League rivals,
and the top two teams slugged it out, first in a 0-0 draw at Anfield
and then in a 1-0 win for Burnley the week after back at Turf Moor. A
2-0 win over Preston followed and then a 6-0 Christmas day win
against Sheffield United, with Joe Anderson scoring 6 goals in the
two games.
The return game against the blades saw Burnley draw 1-1. Burnley
now had 18 games unbeaten, and had an eye on Preston's and
Sheffield United's record of 22 games with out defeat, and it was
Preston who were next up, to try and stop the Clarets, who were now
4 points clear a the top of the League, with a game in hand, but
Burnley stormed to a simple 3-0 win.
The FA Cup game against Second Division Leicester City, provided
a little respite, and a 7-3 victory gave hope to a League and Cup
double. Back in the League, a double header against Blackburn
Rovers loomed, first up was the home game, in which Burnley won
4-1 in front of 41,534, the biggest crowd Turf Moor had ever
witnessed. In the return game, over 43,000 fans turned up to see
Burnley win 3-1.
Another win over Third Division QPR in the FA Cup was followed by
the visit of FA Cup holders Aston Villa, Burnley were one game away
from equalling Preston North End's record, but no nerves showed as
Burnley ran out 7-1 winners, with Joe Anderson bagging 5 goals, the
return game at Villa park was drawn 0-0, and Burnley had made
history.
23 games unbeaten soon became 24, when Derby County were
beaten 2-1 at Turf Moor, but Derby almost shocked the Clarets by
missing a penalty and having a goal disallowed whilst the game was
0-0.
The third round FA Cup the against Second Division Hull, gave
Burnley their first taste of defeat in 26 League and Cup games, as
the hopes of a League and Cup double were dashed in a 3-0 defeat.
Burnley instantly returned to League action, first with a 0-0 draw at
Derby and then the visit of second in the League Bolton, but Burnley
prevailed, winning 3-1. Burnley then went to Burnden Park the week
after and earned a 1-1 draw.
1-0 home wins against Arsenal and Manchester United (on March 25
1921, Good Friday) then put Burnley 8 points clear of Liverpool in
second place, and gave Burnley their 30th game with out defeat.
With 9 games left and the title in sight, Burnley travelled to
Manchester City, the day after they had beaten Manchester United
and were promptly beaten 3-0, ending the Clarets unbeaten record.
3 days later, Burnley beat Manchester United at Old Trafford 3-0. To
complete the Easter programme, Manchester City travelled to Turf
Moor, and left beaten 2-1, with Joe Anderson scoring his 24th
League goal of the season.
A 1-1 draw at Everton on 23 April 1921, sealed the title with 3 games
remaining, and although they only managed 4 points over the final 6
games of the season Burnley had just missed out on surpassing
WBA's record total points for 60, with Burnley collecting 59 at the end.
On the last game of the season, the League Trophy was paraded
around Turf Moor at the head of an Army band. The club had won the
League with only 15 players, all of whom received Championship
medals, along with manager John aworth, and trainer Charlie Bates.
Joe Anderson had finished as top scored, netting 25 times in the
League, and 6 in the Cup, Burnley had also conceded on 36 goals in
42 League matches, with Jerry Dawson keeping 15 clean sheets.
The average gate at Turf Moor that season was 32,850.
The record of 30 games undefeated in the top division during one
season was held until 2004, when Arsenal went the whole season
without being beat.
*Goal Average applied instead of goal difference
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