5,000 PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE GAMES FOR THE CLARETS

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

The story behind Burnley's 5,000th professional league game

2022-02-07T16:52:48.609Z

5,000 PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE GAMES FOR THE CLARETS

The story behind Burnley's 5,000th professional league game

2022-02-07T16:52:48.609Z

The story behind Burnley's 5,000th professional league game

Burnley’s Premier League meeting with Manchester United at Turf Moor on Tuesday night will see the Clarets become only the second side to reach the milestone of 5,000 professional league games. Lancashire rivals Preston North End were the first in July 2020.

Both Preston and Burnley were founder members of the Football League. Indeed, they met on the opening day at Deepdale in September 1888. North End won that game 5-2 with Scot Pat Gallocher scoring Burnley’s first league goal.

Notts County would have been the first side to reach the magical 5,000 but for relegation from the Football League in 2019. Ironically, both Lancashire sides were close to ending their runs in the 1980’s. Preston finished 91st in 1986, famously Burnley were 90th in 1987. Wolverhampton Wanderers will become the third side to reach the 5,000th game milestone later this season.

Play-off games, and the expunged games against Aldershot in 1991/92, are not included in the 5,000. Also excluded are the games from the 1939/40 Second Division that was abandoned after the outbreak of the Second World War.

Only two sides have faced Burnley more times than Preston. West Bromwich Albion and Wolves were also founder members of the Football League, and when Burnley entertain Bruno Lage’s side in April, Wolves will match Albion’s total of 130 league meetings with the Clarets.

Wednesday’s match against Manchester United will be the 118th league meeting between these two famous sides. All of those have been in the top division. Bolton Wanderers have also faced Burnley 118 times in the league. In contrast, those clashes have come in all four tiers.

Bolton are among a list of eight sides that Burnley have faced in all four tiers of the Football League. Carlisle United, Blackpool, Preston, Swansea City, Cardiff City, Leyton Orient and Grimsby Town make up that select group.

The Clarets have won the league title twice. Under John Haworth in 1920/21, Burnley stormed to the top of the table with a record-breaking run of 30 games unbeaten. In 1959/60 they clinched the crown with a 2-1 last-day win at Maine Road to pip Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur to go top for the first time that season.

Burnley have been promoted 11 times. In 1992, when they won the last ever Fourth Division, ending a run of seven seasons in the basement division, they followed Wolves has winners of all four divisions. The promotions under Sean Dyche in 2014 and 2016 were the last two of those 11. Those seasons saw a record 26 wins in a campaign.

The Clarets enjoy facing local rivals Blackpool in the league. They have beaten the Seasiders (54) more times than any other side. Preston (48), Bolton (46), West Brom (45) and Newcastle United (43) are next in line.

Goalkeeper Jerry Dawson (522) has made the most league appearances for Burnley. He was part of the side that went on that record breaking run in 1920/21. Northern Ireland international Jimmy McIlroy, who is generally regarded as Burnley’s greatest ever player, is second in the list. After over ten years with the club, captain Ben Mee is moving up the order and is close to 350 league appearances for the club.

George Beel scored a club record 35 goals in the 1927/28 First Division season. His tally of 179 league goals is a Burnley record and he is one of six players to score a century of league goals for the Clarets - Ray Pointer, McIlroy, Louis Page, Bert Freeman and Andy Lochhead are the others.

Harry Potts managed Burnley to the 1959/60 First Division title. A former Burnley player, he has managed the club in more games than anyone else. His tally of 616 league games is followed by John Haworth (416) and current boss Sean Dyche (372).