BLACK HISTORY MONTH: ROGER ELI

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Burnley Football Club celebrate Black History Month this October...

2022-10-03T14:03:17.025Z

BLACK HISTORY MONTH: ROGER ELI

Burnley Football Club celebrate Black History Month this October...

2022-10-03T14:03:17.025Z

Burnley Football Club celebrate Black History Month this October...

Throughout the course of the month, we will be recognising former Black Burnley players and their legacy and achievements at the Club.

We will also be talking to current players to find out about their sporting heroes and footballers that inspired them to play the beautiful game.

Roger Eli

‘Eli-Eli-Eli’ often reverberated around the terraces of Turf Moor during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s to personify a player who deservingly merited the accolade of a ‘Clarets Legend’.

The Bradford-born midfielder/forward started his footballing career at Elland Road in 1983. He later had spells with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Cambridge United, Crewe Alexandra, York City and Bury before joining the Clarets in the summer of 1989.

Frank Casper captured the signature of the nomadic Yorkshire man and gave him his first senior start at home to Rochdale in the old Fourth Division.

Eli was a very versatile player who adapted well during his first season at Turf Moor, playing in various positions throughout the season.

His first goal for the Clarets came in a replayed FA Cup tie against Scunthorpe United as the Clarets were held by the ‘Iron’ at Turf Moor.

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Six days later he netted a brace of goals in the second round replay, as the Clarets swept aside the Lincolnshire based club, 5-0.

The following year, Eli made several substitute appearances during the first half of the season prior to being drafted into the team after injuries to John Francis and Ron Futcher.

Casper’s decision to play Eli as a centre-forward soon reaped benefits, with the versatile Yorkshire man netting in wins against Stockport County and Walsall.

A rich vine of form towards the latter part of the 1990/91 season witnessed Eli netting six goals in four league games, propelling the Clarets into the play-off zone.

After the disappointment of losing to Torquay United in the play-off semi-finals, Eli was soon back at his best. In September 1991 he netted his first and only senior hat-trick for the Clarets in a 3-0 win against Chesterfield at Turf Moor.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH: ROGER ELI - Image 2

Eli’s rich vein of form continued and it was during a FA Cup tie against Second Division Derby County that many will still remember him. A flatfooted Peter Shilton could only watch as Eli’s powerful header beat the former England international goalkeeper to gain a reply at the Baseball Ground.

The Clarets succumbed to the Rams in the replay, however, with the effervescent Eli leading the way, Burnley continued on their crusade in clinching the Fourth Division title.

Unfortunately he missed the last five games of the 1991/92 Championship winning season after a career changing injury, sadly he retired at the age of 27.

Only recently, he attended a charity function in support of former Burnley player Lenny Johnrose and amazing thirty years later, ‘Eli-Eli-Eli’ reverberated around a packed 110 Club on Yorkshire Street.

Eli was also involved in the release of the 2022/23 Burnley FC home kit. He joined Andy Farrell and John Francis to promote the shirt, which is a celebration of the classic kit from the Clarets 1991/92 title winning season.