Burnley leave it late
1959-60 First Division Championship
In one of the tightest title races in years, Burnley had spent nine months chasing Wolves and Spurs but hadn't led the table all season. Now it all came down to the last match of the season…
Needing to beat Manchester City to overtake their nearest rivals Wolves, the Clarets triumphed 2-1 on a night of drama at Maine Road. Harry Potts' men had timed their run to perfection, reaching the top of the table on the last day of the season, to take the First Division title by a single point.
Key Games
Burnley 4 Wolves 1 (November 7, 1959)
Inspired by a brilliant performance from Jimmy McIlroy, Burnley routed the reigning champions at Turf Moor. Ray Pointer and John Connelly both scored two goals in a devastating defeat of Stan Cullis's mighty Wolves. After the game, two Wolves directors declared that they had to buy Denis Law from Huddersfield to stand any chance of retaining their title.
Burnley 2 Tottenham 0 (March 1, 1960)
Burnley moved to within three points of leaders Tottenham with an impressive defeat of the North Londoners. In the 64th minute, Connelly crossed to Pointer, who launched a powerful header past Bill Brown. Six minutes later, Connelly made it 2-0 with an angled shot. Tottenham had been forced to play without John White, who hadn't made it from his Army barracks in time for kick-off.
Manchester City 1 Burnley 2 (May 2, 1960)
Reserve forward Trevor Meredith scored the goal that secured Burnley's first title in almost four decades. Standing in for the injured John Connelly, the 20-year-old netted the winner in a 2-1 victory over Manchester City at Maine Road, after Brian Pilkington had put the Clarets in front.
Key Off-field Moments
Burnley head for the States
In December 1959, it was announced that Burnley were in talks to take part in an International League Cup to take place in New York in the summer. "There are few things I would like more than a trip to New York," said Burnley chairman Bob Lord.
Wolves miss the Championship decider
Burnley's title rivals Wolves announced they would not be at Maine Road to watch the title decider. Wolves would be crowned champions if the Clarets failed to beat Manchester City, but manager Stan Cullis decided to concentrate on preparations for the FA Cup final instead.
Meredith denied a medal
Trevor Meredith scored the goal that sealed the title for Burnley, but Football League rules meant he wouldn't get a medal. The rulebook stated that only 11 medals could be presented to the winning team, and as a reserve, Meredith was not in line to receive one.
Key Figures
Harry Potts
Potts first joined the club as a player in 1946, and soon established himself in the Burnley frontline, appearing in the 1947 FA Cup final. He later joined Everton before hanging up his boots in 1956. He moved into management at Shrewsbury Town, returning to Turf Moor in February 1958 to guide the Clarets to their first League title since 1921. He remained in charge until 1970, but returned for second spell as manager in the late '70s.
John Connelly
He missed the decider due to a cartilage operation, but John Connelly was one of the catalysts for Burnley's title win of 1960. The right-winger didn't just make goals, he could score them too, weighing in with 20 during the season. He later signed for Manchester United and was a member of England's victorious World Cup squad in 1966.
Ray Pointer
The energetic centre-forward led the Burnley attack during their title challenge, scoring 19 goals. Born in Northumberland, he joined the Clarets in 1957 and soon made the number nine shirt his own, forging an effective partnership with Jimmy Robson. He played three times for England, and later had spells at Bury, Coventry and Portsmouth.
What Happened Next
Burnley again challenged for the League Championship in 1961, but could only finish fourth behind Double winners Tottenham. In the European Cup, they beat French champions Stade de Reims, but lost 5-4 on aggregate to Hamburg in the quarter-finals.
We want your help to grow the MirrorFootball.co.uk archive! Leave your comments about this piece of football history by clicking on the 'Your Memories' tab above. Tell us who or what you'd like to see covered in the MirrorFootball.co.uk archive by emailing archive@mirror.co.uk
(PDF2.5MB)
