We have a wide range of Clarets who are members of Clarets Trust, some are very well known, some not so well known, some are celebrities, some are local dignatories and indeed some come from distant shores!

They all have an interesting story to tell and here we will be providing a selection of our members stories, their Clarets supporting history ,the reasons why they joined the Clarets Trust and why they support our cause.

2008-9 Season Interviews 

Geoff and Janis- A Romantic Tale of Two Trust Members

Earlier this year, Clarets Trust members, Geoff Taylor and his fiance at the time, Janis won the first prize in the Race Night Raffle at the Turf. Their prize was an appropriate romantic weekend in Paris.

It was certainly going to be their year!

Later in July 2008 they got married and set off on their honeymoon to the good old US of A and the sun of California.

Geoff, also a member of North Manchester Clarets, provided Clarets Trust with some photos of their romantic time in Paris and on honeymoon. No not those sorts of photos!! These sort..

Thats a Clarets Cap Methinks!-Would look even better topping the Eiffel Tower

A shirt with the BFC Crest no less with the honeymoon couple on song!

Another photo on honeymoon in the US and look another Clarets shirt this time with a famous team of the 60s on the front!

We can see that even with more important things on their mind, the Clarets were never too far away looking at their clobber on show. We also understand that they even took out some Clarets paraphernalia for an exiled Clarets supporter they know out there in the USA

Clarets Trust would like to formally congratulate the couple on their Race Night win and of course their marriage and we leave the last words to the newlyweds:

"We have been involved with the Trust for about three years and have been able to see how the trust has developed from the early days. Like all other supporters we enjoy following the fortunes of the Club on the field but being a member of the Trust is a small way of putting something in to the continued development of the Club as well as having a voice with other members on issues of concern to supporters. We also enjoy the social activities arranged by the Trust such as the Beer Festival and are looking forward to other events in the future".

2007-8 Season Interviews 

Clarets Trust was delighted when we heard that Burnley FC Director, Clive Holt was becoming a Life Member of the Trust. As part of the ‘Hi & Why’ series we approached Clive asking him to provide his story of how he became a Director of Burnley FC and to recall some of the changes he had seen whilst on the Board of our beloved club.

Here is his story, Clive finishes by explaining why he joined Clarets Trust and the benefits he sees about the organisation

‘I became a Director of the Club way back in June 1986 and am now in my 22^nd season as a Director. Back in 1986 things were very different and difficult with the Club just surviving and I mean just! But that does not answer the questions why.

When I first moved to Lancashire, I can remember doing a list of pro’s and con’s why move North and not leave the Company for whom I worked, which was moving my job North from Guildford, Surrey to Burnley. 2 towns that could not be so different. What tipped the balance in favour of moving was football and being able to see Burnley then in the 1^st Division! Nearest League side in those days to Guildford was Aldershot!

Unfortunately that Pro’s did not last long, I think it was one season and Burnley was on the long road down the Leagues and finally rested in the then 4^th Division, Being that my main reason for coming to Burnley was Football, I like many was not best pleased with our demise, so became a local critic of the then Board under the Chairmanship of John Jackson.

John had resigned and Frank Teasdale had become Chairman, I was asked OK put your money where your mouth is and invest in the Club. I did, much to the surprise of the other Board Members of the time. I think my welcome was best described as being treated with a great amount of suspicion.

First game as Director was a pre-season friendly at Wigan. Which turned out to be head in hand time, we were poor, very poor and I started to wonder had I made the right decision. The Manager was then the late Brian Miller, who at the first Board Meeting I attended stated we would not win the league, but neither would we be relegated. I am not sure he knew how close it would be! Yes the year of the final game that season against Orient, 9^th May 1987.

I cannot remember so much about that season perhaps just as well, but I do that Game. In those days as a Director you were not expected to jump up if you scored a goal, but sit in your seat and politely clap! This match I declared no chance, it just had too much riding on it. The rest is history we won with goals by Neil Grewcock and Ian Britton, which I can still remember to this day the build up and the goal being awarded by the referee. I always look very quickly to the ref, has he given it when we score even now! I cannot remember the 1 Orient goal, just the last anxious 15 minutes!

On that day we had to win and one of four other Clubs lose, I believed a win and almost for certain one of the others would lose, so I was certain once we had won all was safe and was not too concerned about the other results, which were running late.

In the end it was very close with only Lincoln losing in Wales and relegated to the Conference. The first time in the history of the Football League, normally the last 2 Clubs had to re-apply and you were voted back by your fellow League Clubs, but not that year, just our luck, the first time the Club found it self in this position.

On the night of 9^th May 1987 we were out to celebrate our survival, my wife asked what about next season, my reply was “Do not worry next year, football is such a funny game, we could go to Wembley!” and we did in the Sherpa Van Trophy Cup final against Wolves.

In the 80’s Football was a very different game to the one we know today off the field. Big money has taken over and I mean big money. In my first season out total wage bill for the whole Club was around £5000/week, now one player can receive this for a weeks work and more, yes even in Burnley!

Another memory of those early days of my Directorship, again I believe it was that first Board Meeting, being advised by then Club Solicitor Basil Dearing also Director at the time, that as a Company we were insolvent and all should consider our position. I think that suggestion got very little consideration because only the week earlier, I and others has invested money in the Club and the thought of losing it so soon was not on our radar.

The answer was to revalue the Club assets, to ensure we were not trading illegally and trade out of what was very difficult financial position. Had Orient match gone wrong all may be completely different story.

As one can see I could write a book on my time as a Director, if time would allow and there were enough people interested in reading it, which I suspect not. Let us come up to date via “X” number of Managers and 2 new Stands which I helped to be realised to the current position in the Football League called the Championship League, what I know as the 2^nd Division of English Football. To the very exciting current chapter in our history the 125^th season, a season of much promise can we reach the “Promised Land” and bring Turf Moor right up to date, on all 4 sides. I believe we can, it is not going to be easy, but I hope to play my small part.

That is why I joined the Clarets Trust, in a hope it will encourage others to join and via the Trust play their part in our redevelopment. By being a member you in turn become a part owner, via the Trust’s share holding in the Club.

“Up the Clarets”.

Clive Holt

September 2007.

2006-7 Season Interviews

Richard Amery writes:

My interest in Burnley starts from the fact that my father, Vincent Cronshaw, was a resident of Burnley up until he left for Australia in about 1927.   The Cronshaw family has been around that area for many years prior and Dad was the only one of his brothers and sisters who migrated.

On coming to Australia, he joined the New South Wales Police Force.  I was part of his second family, hence the different surname, which I have from my Mother.

Football (or soccer) has been an interest of mine for some time.  Very happy to see the Socceroos get into the World Cup this year.

In 1993, I made my first trip to Burnley and looked up Dad’s sister and a number of cousins in the area.  Dad had passed away in 1977.

I recall on that first trip walking past Turf Moor with my son, Roy, and talking about the Burnley Football Club.   We did not see a match on that occasion.   In 1996 and 2000, I visited again and on the last occasion was given a Mayoral reception at the Burnley Town Hall.

In 2004, I was back again and this time got to see a Burnley match.  It was against the Wolves in August and it ended in a draw.  This would have to rank as the high point of my following the Clarets.

As you can appreciate, all other Burnley memories are from afar.   One in particular was about five years ago, on a tour of outback New South Wales and I was contacted by a Parliamentary colleague, the late Jim Anderson.  He phoned to say he had some important message.  Thinking some disaster had affected the constituency, I asked him to break the news.  He said, “Burnley has just beat the Tottenham Hotspurs”.  This was mentioned in the State Parliament when I spoke on a Condolence motion following the death of Jim Anderson.  Hansard is available.

I joined the Trust out of a feeling that I wanted to belong, somehow, to the Clarets.  I could not be at the games.  Matches were not broadcast in Australia up until recently, and clubs like Burnley need the support of their followers.  Joining the Trust meant that I was now a member, formally, and in some small way I hope to think that it helps a great Club with a long proud history.

Treasured possessions include the Burnley tie which I wear to Parliament especially after Burnley have won a big match.  DVD of Burnley’s win over Liverpool last year and a tape, sent to me by a friend, of Burnley’s losing match against Manchester United some years ago.

The Pennant of the Club for the Millennium Season hangs in my constituency office.

Yours sincerely

Hon. RICHARD AMERY M.P.
Member for Mount Druitt

Many thanks to Richard for providing his story

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Clarets Trust continues its ‘Hi & Why’ series where we ask prominent Clarets Trust members to reveal their Clarets fan stories and to provide their thoughts concerning Clarets Trust. Celebrity weatherman, John Kettley is next up and you can find his story below. 

Most of you will know John Kettley from his appearances on the telly as a weatherman and those of you who read the recent home match day programme against Birmingham will have seen John featured telling us about his latest work and how he became a Clarets supporter. We repeat some of that detail here but also we wanted to explore further some of his Clarets-supporting anecdotes and stories and asked him a series of questions, the answers to which are provided later.

John is actually a Yorkshireman from Todmorden but he explains that it doesn’t matter what the colour of the rose might be on the Club’s Crest he will always be a Clarets supporter. He recalls seeing the result of a match against Nottingham Forest in 1959 in which we beat them 8-0 and thinking that’s just up the road from Todmorden. From that day on he was a Clarets supporter and he goes on to say ‘The year after in 1960, Burnley won the Championship and its been a love affair ever since’

In recent years, John explains, his work as a meteorologist meant he had to rely on TV to keep up with the Clarets but goes on to say he is now closer to home again and hopes to see more of the lads.

Regarding his work, John mentions that the Met Office used to have the monopoly on weather provision but that over the last 20 years a lot of people have resigned and set up in competition. John is one of these and he has concentrated on his speciality which is weather forecasting for Sport events. He explains this has provided many lucrative contracts over the years. Part of his job is to provide full weather forecasts for every FA Cup match to the Football Association. In addition to this, he also predicts the weather for a lot of race meetings and he has also recently obtained a new contract with Twickenham and the RFU. That would explain the funny shaped goalposts in his photograph below! He also does a lot of work for 5Live so he certainly is a busy man.

 

John says about his work ‘As a freelance broadcaster and weather consultant please remember I am always looking for new business opportunities.  My core business is weather and sport but not to the exclusion of everything else and I do represent other companies on different occasions through the year.  BBC Radio 5Live is a great vehicle to tread the weather boards but I enjoy writing these days for the Mail On Sunday’

John was then asked a series of questions about his support for the Clarets and Clarets Trust and here was his response.

Do you remember which your first Clarets match was that you went to and anything memorable about it?

First game was at Turf Moor on a depressingly wet winter afternoon against Sheffield Wednesday, probably 1961, and we managed to go 1-0 behind in the first few minutes eventually losing 3-4.  The pitch would not have been playable these days, too wet for the brass band to march prior to kick-off; instead the sight of the ground staff working valiantly with forks to drain some of the standing water from the pitch.  Of course Wednesday was a top team in those days but it was still a 'baptism of fire'.

(Editor's Comment: John was one of 25,542 in the crowd that day on 11th Feb 1961. Adamson, Connelly and Pointer scored for the Clarets) 

What are your most proudest & depressing moments watching the Clarets?

Highlight without question was the 5-1 drubbing of the hated Leeds United side in 1968 when we paraded several 'new kids on the block' in a desperate measure to kick-start our season.  Don Revie must have hated Burnley for that but Frank Casper and Dougie Collins were on fire!

There were fantastic occasions against Tottenham in the early sixties but the highlights were usually at White Hart Lane (4-4 draw having been 4 down at half time) and the FA Cup 3-0 victory just months after losing the Cup Final. I asked Jimmy Greaves some years ago why he never played well at Turf Moor and his reply was to the point! Jimmy said he hated travelling into the frozen north on a cold and dreary winter night / day. (Editors comment: What a wimp Jimmy you Southern softy!)

The most disappointing was the League Cup Semi-final replay at West Brom versus Swindon 1969. We all went down from Todmorden Grammar School midweek to watch the game. Sadly we lost 3-2 in extra time I think.

A few European games were great in the sixties until Brian Miller lost possession on the half way line and we lost at home to Eintracht Frankfurt.

I also recall having super days out at Old Trafford (2-2) and Blackpool (2-0) but having these balanced out by dreadful performances at Maine Road (1-7) and Leeds (1-3).

Another particularly depressing match was the FA Cup Semi-final at Hillsborough in 1974 when we lost 0-2 against Newcastle.  We should have buried them and they were rubbish in the Final.

What were you doing on the day of the 'Orient Game' and what were your thoughts?

The Orient game was a desperate day although all was well in the end.  I was working on Radio 4 that afternoon at London Weather Centre listening to the commentary on BBC.   Didn't concentrate much on the weather details that afternoon but we were a poor side at the time!!  Lincoln relegated instead I think and we now live - in Lincoln. What irony.

Have you ever mentioned your support for Burnley FC in the media or on air and got any interesting responses or amusing anecdotes?

Thousands of people will have heard me mention the Clarets during radio and TV broadcasts over the years.  Alistair Campbell soon got wind of my interest in the club when we met in the 'green room' for Breakfast Television.  I have chatted numerous times with Sir Bernard Ingham about our mutual interest (and I don't mean Margaret Thatcher).

On 5Live I would drive my producer to distraction talking Burnley FC in place of the weather (all in good humour of course).

Do you ever look at the weather forecast before going to matches?

Naturally I never look at the weather forecast before a match.  I never go out in bad weather but if the forecast is wrong it was just a 'timing error'.

What are your thoughts concerning Clarets Trust?

Clarets Trust would never have happened I guess when Bob Lord was in charge.   He was Burnley FC and everyone knew it.  He had his enemies but he was primarily a businessman and sentiment was secondary if the figures didn't stack up.  In the sixties Burnley FC was to me an ivory tower, untouchable. It was a stage on which my heroes performed but I never met them sadly.

These are different times and more public involvement in sports clubs and businesses must be right but remember the owners still hold the purse strings and without them we would be nothing. No Club, no thrills and no victories. No adrenalin rush.

Clarets Trust wishes to thank John for all his time in providing the responses to our questions in this ‘Hi & Why’ article.

‘Hi & Why’ feature with John Kettley organised and progressed by Clarets Trust Board Member, Phil Lea during December 2006

 2005-6 Season Interviews

We start with Alastair Campbell

Alastair Campbell-Interviewed 13/10/2005

Why I Support the Clarets Trust by Alastair Campbell

Alastair Campbell is one Claret who needs absolutely no introduction. If there’s been a major political event in recent times, chances are he’ll have been there. But years before he trod the corridors of power, Alastair could be seen supporting Burnley up and down the land, and you’ll still find him on many an away end today...

He says of his time supporting the Clarets, “I have a good selection of great moments following Burnley, and just as many bad memories too. Beating Leeds 4-1 at Elland Road is right up there, and Paul Fletcher's goal that day was probably my favourite goal of all time. The Orient Game obviously stands out, as does the 4-1 away win in the League Cup at Spurs when we were in the second division. Graham Roberts scored two own goals that night!”

When pressed for his most treasured Clarets moment, Alastair tells us, “If I was forced to pick one memory I think it would be beating Stockport in the play offs at Wembley under Jimmy Mullen. That may sound odd when I could pick from the days we were in the top flight, and in the end we were only playing against nine men, but I don't think I've ever known tension like it and at the end I have never felt such a sense of relief and joy on hearing a final whistle.”

Alastair, like many a passionate Claret, has always been a firm backer of the Clarets Trust. Along with Tony Livesey, he hosted the opening event of the Trust launch night a little more than a year ago. Says Alastair, “I've supported the Clarets Trust from the outset. There are two sorts of people in this world - those who sit on their arses all day expecting everything to be done for them, and those who realise that to make a difference requires a bit of hard graft. The Clarets Trust is a way for ordinary fans to get involved and make a difference beyond just turning up for matches. It has not been easy, but the club listens and takes it seriously, and the more people get involved, the more that will prove to be the case.”

Alastair’s message to those who haven’t yet joined is emphatic: “I would urge as many Burnley fans as possible to join up.“ And who are we to argue with that!

Next up we have our current Burnley MP Kitty Ussher, who is also currently helping raise the profile of our Credit Card Scandal campaign and has raised this issue in Parliament as an Early Day Motion [EDM]

Kitty Ussher MP-Interviewed 17/11/2005

Why I Support The Clarets Trust by Kitty Ussher MP

Burnley’s former MP, Peter Pike, recently became Chairman of the Clarets Trust. Now, his successor as MP for Burnley, Kitty Ussher, has given the Clarets Trust her backing...

Kitty has no doubts as to how important the club is to the town and people of Burnley. She tells us: "Up and down the country, people associate Burnley with football in a very positive way. We have one of the most loyal fan bases in the land, and down in Westminster, MPs from all over the country congratulate or commiserate with me depending on that week's result. For me, I think BFC is the town's heartbeat. I feel most at ease just taking my seat with the rest of the crowd to cheer on the team on a Saturday afternoon. The club is an important part of the town's identity, it does great work in the community, and I'm as excited about what it can do in the future as I am proud of its past achievements in the glory years."

Kitty, along with her husband Pete, is a season ticket holder at Burnley, and she was also an early recruit to the ranks of Clarets Trust membership. About the Trust, she says, "The Trust is the voice of the grassroots fans. It needs to be there at the heart of the club's decision making, arguing for what ordinary Burnley people want to see, and making sure that the decisions that are made are the right ones. The financial pressure on Burnley FC, as well as nearly every other League club, has increased substantially since the collapse of ITV Digital. Our club appears safe in Barry Kilby's hands, but the fans need reassurance about the future. The Clarets Trust, through share ownership and regular meetings with the club, allows fans to have a bigger voice on how things are run. An example of what the Trust can do is its lobbying for the dropping of the on-line ticket charge, something I certainly support."

Her message to those who may be thinking of joining or volunteering with the Clarets Trust is simple: "Get involved! Your team and your town need you. Management and fans alike need to work together to ensure that the club succeeds in the future. We all want to see Burnley go from strength to strength, and working together, that's exactly what we can achieve."

We now change tack slightly and feature an amazing Claret, one that was not even born in our country. We skip over to the Indian Ocean to the beautiful island of Mauritius for a fascinating story from our member, Bhurdwaz Munger. Bhurdwaz you may know as Davemanu in various Clarets websites. Since we completed the interview, Bhurdwaz has been further honoured by his country.In 1988 he was elevated to the rank of OSK which means Officer of the Order of Star and Key of Indian Ocean. This time he has been awarded the title of CSK which means Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of Indian Ocean .This honour is equivalent to our country's CBE.It is typical of this gentle humble man to state 'I would like our fellow Clarets to know one of us has recently been decorated . It is not only a honour for me but to other Claret fans as well . I mean by this Worldwide Clarets fans'

Well done Bhurdwaz and below you can see a photo of the man wearing his honour, surrounded by his proud wife, Oomadevi and daughters, Karuna Devi and Bhavna Deepa

This was the interview he did with Clarets Trust in late 2005

Bhurdwaz Mungur -Interviewed 05/12/2005

Why I Support The Clarets Trust by Bhurdwaz Mungur of Mauritius

In the summer of 1954, Burnley FC made a pioneering visit to the Indian Ocean, when they played three games in Mauritius and one in Madagascar. Bhurdwaz Mungur, from Mauritius, saw Burnley play in his country, and from that day on was hooked. His long-distance commitment to Burnley has never wavered since. Bhurdwaz often goes out of his way to welcome Burnley supporters to his island. He is also a member of the Mauritius Football Association and is involved in running a first division club there, Faucon Flacq SC. Bhurdwaz recently demonstrated his support for Burnley in a practical way, by becoming a member of the Clarets Trust, joining an ever growing band of exiles who are part of the Trust. Here, he tells us his story:Throughout my life I have supported only one club. It is Burnley and Burnley alone. I have lived with the fortune of Burnley for more than half a century. The glory days when Burnley not only ruled Britain but were recognised as a major force in Europe are still vivid in my mind.

Unfortunately, due to changes brought by FA favouring rich city clubs, the fortunes of clubs with moderate gates drastically declined. Burnley were not spared. With the rolling of years they knew unprecedented relegations until they touched the nadir point: the Orient Game. From many thousand of miles I followed the commentary from BBC on that fateful day. At one point the commentator said that heart breaking sentence which I remember to this day: "Only a miracle can save Burnley from relegation to the Vauxhall Conference." I was dumb silent, but prayed that they would beat Leyton Orient and stay in the fourth division . My prayer, with those of many thousand of other fans, was answered. We beat Orient and stayed in the league.

Through all this, I never gave up Burnley for glamour clubs. There were many of my friends who dismissed Burnley for high flown first division clubs. Although almost every week I was jeered in the streets and office, I never shifted my loyalty. I stayed a loyal and fervent fan of Burnley to this day.

Now we are in the building stage of a sound foundation, until we get back to the Premiership, where we rightfully and legitimately belong. Our Cotterill is wise and knows what he does. This year we will establish ourselves on solid ground. The rays of a brighter sun will soon beam over Turf Moor.

But it is a secret to nobody that Burnley have been in financial turmoil. Acquiring good and high profile players costs a lot of money nowadays. It is sad that they had to sell Turf Moor and Gawthorpe. I earnestly hope that one day they can recover these. It is imperative that all fans offer a helping hand. This is the reason why some very dedicated fans have launched the Clarets Trust, to assist the club in overcoming their difficulties. I did not want to remain silent. I decided to join others and give my helping hand.

Many thanks for your interview Bhurdwaz and congratulations on being honoured by your country, not once but twice.

Why I Support The Clarets Trust by Ian 'Woody' Wood

Woody has occupied several positions in the London Clarets supporters’ club, Burnley's oldest supporters' club, recently becoming its Chairman. The London Clarets have always given their backing to the Clarets Trust, and Woody continues to support it wholeheartedly. “I think the Clarets Trust is an opportunity for the supporters to have a voice at the football club. I see the supporters’ clubs’ roles as being to get people to games and supporting the team. The Clarets Trust, to me, has more of a role in direct consultation with the football club, so that they can act as a campaigning organisation on behalf of the football club, but also, you could say, as the policeman of the club on behalf of the supporters. And it can only get stronger now with Peter Pike. We all know Peter from being the President of the London Clarets, and he's a serious appointment who will really help the Trust.”Woody’s message to anyone thinking of joining or helping the Clarets Trust is simply to get involved. He tells us, “This is your opportunity to add your voice to an organisation that does have influence at the football club. The more members we have, the more influence we have. And if that isn’t enough, they even organise a beer festival!”

We now take a trip over to Malta and hear from another Claret, Joe Veila born and bred on the Island.

Flying the flag for the Clarets Trust in the Mediterranean is Maltese Claret Joe Vella [Joe is on the far left of the above photo]. Joe is one of many distant supporters who owe his allegiance to the 1962 FA Cup Final. Says Joe, "In Malta we always received the signals from Italian TV stations. RAI used to transmit the FA Cup Final, and of course the 1962 final was Spurs v Burnley. Since my father was a Tottenham fan, there was only one team for me, and that was that! The more I got to know about how Burnley defied the odds and mixed it well with the big city teams, and about the conveyor belt of talent they produced, the more I fell in love with the Clarets."Joe finally saw his beloved Clarets in the flesh ten years later, while on a course in London in 1972. "I was Burnley's guest versus Fulham at Craven Cottage in August 1972 - promotion season. It was at the time when Mintoff's Labour Party had just won the Maltese elections and Mintoff was threatening to sweep NATO and British forces into the Med unless they upped the rental for using Malta as a base. I was introduced to Bob Lord and his first words were, 'How's your Mr. Mintoff?' with a huge grin on his face. Of course they were birds of a feather! The match ended in a 1-1 draw with Leighton James scoring for Burnley - I still treasure the match programme signed by the whole squad."Joe still gets over to follow the Clarets a couple of times a season, most recently making the arduous trek to Plymouth, and when not at the games follows our fortunes through Clarets World. Joe's support for Burnley also comes through in his membership of the Clarets Trust, to the extent that he recently donated some of his collection of Burnley memorabilia to raise funds for the Trust through auctions.When asked why, from afar, he backs the Trust, Joe has this to say. "No club is safe in today's commercialised environment - just look at what happened to Wimbledon. While the club is currently safe in Barry Kilby's hands, we do not know what the future holds. I feel that fans should have a bigger say in how a club is run. Unfortunately I am not rich enough to do what BK has done (never fear, even if I could take control I would not relocate the Turf to Malta!). Being a member of the Trust is a good way of pooling with other genuine supporters to buy a stake in the club and have a bigger voice."Joe adds, "I was one of the first to join the Clarets Trust, and my message to anyone thinking about joining would be, if you really love Burnley FC, DO IT NOW!"

Note from Clarets Trust: Joe has just renewed his membership, and has asked us to take 5 years subscriptions in advance.

Well I am sure all you Emmerdale fans out there are missing old Jarvis, but did you know that the actor who plays the character is also an avid Clarets fan? You may have spotted the Clarets bobcap he wore in the series but actor, Richard Moore now tells us his own story and why he believes passionately in Clarets Trust.

"Gentlemen in England now a-bed shall think themselves accursed they were not here and hold their manhoods cheap whilst any speak that fought with us against Luton". (Apologies to W. Shakespeare - Henry V)

Known to millions as Jarvis Skelton in Emmerdale, Richard Moore is also recognised amongst the Clarets faithful as a big supporter of Burnley FC, who has a habit of sneaking signs of his allegiance into the soap. He tells us, "My support for BFC goes back over 50 years. I've always tried to get the Clarets a mention whenever I've been interviewed, and also in theatre programme profiles. But the Emmerdale connection was a serendipitous one. The ex costume designer on Emmerdale, Lance Milligan, wanted me to take his young son, Gus, to a 'proper' football club. No Man U nonsense for him! This I did, and he enjoyed it enormously. Me less so, because we lost 5-3. Can't remember who we were playing. I was too traumatised! Anyway, the following week I asked Lance if Jarvis might wear a BFC hat on Bonfire Night. He agreed, and the rest is Emmerdale history!"

This soon developed into regular appearances by Burnley paraphernalia on peak time television: "That was followed by a BFC scarf in Jarvis' shed. This summer we switched to the baseball cap, and amazingly got away with it. In a yet to be shown episode, I managed to wear both the scarf and the hat, courtesy of a director who is a Millwall fan! Greater love hath no man. I only get good-natured ribbing from the Leeds fans on the crew. But there are three BFC fans amongst the camera crew, and a staunch female supporter in the wardrobe department. The only stick I get is from away supporters as I travel up and down the country!"

Of his love of Burnley, Richard says. "I have too many Claret heroes to put into print, but for me, the greatest hero is the club itself. That it should have survived over all these years is a miracle, and owes as much to unsung and often abused 'backstage' people and without question, the fans themselves."

Which brings us to the Clarets Trust, something that Richard is proud to be a member of and give his backing to. Richard tells us, "I'm sure the Clarets Trust can make a difference. They have a ready ear in the shape of Chairman Barry Kilby who, in my opinion, is a Burnley fan through and through. Every Burnley fan should join the Trust. No question. We are one of the great clubs, but we need to support the club and each other in as many ways as we can. Just join. Today!"

Wherever you go in the world, chances are you'll find a Claret. The Clarets Trust already has members in most corners of the globe. Take Paul Armitage, a recent recruit to the ranks of our membership. He's based close to Shanghai in China. We were intrigued to know how a Burnley supporter might end up in China, so we asked him to tell us his story!

Paul Armitage aka ShanghaiClaret-Interviewed 23/11/2005

March 26 1966. For most it was a day like any other. Not for me, for it was the day I started a 39 year long, continuing, love affair with Burnley Football Club.My Nottingham-born grandfather took me along to watch his side, Forest. Willie Irvine ruined his afternoon by scoring a hat trick, but ignited my passion for very thing Claret and Blue.

I loved everything about Turf Moor. The sound of the Longside, the club colours, the stale coffee and the smell of the pipe tobacco. The hairs still stand up on the back of my neck as I arrive at the ground. Sadly, those visits are few and between these days.I just knew it was where I was supposed to be. As a kid I used to sit on the wall at the front of the old Brunshaw Road stand. That was before it lay derelict for all those years. Those poor unfortunate kids at school in Skipton had no idea what they were missing out on. Mostly they headed off to Elland Road each week. They could make my life a misery on Monday morning, though.
Most of my early memories are of Harry Thomson. In my mind he was one of the world’s best. I remember one night game against Everton. Harry had a blinder. The old man behind us informed us that “Harry can plait sawdust”. He was right.

Another of those early heroes was Willie Morgan. Of course it didn’t take too long before my first of many setbacks. My hero was sold to Manchester United. I never have forgiven them for stealing him away from me. There were many more knocks to come, as Ralph Coates, Dave Thomas, Steve Kindon, Martin Dobson and Leighton James all became heroes before moving on elsewhere.

My favourite team would be the promotion team of 1972-73: Stevenson, Ingham, Newton, Dobson, Waldron, Thomson, Nulty, Casper, Fletcher, Collins and James. We led the Second Division virtually all year. The season climaxed with that great day out at Deepdale, 1-1. One of my all time favourite goals, Colin Waldron’s thunderbolt, clinched the title. We partied for ages in the car park after. The “Team of the seventies” was on the march.

The following couple of years we looked good in the First Division, the highlight being the night that Ian Brennan silenced Anfield, the only time I have seen the Clarets win there. I am convinced that we could be still playing now and they wouldn’t have scored.

Unfortunately, the migration of our best players continued and we started to struggle. Relegation in 1976 coincided with me heading off to university in Nottingham. It also coincided with Brian Clough and Peter Taylor arriving at Forest. For the next couple of years, it was the turn of my university friends to make my life hell. They went off to watch the European Champions as I headed to watch the Clarets at Plymouth.

On leaving university I started to work on offshore exploration oil rigs. These were mostly off West Africa, the USA and in the North Sea. Trips to Turf Moor were becoming sparse now, but Saturday afternoons were spent huddled over a short wave radio listening to the BBC World Service. The news was generally bad.

1983 saw me returning to the UK to work. It also saw me get married and get a season ticket again after many years. We were now a Division Third club with a bunch of overage, overpaid stars dragging the club down. The good news was that Dobo was back. Sadly, he was not the man I remembered from my youth. The whole club was dying before my eyes. Two years later we were to play in the Fourth Division. Who could believe the Clarets had fallen so low?

It gave many others and me the chance to explore many new grounds: Rochdale, Hartlepool, Stockport, Darlington, Torquay and Northampton, to name but a few. We had new heroes: Grewcock, Neenan, Deakin, Hoskin, Oghani. We might have been at the bottom end of the League, but we were surviving.

Sadly, on May 9 1987, I was the only Claret I have ever met not at 'The Game'. I was back huddled over the radio on holiday. Bugger. I had let my wife book me two weeks in Minorca three months earlier. But we were saved.

For the next couple of years, we were starting to grow again, relieved that we were not in the Conference. The highlight of these years was that magical night at Preston when we booked a trip to Wembley. If I could go back and relive one game, this would be my choice. The Sherpa Van Trophy was a nothing competition, but it was a rebirth for me. The day out at Wembley was incredible, considering how close we came to losing the club.

On April 28 1992 I arrived early in York with the rest of Jimmy Mullen’s Claret and Blue army. Deary and Francis secured promotion and we were on our way climbing back up the League to our rightful position. I was so happy that I shed a tear.

But June 1993 saw me move to Australia. News of Burnley was few and far between. Sunday mornings were spent on the phone listening to the pre-recorded football results. I would buy the British Soccer weekly on a Wednesday for a match report.

Good news was on the horizon though: the birth of the Internet. Oh joy. I now knew more about BFC on a day-to-day basis than I had ever done. With the club's official sites and the various unofficial supporters’ websites, I feel that I can now know sufficient to even voice an opinion on some issues, player’s capabilities not being one of them.

This year I moved to Suzhou, one and a half hours west of Shanghai. Many would question whether I am a true supporter. I haven’t been a regular for much of my life. I have only seen six games in the past six years. I will tell you that writing this I know that I will not sleep tonight. Burnley play at Villa. Until I know the result, I will not be able to relax. If we win my week will be made. If we lose I will be devastated.

I recently joined the Clarets Trust. Living out here so far from Burnley, it is important to me to retain a link with the club. That is basically why I joined. I would also like to become a shareholder of the club. Being a member of the Trust, which now owns shares on behalf of its members, gets me a little closer to that goal.

Dave Thomas is a prolific writer on Burnley matters. Having given us the diary of a typical up and down Burnley season, It’s Burnley Not Barcelona, and the definitive anthology of Burnley writing, No, Nay, Never at the time of his interview below, Dave had also just published his biography of Clarets legend and Clarets Trust Vice President Willie Irvine, Together Again. He has recently followed this up with a biography about Harry Potts and the book will be launched soon

Dave Thomas, Clarets Author-Interviewed 30/09/2005

Of his work, Dave tells us, “Writing about Burnley came about accidentally, or that is to say, being published was accidental. I first started writing years ago, when we had a daughter who would never go to sleep unless someone sat by the door - that was my job, so to pass the time I started doing a diary of life in general. That was 25 years ago, and it’s a habit I've never broken. I have always loved writing, and have been a frustrated writer. I got 30,000 words done on a tale of lust and love in the Greek olive groves, and then stopped because I was getting too excited and the research was expensive! I wrote some children's fantasy stories too. At the same time, about three years ago, I was keeping a Burnley diary, just for fun. I'd finished as a headteacher and so had this strange thing called spare time. Now this Burnley diary was pure libel in its early private form, but eventually I toned it down, and it became It’s Burnley Not Barcelona. I do feel how lucky I am now to be doing all this writing. There are great writers on Burnley FC like Tim Quelch, Phil Whalley, Firmo at London Clarets, Tony Scholes on Clarets Mad, but I'm the lucky one who got the break and has the time now to do it.”

Of his new book, Dave is particularly proud. “Together Again is another labour of love. They all are. The wonderful thing is getting the chance to interview and talk to people like Willie and his colleagues. When you're a fan they are figures on a pedestal, and then you meet them, first time in awe, and then warm friendships develop, particularly with Willie. We met once a week for nearly a year, and it’s a marvellous story, about far more than just football. It’s about life and all its ups and downs. There's tears as well as laughter. It’s a story of how man triumphs over adversity and gets his life back on track again. Willie still works for a living. So many 1960s players do. They have to.”

Dave goes on, “My next book will be about Harry Potts - written in two voices, with Margaret Potts talking about life at Harry’s side and some lovely nostalgic evocative stuff about the 30s, 40s and 50s. Then I do the career of Harry from beginning to the final management year in 1979. I'd like to think I've perhaps found the real reason why Jimmy Mac was transferred in 1963, but it’s only my interpretation of events based on things that I have found in Margaret's memorabilia, and the only two folk who really know are buried in Read churchyard, Bob Lord and Harry. Publication will be September or October 2006. It will be sumptuously illustrated because Margaret has this staggering collection of pictures and albums and photos, even his old Everton pay slips. We see it again as being about more than just football. I've got ideas in my tiny brain for a launch day come tribute to Harry, whose memory will forever remain untainted.”

And there will be more to follow: “I see me doing a book a year as long as I can dip a pen in the ink. That’s the thing about Burnley, all that history to fall back on. I've gathered enough material now for another No, Nay, Never anthology, and a big star from the 70s asked me to work with him on his book. It'll be a cracker, I promise, but no names for the minute. We hope to start that one in April next year. Derek Gill, the former Director, who we were so dreadfully inaccurate about in NNN - and we hope we've set things to rights since - let me have his 140 pages of notes about his time with John Jackson and John Bond, so to use them in a sort of history of the three years when we got promotion, then relegation, then Bond, to me would a mouth watering book.”

So, watch this space! As for the Clarets Trust, as you might expect, Dave has been a member since its earliest days, and welcomes recent developments. “I have to say what an asset Peter Pike will be for the Clarets Trust. Organisations like this need a figurehead, and by golly we've now got one. It gives it stature and impact. He will give it a real boost in terms of its image, public meetings and statements and announcements. A very small group of people have worked so hard to get this set up, and now it can really grow and be taken very seriously at BFC and in the town. The first major purchase of shares for £5000 has been made, and from little acorns big oak trees grow. The long term target has got to be a seat on the board, representing the little man’s voice, as it were, and then you might not get decisions like this current surcharge mish mash. In my eyes, it should be there not to challenge Mr Kilby but to work with him as long as he is there and support him, because no one has done more to keep this club financially afloat in recent years. And, heaven forbid, should another chairman or group move in, which didn't have the club’s best interests at heart, then a strong powerful Clarets Trust can act as a brake or a lever and challenge and stop any nonsense.”

So what would Dave say to anyone to anyone thinking about joining? “I'm a member of the Trust and was at the launch and felt very proud at that moment for the handful of people who got it set up. Next target is 1,000 members, and for anyone wondering whether to join, we can safely say it has arrived now. Hovering, can't decide, is £10 worth it? Yes it is! Was it Kitchener who said, ‘Your Clarets Trust needs you NOW’?”

Rather a dodgy grasp of 20th Century history there, Dave, but we agree with the sentiments entirely!

We continue our series where we catch up with famous, fanatical and far-flung Clarets Trust members, who tell us their Claret tales and explain why they got involved in the Trust. For the latest, we hop from Mauritius to the United States via Malta and Shanghai where exiled Claret Adam Smith explains how a love of flying (that’s him in the picture below and yes, he is wearing a Burnley shirt) led him to Wisconsin

Adam Smith [aka Oshkosh Claret] - Interviewed 09/02/2006

Why I Support the Clarets Trust by Adam Smith

How did you come to be living in the US and how do you follow the Clarets from afar? Do you manage to get over for games occasionally?

I was born and raised in Burnley, went away to university at Leeds, then St Andrews, and never came back! I spent the early years of my working life in Scotland, first managing a small museum in Methil (home of East Fife FC) and later running the National Museum of Flight near Edinburgh. While there, I learned to fly and also met my wife Janet, who is an airline pilot.I moved to the USA exactly five years ago to take up a job in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. To most people, this is an unremarkable Midwestern town that builds military vehicles (Oshkosh Truck), makes children's clothes (Oshkosh B'Gosh) and has long, cold winters. However, in the world of aviation, Oshkosh is truly the equivalent of Mecca. All aviators will get here at least once in their lifetime, or they will die trying. The world's largest air show takes place here each summer, when about 10,000 aeroplanes will land and park on the airport during the course of a week, and 750,000 people will show up to see them.I help to organise the air show (www.airventure.org), and keep myself busy the rest of the year running the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) Museum (200 aircraft on display www.airventuremuseum.org ); EAA aircraft operations (we keep about ten historic aircraft flying, including a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber from World War II - www.b17.org); and EAA Young Eagles (www.youngeagles.org), which allows 100,000 children each year to receive a free flight in a small aeroplane. Harrison Ford is a very active supporter of our Young Eagles work - it is fun to have found myself working with someone I once owned a plastic doll of!On average I see the Clarets play "in the flesh" about three times a year. This is usually at Christmas when I'm home visiting family, and twice I've slogged it across the Atlantic to attend a single game. The first was the 0-2 defeat at Watford in the quarter final of the FA Cup, and believe me it was a long journey home after that performance. In fact, I did the whole 8,000 mile round trip in just two days! The second visit was a little better - the 0-0 home draw with Blackburn last year.

The internet has been a wonderful thing for exiles. In fact, I'm more in touch now than I ever was when living in Scotland. The Clarets World service has been a wonderful friend, through Phil Bird's excellent live commentary (I am one of those people that likes a totally biased-in-our-favour commentator), video interviews and the ability to see all the goals a day or two after each game. And of course there's the Clarets Mad message board.

I'm excited about the additional connection the internet will ultimately bring for exiles. Right now we can see glimpses of the future, in the way that I could sit in my home in Oshkosh and watch - live over the internet - the FA Cup replay at Ewood last year, and the Wolves game earlier this season. Currently this is all 100% unofficial, but the technology already exists, and it will surely not be long before someone finds a way to commercialise it properly. Cricket got its act together in the summer and had an official paid service that let me watch the Ashes live over the web... so c'mon football, I'm getting tired of Taiwanese commentary.

I have many great Burnley memories, but if I had to choose just one, it would be The Orient Game in May 1987. As with so many other people, it was a huge event in my relationship with Burnley Football Club. After that day, everything was different.I had an unusual start. Our dad claims that back in the 1960s many people supported BOTH Burnley and Blackburn Rovers, and would alternate their Saturdays between the two. No rivalry, supporters of both teams. Now, he's the only person I've ever met that can actually substantiate this claim but, to be fair, he truly lived by the philosophy of a "pure supporter of East Lancashire football". So as a child, for every game I can remember at the Turf watching Hamilton, Dobson and Flynn ;I can remember an equivalent game at Ewood watching Fazackerley, Brotherston and Garner.The Orient Game changed all that. It was a special, indescribable day. No one that was there will ever forget it, and, thankfully, it was a day of catharsis, and the beginning of a revival and renewal for the club. When we sung "we'll support you ever more" it was more than a song, it was a pledge for life. I still have the Orient programme framed up on my wall at home. Of course, in romanticising that game we sometimes forget how hopelessly crap the team were...

Like many people, I look on the years that followed with great fondness, particularly the camaraderie, humour, highs and lows as we struggled to get out of Division Four. And if ever I'm feeling down and want to give myself a lift, I conjure up the memory of John Francis scoring the last minute winner at York five years later to secure the Championship. I was right behind the goal and, thus far, there has been no greater moment of pure, unadulterated joy in all my life.

I joined the Trust for a couple of reasons, one short-term, and one long-term. In the short-term, I think it's healthy for the fans to be organised, to have an independent voice, and be able to have some input and influence over decision-making. I was pleased to see the Trust recently making representations about the silly surcharge, and encourage and endorse the Trust to act on my behalf in examples like this.

In the long-term I dream that one day the club will be collectively owned by its community (its fans), and see the Trust as the most practical and likely way that this can be accomplished. I would like to see the Trust focus strongly on this specific goal, through building ownership of shares. I hope the Trust does not get side-tracked from this and do not want to wait for a crisis to arrive before we get serious about the task in hand. It's a lofty goal, and will likely take years, but it's the right thing to do. In any case, for the foreseeable future, any money contributed through share purchases will directly assist the club's day-to-day operations.

Thanks very much for Adam for taking the time to respond to our questions

We are indebted to Andrew 'Firmo' Firmin who arranged and carried out a number of these interviews. Firmo himself is well known to many of you especially if you are involved with London Clarets and here we provide his thoughts on Clarets Trust and why he believes all Clarets should be supporting this worthy cause. These comments were provided at the time Firmo was Chairman of London Clarets. A position now held by Ian 'Woody' Wood featured above

Andrew Firmin [aka Firmo] - 31/08/2005

Why I Support the Clarets Trust by Andrew 'Firmo' Firmin

As the Chairman of one of Burnley FC’s main supporters’ clubs, you might expect me to have mixed feelings about the formation of the Clarets Trust. After all, this is that time of year when we pursue errant members and persuade them to renew their subscriptions. Surely I should see the Trust as a rival in trying to extract the Claret Pound from the exile’s pockets? Far from it. I’m pleased to say I’m already a member of the Trust, and hope many others will join. I see the new Trust not as a rival to supporters’ clubs, but as an essential and complementary additional part of the picture.I think the supporters' clubs still have a valuable role to play in the future of Burnley. The supporters' club I'm involved in does, I think, do a good job. We help people living some distance from Burnley get to games, and we keep Burnley exiles connected to, and hopefully feeling a part of, the club. This, I always like to think, has some practical value to Burnley FC, in that, if people go to games, buy tickets and express their continued support through buying BFC-related things, Burnley gain hard cash as well as vocal support. Clearly, I think this is worthwhile work, and something we can keep doing as our own small way of serving Burnley FC, for as long as there's an exiled community to demand it.I don't know to what extent people realise this, but Burnley FC has a patchwork of supporters' clubs that is probably unique. Because of the way they grew up, the supporters' clubs are all independent of each other and of the club. We’re not branches of anything. This is both a strength and a weakness. Largely because Bob Lord objected to supporters' clubs being set up, the London Clarets, at a distance where it could be assumed attempts to interfere would not be made, was the first such club to be created. Given that Burnley's support has become dispersed as people have moved away from the club's core towns, many of the supporters' clubs service particular groups of exiles. Clearly, there remains a valuable role for these clubs to play. Recently supporters' clubs - who haven't always been the best of friends - have even been coming together and finding consensus at supporters' groups fora.Supporters' clubs also have a tradition of fundraising. Many of them contribute various forms of sponsorship, or donate money for specific reasons. At times of crisis, supporters' clubs tend to be able to find money. The London Clarets gave Burnley FC a straight gift of cash in the truly dark days of the 1980s, for example, and when the 500 Mile Club was launched in response to the most recent black hole, our members once again managed to find a few grand down the backs of our collective sofas. This is not untypical. Supporters' clubs have always rallied round in tough times, and no doubt will always continue to do so.

I don't see the Trust as a threat because they're going to be doing something we're not. The Trust can offer a further, direct and non-geographically-bound channel of communication between the supporters and the club. It can act as a unifying point and represent a collectivity of Clarets supporters regardless of location or other affiliations.

More than that, I see the possibility in very simple terms that the Trust can trade cash for influence. It just so happens that conditions at Burnley are favourable to a Trust. The Club has a substantial number of shares remaining from the last issue that were not taken up, and of course a need for money. The Trust can collect money through membership subscriptions and fund-raising imaginatively. If this money is used to buy shares, then Burnley FC will get £200 for each share purchased, and the Trust will get one vote at an AGM. Over time, the Trust can build up a significant shareholding, such that it becomes a major shareholder which the club has to take seriously. If enough shares are held, it would eventually lead to a seat on the board, giving a supporter presence in the highest decision making structures of our club. In the end, if enough of us are involved, and the Trust garners a big enough stake, then the club simply has to take the supporters seriously.

And the beauty of it is that the democratic way in which the Trust is set up means that all of us, whether we put in the minimum £10 or several times more, get one vote. So we can use our votes to set the direction of the Trust. Fond though I am off sounding off in these and other pages, my opinions will count for no more than yours. And then, if it builds up a substantial shareholding and the Trust votes at an AGM, it can vote in the way the majority desires it to.

After writing the above and with a print deadline pressing, it was announced that our ground is to be sold to generate some cash. This is a development that can’t be anything other than worrying, as for the first time Burnley FC will not own its ground or training ground. Clubs that do not own their grounds are in a weaker position to face down future financial shocks, as they are missing a key asset. Clubs without grounds are vulnerable, and many of the clubs that have faced the most serious crises in recent years are those clubs that are tenants. We must get our ground back soon. This is pure personal kite flying, but another potential role for the Trust could be to raise funds for the re-purchase of the ground. In ten years, three million wouldn’t be impossible to get together. A ground owned by the supporters? Or even, one day, the whole club in our hands? We can, and should, dream.

The first step you can make towards giving supporters more of a say is to join the Trust. This will only cost you £10, which these days is roughly the price of a few pints or half a football match. Please do consider joining the Trust alongside your current supporters’ clubs memberships. For more details, you can visit the Clarets Trust website – www.claretstrust.co.uk, where you can also obtain an application form. The future might just be in our hands.

If you'd like to be featured in this series and tell us why you support the Clarets Trust, please contact us via This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it