Clarrie Bourton (3 Viewers)

[Otis]

Have been having a little bit of a read-up on our greatest goalscorer.

He scored 37 goals in 63 games for Blackburn Rovers in League One prior to coming to us, so was playing his trade in the top league in the land.

Anyone know why he then came to the Third Division South to play for us?

He was still only 23 when we signed him. Why the drop in divisions? Anyone know?

 

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[usskyblue]

Bit nosy m8

 

[Otis]

I love a bit of goss, me.

 

[usskyblue]

I love a bit of goss, me.

Indulge away m8

 

[SBchimp]

cos its grim up north??

 

[Magwitch]

Probably down to Harry Storer bit of a Brian Clough of his day was building a top team here, it’s said the war cost him taking Cov into the top division.
I always wonder why George Hudson never really went into the first division apart from a 6 month spell at Northampton too, he’s still the most talented skill wise centre forward i have seen here and scored goals.

 

[Otis]

Probably down to Harry Storer bit of a Brian Clough of his day was building a top team here, it’s said the war cost him taking Cov into the top division.

Yeah, get that, but it's a drop of two divisions and Blackburn had finished 7th in the top league and had just won the FA Cup when he signed for them.

Massive drop.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

Yeah, get that, but it's a drop of two divisions and Blackburn had finished 7th in the top league and had just won the FA Cup when he signed for them.

Massive drop.

Have you ever been to Blackburn what a shit hole.

I would imagine money although the maximum wage was in operation players were given little extras and cash would have been much easier to move around as everybody would have paid cash to enter the ground

 

[Otis]

If it's all about shit holes you have to wonder how Aston Villa ever won the European Cup.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

If it's all about shit holes you have to wonder how Aston Villa ever won the European Cup.

The players even then wouldn’t have lived in Aston and around the ground, lots of the players are around Sutton Coldfield and the better areas.

 

[bringbackrattles]

Still shocked David Speedie left Chelsea to come here !

 

[JimmyHillsbeard]

Still shocked David Speedie left Chelsea to come here !

He had fallen out with manager Hollins.
Chelsea were shite - finished 4th bottom in 1987-88.
We weren’t. In fact we were Cup holders.
We were shopping at Harrods not Woolworths apparently.

 

[Mcbean]

If you were amazed Speedie joined what about Wise - he was universally hated by most like Savage but he was a top guy at motivation and our play improved with him barking at the back - need someone else like that !

 

[Nick]

If you were amazed Speedie joined what about Wise - he was universally hated by most like Savage but he was a top guy at motivation and our play improved with him barking at the back - need someone else like that !

Your man Jack moved here from la....

 

[Gazolba]

I can only assume that dropping down the divisions back then didn't carry the stigma it does today.
Also, the gap in pay between the top and botton was probably nowhere near as great.

 

[Gosb]

Have been having a little bit of a read-up on our greatest goalscorer.

He scored 37 goals in 63 games for Blackburn Rovers in League One prior to coming to us, so was playing his trade in the top league in the land.

Anyone know why he then came to the Third Division South to play for us?

He was still only 23 when we signed him. Why the drop in divisions? Anyone know?

He'd lost his place at Blackburn Rovers scoring just 4 goals in 11 appearances in his final season. Harry Storer swooped, and the rest is history.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

I can only assume that dropping down the divisions back then didn't carry the stigma it does today.
Also, the gap in pay between the top and botton was probably nowhere near as great.

I would guess with the maximum wage in place themplaying field was a bit more level.

 

[Otis]

He'd lost his place at Blackburn Rovers scoring just 4 goals in 11 appearances in his final season. Harry Storer swooped, and the rest is history.

Ah, yes, that old 'only just better than one goal in 2.75 games disaster' scenario.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

Ah, yes, that old 'only just better than one goal in 2.75 games disaster' scenario.

Imagine having a devil like that now are strikers are about one in ten

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

But at the time if was pretty much all out attack.2-3-5 was a common formation, and they could be a lot more physical. You could pretty much thrown the goalie into the net and it counted.

 

[Magwitch]

To score the amount of goals Bourton did he’d be a multi-million posing player today his record is incredible.

 

[Otis]

I am assuming that the competition was of wide ranging variance of ability and fitness etc. and not so much of a level playing field as a lot of divisions these days.

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

Imagine having a devil like that now are strikers are about one in ten

……...a number on a list

 

[Magwitch]

Years ago I worked with ex city goalie Alf Wood at Masseys his stories of his city times were brilliant but he always said Clarrie Bourton for some strange reason under-sold himself, I think George Hudson did the same.

 

[bringbackrattles]

There's a player called Joe Payne who scored 10 goals in a game for Luton in 1936. Not against us but Bristol Rovers.

 

[Magwitch]

Denis Law scored 6 for Manchester City in an FA cup tie at Luton the game was abandoned late on, City lost the subsequent replayed game 3-1 sort of thing Cov would do !

 

[bringbackrattles]

Dixie Dean banged in 60 goals for Everton one season.
Get in there !

 

[skyblueeyesrevisited]

I would guess with the maximum wage in place themplaying field was a bit more level.

Not at Yeovil though

 

[skybluetony176]

Wasn’t there a wage cap back then? Wouldn’t he have been earning the same playing two tiers down as playing in the top tier?

 

[Otis]

Hmm, not sure.

Key thing we really want to know though is whether he would have been a Brexiteer or a Remainer.

 

[CJ_covblaze]

Wasn’t there a wage cap back then? Wouldn’t he have been earning the same playing two tiers down as playing in the top tier?

Depends what was declared

 

[stevefloyd]

Wouldn't it be great now players actually playing the game they love for a 'reasonable' wage instead of extortion, I heard and have said this before that Tudgay, yep the original shite striker, hated playing but knew he couldn't get the wages anywhere else he got paid 'playing' football

 

[Magwitch]

Story in paper last week about a young Man City player yet to feature in first team buying a £2million house, madness

 

[bringbackrattles]

As I'm a window cleaner I've cleaned a few Cov City players houses. When Gary Thompson lived near Ringwood Highway cleaned his windows, Ernie Machin on Ansty Road, and Les Sealey in Walsgrave. Modest homes nothing flash. I thought they'd be rolling in cash to be honest, but no just normal customers. Ernie even said could I pop back later to be paid as his missus was out and he had no cash on him. I said it was a free clean as he was a Cov legend, he said cheers.

 

[Otis]

My wife's always giving freebies too.

None of them are legends or football players though.