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It’s hard to believe that a bitter rivalry was born; lived and died in the space of 17 years. County and Burnley were only in the same Division for 12 of those seasons, yet the vagaries of Cup draws; and the geographical proximity reflected in the Football League Trophy, (in its various guises) meant that we faced other on 37 occasions in that period. 17 of them were at EP; 19 at Turf Moor and the other was the infamous play-off final in 1994, more than adequately described in the piece on Wembley.

The Clubs had not met since an an FA Cup tie in 1959, (and prior to that before WWII), when they were drawn together in the Freight Rover Trophy in early 1985. It ended in a 5-1 defeat rendering the 2nd leg of no import. In the next 5 years we met another 14 times with Burnley generally having the better of things.

Things really started to bubble over in January 1991. Having lost 3-2 in the Leyland Daf Cup on a Tuesday evening we returned to Turf Moor for a League game 4 days later. It was a singularly bad tempered affair. In goal for Burnley was Chris Pearce, and well aware of his reported altercation with George Oghani some years previously the County fans took great delight in suggesting that there could have been some connection between the ex County man and Pearce’s wife. I should add that this was pure conjecture with no substance in fact but the chanting throughout the game seemed to get under his skin. County had taken the lead through Alan Finley early on, but found themselves 3-1 down with 20 minutes gone in the second half. Bill Williams pulled one back, and as County pushed for the equaliser in the dying minutes an almighty scuffle broke out in the home side’s penalty area. Fists flew and after referee Mr Wilkie had calmed things down, it ended with Pearce and David Frain getting first use of the soap. The bad feeling on the pitch spilled out onto the surrounding streets as the game was brought to a conclusion with no further score. The bad blood started there and to be brutally honest was evident in all the following 16 encounters.

Wembley in 1994 led to it being enhanced as a Burnley side, which had finished a country mile behind the Hatters in the league were aided and abetted by Mr Elleray to win the play-off final as Mike Wallace and Chris Beaumont were sent off, and Ted McMinn willingly took on the role of pantomime villain.

So, the home game in April 1997 was sweet beyond measure. County led Burnley by 3 points going into the game, albeit that we were three games better off with the plethora of cup games that season having led to a number of league games being postponed. It was all to play for as the season entered its last three weeks. (County had 8 games to play in 21 days). A big crowd, (9,187), assembled with a big following from East Lancashire in the Railway End. A tight affair saw the game goalless as the clock showed 86 minutes. Jim Gannon picked up the ball deep in his own half; moved right and played a long ball into the right hand channel. Luis Cavaco challenged for it and it bounced loose on the edge of the Burnley area. Andy Mutch appeared, but the odds were on the Burnley defender, but somehow Mutch manged to hook his foot round and get a contact sufficient to take it over the line. Mayhem ensued; exultation from the County fans, as a deep gloom and despondency parked itself over the Railway End.

1996/97 had many highlights – promotion; League Cup wins on Premier League grounds; great nights, and to all those memories should be added the moment that Mutch got the winner!!

It’s hard to believe that within not much more than a decade and a half Burnley would reside in the Premier League and County would be in regional football. It is now over 18 years since our paths have crossed, but those who were around for those 37 games, (and I saw each and every one of them), will never forget the bitterness that they brought with them.

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Memories of trips to Turf Moor

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THE GAMES

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Where the date is in bold click for highlights of the game

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	Date	Venue	Ground	Competition		F	A	Att:
Tues	29/01/85	a	Turf Moor	Freight Rover Trophy ( Northern Round 1 – 1st Leg)	L	1	5	1,432
Mon	04/02/85	h	Edgeley Park	Freight Rover Trophy (Northern Round 2 (2nd Leg))	L	0	1	1,568
Fri	23/08/85	a	Turf Moor	Canon League Division 4 (Tier 4)	W	1	0	3,909
Fri	20/12/85	h	Edgeley Park	Canon League Division 4 (Tier 4)	D	1	1	3,472
Sat	18/10/86	a	Turf Moor	Today League Division 4 (Tier 4)	L	0	2	2,410
Fri	13/03/87	h	Edgeley Park	Today League Division 4 (Tier 4)	L	0	1	2,500
Sat	31/10/87	a	Turf Moor	Barclays League Division 4 (Tier 4)	D	1	1	6,642
Fri	18/03/88	h	Edgeley Park	Barclays League Division 4 (Tier 4)	W	2	0	4,423
Fri	16/09/88	h	Edgeley Park	Barclays League Division 4 (Tier 4)	D	0	0	6,676
Sat	28/01/89	a	Turf Moor	Barclays League Division 4 (Tier 4)	L	0	1	6,942
Sat	26/08/89	a	Turf Moor	Barclays League Division 4 (Tier 4)	D	0	0	6,537
Sat	18/11/89	a	Turf Moor	FA Cup (Round 1)	D	1	1	8,030
Tue	21/11/89	h	Edgeley Park	FA Cup (Round 1 (Replay))	L	1	2	6,257
Tues	28/11/89	a	Turf Moor	Leyland Daf Cup (Group Round)	W	2	0	3,352
Sat	13/01/90	h	Edgeley Park	Barclays League Division 4 (Tier 4)	W	3	1	5,210
Mon	27/08/90	h	Edgeley Park	Rumbelows Cup (Round 1 (1st Leg))	L	0	2	2,786
Tues	04/09/90	a	Turf Moor	Rumbelows Cup (Round 1 – 2nd Leg)	W	1	0	3,910
Fri	14/09/90	h	Edgeley Park	Barclays League Division 4 (Tier 4)	D	2	2	3,523
Tue	08/01/91	h	Edgeley Park	Leyland Daf Cup (Northern Preliminary Round)	D	1	1	1,707
Tues	22/01/91	a	Turf Moor	Leyland Daf Cup (Northern Round 2)	L	2	3	3,578
Sat	26/01/91	a	Turf Moor	Barclays League Division 4 (Tier 4)	L	2	3	8,946
Tues	07/04/92	a	Turf Moor	Autoglass Trophy (Northern Final – 1st Leg)	W	1	0	13,259
Wed	15/04/92	h	Edgeley Park	Autoglass Trophy (Northern Final (2nd Leg))	W	2	1	8,260
Sat	22/08/92	h	Edgeley Park	Barclays League Division 2 (Tier 3)	W	2	1	4,953
Sat	30/01/93	a	Turf Moor	Barclays League Division 2 (Tier 3)	D	1	1	11,228
Sat	18/09/93	h	Edgeley Park	Endsleigh League Division 2 (Tier 3)	W	2	1	5,122
Sat	12/03/94	a	Turf Moor	Endsleigh League Division 2 (Tier 3)	D	1	1	13,130
Sun	29/05/94	n	Wembley Stadium	Endsleigh League Division 2 (Tier 3 Play-off final)	L	1	2	44,806
Sat	19/08/95	h	Edgeley Park	Endsleigh League Division 2 (Tier 3)	D	0	0	8,463
Sat	13/01/96	a	Turf Moor	Endsleigh League Division 2 (Tier 3)	L	3	4	9,030
Sat	05/10/96	a	Turf Moor	Nationwide Football League – Division 2 (Tier 3)	L	2	5	10,332
Tues	04/02/97	a	Turf Moor	Auto Windscreens Trophy (Northern Round 2)	W	1	0	4,252
Sat	12/04/97	h	Edgeley Park	Nationwide Football League – Division 2 (Tier 3)	W	1	0	9,187
Sat	14/10/00	a	Turf Moor	Nationwide Football League – Division 1 (Tier 2)	L	1	2	16,107
Tue	06/03/01	h	Edgeley Park	Nationwide Football League – Division 1 (Tier 2)	D	0	0	7,087
Sat	15/12/01	a	Turf Moor	Nationwide Football League – Division 1 (Tier 2)	L	2	3	15,526
Sat	09/03/02	h	Edgeley Park	Nationwide Football League – Division 1 (Tier 2)	L	0	2	6,410

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