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One Day In History – Burnley 1979-80

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RANGERS visited Turf Moor looking to emulate their crushing victory over the Clarets in W12 five months previously.

Teams: Burnley v Queens Park Rangers

Date: Saturday 8th March, 1980

Competition: Football League Division Two

Venue: Turf Moor, Burnley

See Also: QPR 7-0 Burnley – 1979-80.

QPR 3-2 Burnley – 1982-83.

QPR 1-2 Burnley – Championship – 15-11-08.

QPR 0-0 Burnley – FA Cup Round Three – 03-01-09.

Brian Miller`s Burnley were without a win in five games, staring down the barrel at relegation from Division Two. A 5-0 defeat away to Sunderland compounded the misery for the Clarets as they were doomed for the drop.

Rangers by comparison were performing admirably in the second division, with the slick, passing football of Tommy Docherty`s men winning many admirers throughout the league. The R`s were undefeated in four games, with seven goals in two games making them bang in form as they sought to chase down the leading pack.

The two sides met back in October with Burnley on the end of a hiding courtesy of braces from two in form forwards, Paul Goddard and Clive Allen helping to make it 7-0 to the R`s. A forlorn debutante keeper Billy O`Rourke left the field in a flood of tears only to be given man of the match by a Lancashire newspaper.

The Clarets were fighting for survival, naming a side which included brothers Richard and Vincent Overson with Billy O`Rourke this time giving way for stalwart stopper Alan Stevenson, who was attracting interest from a number of clubs during the Clarets demise.

Rangers could call upon an attacking line-up which included Clive Allen and Paul Goddard flanked by Steve Burke and Tony Currie, with the ever-reliant Glenn Roeder marshalling proceedings in the middle.

It was plain to see from the offset that the R`s were more than a match for their struggling opposition, and another drubbing could have been on the cards if the early showing was anything to go by. Rangers had the lead inside the opening three minutes with a goal that came from an unlikely source.

Full back Ian Gillard was on hand to knock the early stuffing out of the Clarets, as the home crowd grew nervous that another drubbing could seal their fate as a Third Division outfit. That was Gillard`s first goal of the league campaign, having netted against Bradford City in the League Cup.

Rangers were displaying their promotion credentials with a hallmark of the Docherty era. The R`s slick, passing football saw them run Burnley ragged and it seemed only a matter of time before another goal was on it`s way. Indeed the form of Tony Currie was a joy to behold as the former Leeds United and Sheffield United man turned on the style at Turf Moor.

The R`s had their second before half time and it came from a familiar face in the goalscoring charts. Clive Allen was proving his goalscoring prowess for the R`s with 24 goals in all competitions so far that season. Steve Burke`s tricky wingwork down the left flank had the Burnley rearguard at odds to stop him – his powerful cross was met on the chest by Allen before striking home on the half volley.

Burnley`s growing frustration was visible as a number of Clarets bookings epitomised their current plight. Something which was made all the more worse in the second period, as Rangers put them to bed sewing up the three points.

It was another defender Don Shanks who wrapped things up late on in the game with an excellently worked goal. Famous for among other things, being the partner of former Miss World, Mary Stavin, Shanks got what proved to be the final goal keeping Rangers in the hunt for promotion.

Rangers finished in fifth place with 42 points, a mere six points off eventual winners Leicester City. The R`s progress stuttered as they drew six games from their final ten fixtures to finish narrowly short.

Burnley finished second bottom as Charlton Athletic propped up the second division table. They ended the campaign without a win in 16 games, an astonishing run dating back to February.

Final Score: Burnley 0-3 Queens Park Rangers

Attendance: 7,490

Burnley: Stevenson, Arins, Brennan, Overson R., Overson V., Dickson, James, Cavaner, Hamilton, Jacub, Smith.

QPR: Woods, Shanks, Gillard, McCreery, Hazell, Wicks, Goddard, Roeder, Allen, Currie (Hill 86), Burke.

For a full catalogue from Rangers games in history Click Here >>>.

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