How many Clarets fans out there remember that night? If you were there I'm sure you'll agree that the atmosphere had an electrifying and razor sharp edge that I haven't experienced at Turf Moor since. And that includes the relegation decider games with Orient and Plymouth.
I was only twelve in 1978, but I remember certain things like the old town centre fountain (what an insult to concrete!) full of empty bottle and cans, Celtic fans swarming around the bus station and Burnley playing in blue shorts. Other memories are more sinister. I was sitting in the Bob Lord Stand, and when Kindon scored in the 55th minute it was the catalyst for the worst crowd scenes I have seen at Turf Moor.
The front page of the Burnley Express the following Friday had the headline: TALKS INTO TURF RIOT. Reporter Dermot Martin wrote about the 80th minute pitch invasion and he quotes Police Supt. Henderson as saying:
"A small section of Celtic fans tore down part of the fence separating the fans and invaded the no-man's land between them. They were throwing missiles of all kinds - bricks, concrete and even bottles filled with urine."
He continued:
"The barrage was so intense that we had to retreat onto the pitch. Once we were on the touchline they continued to direct missiles at us but also at the home fans. From where I was standing it seemed the Burnley fans went onto the pitch out of fear."
Supt. Henderson did admit there had been some provocation from the Clarets fans, but he added that the "provocation wasn't so great as to merit the attack produced."
In the same article, the manager, the late Harry Potts, said:
"I think society is at the crossroads, this problem seems to have got worse in the last five years and we are all to blame. We don't back up the teachers in the schools enough."
The paper also carries a picture of referee Pat Partridge, with Celtic manager Billy McNeil and Harry Potts on the pitch, trying to appease the crowd. My most vivid recollection of the night was a father carrying his young son across the pitch towards the Bob Lord Stand. He was in a state of petrified shock, having come from the Longside. He decided to leave the ground, the experience too much for him. Also, I remember police horses entering the ground from the Bee Hole End and galloping behind the goal.
The game itself I don't recall too well, but I do remember that Danny McGrain was a substitute, and the goal was classic Kindon - bursting through the Celtic defence like an Olympic sprinter, rounding the keeper and slotting the ball home.
In the Burnley Express match report, Peter Higgs pointed out that this was a significant victory. Celtic were top of the Scottish Premier League at the time, having won their last eight games. Incidentally, Billy Rodaway was named as the CLARET STAR for the game. With this being an Anglo-Scottish cup-tie, the game was played over two legs, and incredibly Burnley won 2-1 a fortnight later at Parkhead with goals from Ian Brennan and Steve Kindon again. The real hero that night was Alan Stevenson, described as "faultless and brilliant" by the Burnley Express.
Burnley went on to win the Anglo-Scottish Cup that season, beating Oldham in the final, again over two legs. For posterity, the two teams for the Turf Moor leg ere as follows:
BURNLEY: Stevenson, Scott, Thompson, Rodaway, Brennan, Hall, Noble, James, Cochrane, Fletcher, Kindon. Subs: Smith, Norman
CELTIC: Latchford, Filippi, Evaldsson, Aitken, Lynch, Conroy, Glavin, Burns, Doyle, McAdam, McCluskey. Subs: McGrain, Baines
I wish to thank the staff of Burnley Library for their help in researching this article
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