1959-60: WBA & Swansea (FAC)

Referee: Mr. J. W. Hunt (Hampshire)
Linesmen: Mr. S. Gandy and Mr. A. H. Goodfellow

Crowd: 23,512

Teams

West Bromwich Albion
Wallace, Howe, Williams, Drury, Kennedy, Robson, Jackson, Burnside, Allen, Kevan, Hogg.

Burnley
Blacklaw, Angus, Elder, Seith, Miller, Adamson, Connelly, Lawson, Pointer, Robson, Harris.

The Clarets were now on for the hat-trick of wins, having won their last two games, away at West Ham and at home to Chelsea. Today they faced West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns hopeful of another win. Albion were currently sitting in 9th place in the League just 5 points behind Burnley. Albion were fielding a very strong line up which included such great players as Howe, Robson, Burnside, Allen, and Kevan, and they too were also hopeful of "bagging" the points.

Burnley were once again without the brilliance of McIlroy, but a double blow this week, an injury to the in form Pilkington meant a change on the wing, with the number 11 shirt going to Bomber Harris for only the second time this season.

After all the recent snow and rain the pitch had become something of a mudbath and for the second game running, the young Clarets were going to be severely tested for stamina. the game proved to be a very poor affair indeed, severely lacking of the super attacking football that the Clarets been serving up of late. No doubt the Clarets were put to the test but Angus and Elder once again proving that they were one of the finest full back pairings in the League. On the balance of play West Brom probably just shaded it, but the game fizzled out into a pretty dour 0-0 draw. The Clarets left the Hawthorns satisfied with a point, and were now looking to their next match which was a 4th Round F.A.Cup tie.

Programme Review

Both teams were as printed in the programme.

The Albion News, was a standard 12 page offering costing 3d.
Nothing much of interest inside apart from the recognition of Burnley as a pure footballing side.

This is what was printed:

"OUR VISITORS"

We have of recent seasons, heard and read a lot about the respective merits of "Pure Football" and "Power Football" - for what distinction there is, we suppose Burnley can claim to come in the former classification.

Certainly their visits to the Midlands have always brought matches where skill and ideas have been evident. Their forwards, marshalled by the Irish International Jimmy McIlroy, have rattled in the creditable total of sixty-two goals- exceeded in Division 1 only by Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The forecasters of football fame have noised aloud abroad the claims of Spurs, of Wolves, of Proud Preston, but somehow Burnley have quickly moved upwards, avoiding the glare of public limelight, until to-day's league table shows them second in the list.

One of their victims this season was Albion, whose earlier visit to Burnley ended in a two to one win for the home side- but this was back in sun-drenched September. Now the wheel of the weather has brought us to the depths of winter, conditions could hardly be more different-it remains to be seen whether the respective merits of the two sides have altered with it.

Next game: F.A.Cup 4th Round Swansea v Burnley - Saturday 30th January 1960

Crowd: 29,976