Lindley Dick Image 1 Burnley 1914

Description

Bolton, Lancashire born inside right Dick Lindley started his football career with junior clubs Little Hulton United in 1906 and Oswaldtwistle Rovers in 1907 before joining Second Division Burnley the following year. He scored 46 goals in 152 appearances for Burnley between September 1908, when he scored on his Football League debut in a 2-0 victory against Derby County, and March 1920. He scored a hat-trick against Hull City in January 1912 as he finished as the club’s second top scorer behind Bert Freeman with 15 goals.

He played 39 games scoring 11 goals in the 1912-13 campaign that saw them promoted to the First Division as Second Division runners up, and also getting to the FA Cup semi final, which they lost in a replay to League Champions elect Sunderland at St Andrews, Birmingham. The following season, described as “One of the most dangerous inside forwards in the League. Skillful on the ball, artful in manoeuvering and a crack shot”, he won the FA Cup with The Clarets in April 1914 as they beat Liverpool 1-0 in the Final at The Crystal Palace, scoring 3 times in the earlier rounds leading to the Final.

His career was then interrupted by the onset of the First World War, although after the War he returned to Turf Moor but only played 6 times as Burnley finished runners up in the League Championship. In the summer of 1920, having scored 46 goals in 152 appearances for The Clarets and already 35 years old, he moved to Bradford City, playing 15 times and scoring 4 goals for The Bantams during 1920-21 before moving to Coventry City a year later, for whom he played a further 15 games through to January 1922, scoring once, before his retirement from the professional game.