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Burnley Shock - Coates, Thomas May Not Play
29 Jan 1971
Gawthorpe Training Ground, Burnley Road, Padiham
The men on whom Burnley rely in the battle to escape relegation which will be decided during 17 games between tomorrow and early May. Front from left: Dave Thomas, Steve Kindon, Martin Dobson, Frank Casper, Mick Docherty, Eric Probert, Ralph Coates. Back: John Angus, Tony Walters, Colin Waldron, Dave Merrington, Peter Mellor, Alan West.
From an article by Keith McNee:
Burnley may have to go into tomorrow's home game against Newcastle United without their two best forwards of this season. Ralph Coates and Dave Thomas, as well as Frank Casper and Dave Merrington. All four were still unable to train up to yesterday lunchtime and manager Jimmy Adamson told me grimly: "I can't even name a squad at this stage. It may be Saturday afternoon before the team can be finalised." Another shock for worried fans is that Jim Thomson, Burnley's most expensive buy, will be out of action for six weeks after a cartilage operation on Wednesday.
The recent pages of the record book indicate that the Clarets, despite their appalling home results, could perhaps win this one. United seem to be in a bad patch, for, after losing on Boxing day, they then went down at home to Stoke, crashed again at Nottingham and were defeated in an FA Cup replay by Ipswich.
