Bob Lord of Burnley

The biography of controversial Burnley chairman Bob Lord, the self-made butcher who ruled the club from 1955 to 1981. A blunt, opinionated leader, football’s own ‘Khrushchev’ upset many with his views; but he was one of the first to run a club on businesslike lines, and oversaw a production line of top players then sold on to sustain his vision. From barrow boy to chairman of his beloved local club, the self-styled ‘Lord of Burnley’ built three fine teams during his tenure. He routinely banned reporters, and alienated fans and football’s hierarchy alike. He was scornful of the latter, couldn’t abide ‘the Continentals’ or football cheats, and constantly rebelled against entrenched, outdated views. Lord became a member of the Football League Management Committee and foresaw many aspects of the future of the game - though eventually only death spared him the humiliation of an FA inquiry into Burnley’s finances. He remains as relevant, as provocative and divisive as ever - a legendary football figure to rank alongside Busby, Shankly or Clough.