Bob Lord (football chairman)
Encyclopedia
Bob Lord was an English businessman best known as the chairman of Burnley F.C.
Born in 1908 in Burnley
, Lancashire
, Lord was the son of a barber. As a boy he worked for a local butcher, until at the age of 19 he started his own business. Lord's butchery business eventually grew into 14 shops.
Lord was an avid follower of his local football club, Burnley F.C.
, and in 1950 attempted to join the board. This approach was blocked, but another position became available a year later. Lord was the sole candidate, and thus became a board member. He became chairman in 1955.
The early years of Lord's chairmanship were the most successful in the club's history. Following the appointment of Harry Potts
as manager in 1958, Burnley were league champions in 1960, and reached the FA Cup Final in 1962. The club became renowned for their youth policy, which yielded players such as Jimmy McIlroy
, Willie Morgan
and Martin Dobson
, and investment in a new training ground gave Burnley some of the most advanced facilities in the country. Lord oversaw major redevelopment of Turf Moor, including a new stand at the Cricket Field end, and a replacement for the Main Stand that Lord named after himself. Both stands were opened by Conservative Party leader Edward Heath
, who was a friend of Lord's. As of 2011 both the Cricket Field Stand and Bob Lord stand are still in use.
Lord was a staunch critic of televised football. He wrote at length on the subject in his 1963 autobiography, arguing that live coverage would "damage and undermine attendances". When the BBC highlights programme Match of the Day
began in 1964, Lord banned the BBC cameras from Burnley's Turf Moor
ground, and maintained the ban for five years. Lord's media exclusions also extended to members of the press whom he felt had slighted him. At the time of a 1966 interview with Arthur Hopcraft
, Lord had banned three newspapers and six individual journalists from the Turf Moor press box, and Burnley players faced fines if they spoke to journalists without prior permission. His bearing and attitude led one press report to describe him as "the Khrushchev
of Burnley".
In 1962 neighbouring football club Accrington Stanley
were bottom of the Fourth Division
and facing severe financial difficulties. Lord and Sam Pilkington took control of the club, but following a meeting on 5 March at which debts of £62,000 came to light, Lord withdrew his support. The club resigned from the Football League the following day.
A frequent critic of the football authorities, Lord relished the role of the outsider. In his autobiography he asked rhetorically "Who was the butcher's boy to be telling the big shots how to run their mismanaged business?" He regularly made complaints to the Football League, to the point where the minutes of a League meeting stated that "It was decided unanimously that the Committee could not tolerate the irresponsible comments of Mr Lord." Among the positions he took on governance issues were support for the Professional Footballers' Association
(PFA) campaign to end the maximum wage, and calls for an end to the ban on paid directors and the introduction of professional referees. Despite his clashes with authority Lord sought to become part of the football establishment. He was admitted to the Football League's Committee in 1967, nine years after his first attempt. While on the Committee, Lord was a strong opponent of matches being played on Sundays, an idea first proposed during the Three-Day Week
fuel shortages of 1974. He attempted to become League President twice. In the 1972 contest he had to withdraw through illness; in 1974 he lost to Lord Westwood
by 41 votes to 6. Lord was made President of the Alliance Premier League (now the Football Conference) upon its creation in 1979, and had a non-league cup competition, the Bob Lord Trophy
named after him. Following the resignation of Lord Westwood in March 1981, Lord became acting President of the Football League. However, ill health forced him to relinquish the position three months later. His chairmanship of Burnley ended in September 1981 when he sold most of his shares in the club. Though Lord was still a Burnley director, by this time he was seriously ill, and died of cancer in December 1981.
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
Born in 1908 in Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, Lord was the son of a barber. As a boy he worked for a local butcher, until at the age of 19 he started his own business. Lord's butchery business eventually grew into 14 shops.
Lord was an avid follower of his local football club, Burnley F.C.
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
, and in 1950 attempted to join the board. This approach was blocked, but another position became available a year later. Lord was the sole candidate, and thus became a board member. He became chairman in 1955.
The early years of Lord's chairmanship were the most successful in the club's history. Following the appointment of Harry Potts
Harry Potts
Harold "Harry" Potts was an English football player and manager.-Early life:Born in Hetton-le-Hole, County Durham, as was another well-known name in football, Bob Paisley. The duo spent much of their childhood playing various sports, but it was football that Potts loved most...
as manager in 1958, Burnley were league champions in 1960, and reached the FA Cup Final in 1962. The club became renowned for their youth policy, which yielded players such as Jimmy McIlroy
Jimmy McIlroy
James "Jimmy" McIlroy MBE is a former football player, regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Burnley Football Club.-At Burnley:...
, Willie Morgan
Willie Morgan
William "Willie" Morgan is a Scottish former professional football player.A winger, Morgan started his career with Burnley, making his first-team debut against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough in 1963...
and Martin Dobson
Martin Dobson
Martin Dobson, popularly known as "Sir Dobbo", was born on 14 February 1948 in Rishton, England. He is a former professional footballer and England international who played as a midfielder....
, and investment in a new training ground gave Burnley some of the most advanced facilities in the country. Lord oversaw major redevelopment of Turf Moor, including a new stand at the Cricket Field end, and a replacement for the Main Stand that Lord named after himself. Both stands were opened by Conservative Party leader Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
, who was a friend of Lord's. As of 2011 both the Cricket Field Stand and Bob Lord stand are still in use.
Lord was a staunch critic of televised football. He wrote at length on the subject in his 1963 autobiography, arguing that live coverage would "damage and undermine attendances". When the BBC highlights programme Match of the Day
Match of the Day
Match of the Day is the BBC's main football television programme. Typically, it is shown on BBC One on Saturday evenings during the English football season, showing highlights of the day's matches in English football's top division, the Premier League...
began in 1964, Lord banned the BBC cameras from Burnley's Turf Moor
Turf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
ground, and maintained the ban for five years. Lord's media exclusions also extended to members of the press whom he felt had slighted him. At the time of a 1966 interview with Arthur Hopcraft
Arthur Hopcraft
Arthur Hopcraft was an English scriptwriter, well known for his TV plays such as The Nearly Man, and for his small-screen adaptations such as Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Hard Times, Bleak House, and Rebecca...
, Lord had banned three newspapers and six individual journalists from the Turf Moor press box, and Burnley players faced fines if they spoke to journalists without prior permission. His bearing and attitude led one press report to describe him as "the Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
of Burnley".
In 1962 neighbouring football club Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley F.C. (1891)
Accrington Stanley was an English football club based in Accrington, Lancashire. Established in 1891, the club played in the Football League between 1921 and 1962, when the club became only the second ever to resign from the League mid-season. The club went into liquidation in 1966...
were bottom of the Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
and facing severe financial difficulties. Lord and Sam Pilkington took control of the club, but following a meeting on 5 March at which debts of £62,000 came to light, Lord withdrew his support. The club resigned from the Football League the following day.
A frequent critic of the football authorities, Lord relished the role of the outsider. In his autobiography he asked rhetorically "Who was the butcher's boy to be telling the big shots how to run their mismanaged business?" He regularly made complaints to the Football League, to the point where the minutes of a League meeting stated that "It was decided unanimously that the Committee could not tolerate the irresponsible comments of Mr Lord." Among the positions he took on governance issues were support for the Professional Footballers' Association
Professional Footballers' Association
The Professional Footballers' Association is the trade union for professional footballers in England and Wales. The world's oldest professional sport trade union, it has 4,000 members....
(PFA) campaign to end the maximum wage, and calls for an end to the ban on paid directors and the introduction of professional referees. Despite his clashes with authority Lord sought to become part of the football establishment. He was admitted to the Football League's Committee in 1967, nine years after his first attempt. While on the Committee, Lord was a strong opponent of matches being played on Sundays, an idea first proposed during the Three-Day Week
Three-Day Week
The Three-Day Week was one of several measures introduced in the United Kingdom by the Conservative Government 1970–1974 to conserve electricity, the production of which was severely limited due to industrial action by coal miners...
fuel shortages of 1974. He attempted to become League President twice. In the 1972 contest he had to withdraw through illness; in 1974 he lost to Lord Westwood
William Westwood, 2nd Baron Westwood
William Westwood, 2nd Baron Westwood was a British peer, director of Hornby Railways and former chairman of Newcastle United.-Biography:...
by 41 votes to 6. Lord was made President of the Alliance Premier League (now the Football Conference) upon its creation in 1979, and had a non-league cup competition, the Bob Lord Trophy
Conference League Cup
The Conference League Cup was an English football competition open to clubs playing in levels 5 or 6 of the English football league system , which covers the three Football Conference divisions.The Conference League Cup was formed...
named after him. Following the resignation of Lord Westwood in March 1981, Lord became acting President of the Football League. However, ill health forced him to relinquish the position three months later. His chairmanship of Burnley ended in September 1981 when he sold most of his shares in the club. Though Lord was still a Burnley director, by this time he was seriously ill, and died of cancer in December 1981.