In 1976, Lowerhouse pulled off one of the most remarkable signings in the club’s history when former England international Colin Milburn arrived at Liverpool Road as professional.

Now, 50 years on, it feels only right to look back at the season “Ollie” became part of Lowerhouse folklore.

Nicknamed The Burnley Basher, Milburn was one of the most popular and destructive batsmen of his era. A larger-than-life character on and off the field, he had played Test cricket for England before a serious car accident in 1969 tragically cost him the sight in one eye. Many thought his cricket career was over, but Milburn continued to entertain crowds around the country with his fearless batting and unmistakable personality.

In 1975, that journey brought him to Lowerhouse.

Archive Material Unearthed

Thanks to material recently shared with the club archive by Julie Hay, daughter of former Lowerhouse secretary Joe Waterworth, we can now add more detail to the story of Milburn’s arrival.

Among the documents is a letter dated 18th August 1975 from Milburn himself expressing an interest in joining the club, along with a Lancashire League contract signed on 2nd October 1975 detailing his terms and salary.

At the time, Milburn became the highest-paid professional in Lowerhouse history — a sign of both the ambition of the club and the stature of the man they were bringing to Liverpool Road.

Also included are committee minute notes and a series of newspaper cuttings which help paint a picture of the excitement surrounding the signing.

Stories Still Told Today

Supporters of a certain age still speak warmly of Milburn’s brief spell at the club. His reputation alone drew attention wherever he went, and his presence ensured Lowerhouse were rarely far from the headlines.

Former players and members continue to share stories from that era, with Alan Holden among those known for recounting memorable tales about Ollie’s time at the club.

The timing of this anniversary has also coincided with a fascinating photograph shared by Burnley Civic Trust’s Hidden Burnley project, showing Milburn visiting Turf Moor in 1975 alongside former Manchester City winger Mike Summerbee, who had signed for Burnley that summer.

The pair remained friends following Milburn’s years in the north east cricket scene and the image offers another wonderful snapshot of Burnley in the mid-1970s.

Hidden Burnley Archive

You can view the Hidden Burnley archive here:
Burnley Civic Trust Hidden Burnley Archive

Share Your Memories

The club already holds a number of newspaper reports and articles from Milburn’s season at Lowerhouse, and over the coming months we hope to share more photographs, memories and archive material marking 50 years since Ollie came to Liverpool Road.

Please see all our existing Colin Milburn stuff here

If you have any memories, photographs, scorecards or stories from Colin Milburn’s time at Lowerhouse, we’d love to hear from you.