# 1981–82 Burnley F.C. season

The 1981–82 season was Burnley's second consecutive season in the third tier of English football. They were managed by Brian Miller in his second season in charge of the club.

## Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Division Three | Division Three | League Cup | League Cup | FA Cup | FA Cup | Group Cup | Group Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| | FW | ENG | Mark Allen | 3 | 1 | 0+2 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Colin Anderson | 6 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | MF | NIR | Tommy Cassidy | 38 | 4 | 27+0 | 3 | 2+0 | 1 | 6+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Phil Cavener | 16 | 0 | 6+3 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 5+0 | 0 |
| | DF | NIR | Paul Dixon | 15 | 0 | 8+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Martin Dobson | 54 | 3 | 44+0 | 3 | 2+0 | 0 | 5+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |
| | MF | WAL | Brian Flynn | 2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | FW | NIR | Billy Hamilton | 55 | 19 | 44+0 | 11 | 2+0 | 1 | 6+0 | 4 | 3+0 | 3 |
| | DF | ENG | David Holt | 37 | 3 | 30+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 5+0 | 1 |
| | DF | ENG | Brian Laws | 55 | 6 | 44+0 | 6 | 2+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |
| | FW | IRL | Paul McGee | 21 | 9 | 19+0 | 7 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Dave Miller | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | GK | ENG | Billy O'Rourke | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Vince Overson | 46 | 4 | 36+0 | 4 | 1+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Mike Phelan | 29 | 1 | 22+1 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Eric Potts | 29 | 2 | 14+7 | 1 | 2+0 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Phil Ray | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Stuart Robertson | 7 | 0 | 5+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Derek Scott | 36 | 3 | 29+1 | 2 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 5+0 | 1 |
| | MF | ENG | Trevor Steven | 43 | 5 | 36+0 | 3 | 1+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | GK | ENG | Alan Stevenson | 58 | 0 | 46+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Steve Taylor | 31 | 14 | 21+1 | 9 | 1+0 | 0 | 4+0 | 3 | 4+0 | 2 |
| | DF | ENG | Andy Wharton | 40 | 5 | 34+0 | 5 | 0+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | FW | NZL | Billy Wright | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Kevin Young | 49 | 7 | 37+2 | 7 | 1+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |

## Matches
### Football League Division Three
#### Results

| Date | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
| 29 August 1981 | Gillingham (A) | 1–3 | Taylor 61' | 4,663 |
| 5 September 1981 | Plymouth Argyle (H) | 1–0 | Dobson 78' (pen.) | 3,476 |
| 12 September 1981 | Bristol Rovers (A) | 1–2 | Kite 69' (o.g.) | 5,083 |
| 19 September 1981 | Huddersfield Town (H) | 0–0 | | 6,524 |
| 22 September 1981 | Doncaster Rovers (H) | 0–1 | | 3,799 |
| 26 September 1981 | Millwall (A) | 3–4 | Laws 23', Potts 42', Overson 44' | 4,796 |
| 29 September 1981 | Carlisle United (A) | 0–1 | | 3,983 |
| 3 October 1981 | Swindon Town (H) | 0–2 | | 3,377 |
| 10 October 1981 | Portsmouth (A) | 2–1 | Young 12', Wharton 61' | 9,891 |
| 17 October 1981 | Exeter City (H) | 3–3 | Taylor 10', Overson 49', Laws 62' (pen.) | 3,982 |
| 20 October 1981 | Preston North End (A) | 1–1 | Wharton 61' | 7,521 |
| 24 October 1981 | Fulham (H) | 2–2 | Hamilton 7', Taylor 18' | 4,124 |
| 31 October 1981 | Brentford (A) | 0–0 | | 6,929 |
| 3 November 1981 | Chester (H) | 1–0 | Cassidy 74' | 3,484 |
| 7 November 1981 | Wimbledon (H) | 2–2 | Hamilton 27', Overson 82' | 4,242 |
| 14 November 1981 | Reading (A) | 1–1 | Steven 62' | 4,337 |
| 28 November 1981 | Bristol City (A) | 3–2 | Young 3', McGee (2) 77', 89' | 5,255 |
| 5 December 1981 | Oxford United (H) | 2–1 | Cassidy 58', Hamilton 84' | 4,380 |
| 9 January 1982 | Plymouth Argyle (A) | 1–1 | Young 47' | 5,065 |
| 16 January 1982 | Newport County (H) | 2–1 | Taylor 52', Overson 57' | 4,730 |
| 30 January 1982 | Huddersfield Town (A) | 2–1 | Taylor (2) 46', 63' | 10,269 |
| 2 February 1982 | Gillingham (H) | 1–0 | Wharton 60' | 5,848 |
| 6 February 1982 | Bristol Rovers (H) | 4–0 | Hamilton 5', Mabbutt 32' (o.g.), Scott 56', Taylor 84' | 5,784 |
| 9 February 1982 | Doncaster Rovers (A) | 1–0 | Wharton 71' | 5,638 |
| 13 February 1982 | Swindon Town (A) | 2–1 | Taylor 15', Cassidy 43' | 5,296 |
| 20 February 1982 | Millwall (H) | 1–1 | Hamilton 40' | 7,081 |
| 27 February 1982 | Portsmouth (H) | 3–0 | Taylor 10', Phelan 57', Scott 67' | 7,013 |
| 2 March 1982 | Walsall (A) | 1–1 | Hamilton 70' | 4,196 |
| 6 March 1982 | Exeter City (A) | 1–2 | Allen 88' | 3,136 |
| 13 March 1982 | Fulham (A) | 1–1 | Young 43' | 7,214 |
| 17 March 1982 | Chester (A) | 1–0 | Laws 28' (pen.) | 3,509 |
| 20 March 1982 | Brentford (H) | 0–0 | | 7,906 |
| 27 March 1982 | Wimbledon (A) | 0–0 | | 2,641 |
| 31 March 1982 | Lincoln City (A) | 1–1 | Steven 88' | 6,188 |
| 3 April 1982 | Reading (H) | 3–0 | Hamilton (2) 3', 13', Young 89' | 6,661 |
| 10 April 1982 | Lincoln City (H) | 1–0 | Hamilton 70' | 10,911 |
| 12 April 1982 | Chesterfield (A) | 2–1 | Laws 27', Dobson 39' | 7,732 |
| 17 April 1982 | Oxford United (A) | 0–0 | | 10,407 |
| 20 April 1982 | Southend United (H) | 3–5 | McGee 30', Steven 41', Otulakowksi 71' (o.g.) | 8,171 |
| 24 April 1982 | Bristol City (H) | 2–0 | Laws 59', Dobson 80' | 7,063 |
| 1 May 1982 | Newport County (A) | 0–0 | | 4,094 |
| 4 May 1982 | Carlisle United (H) | 1–0 | McGee 71' | 9,760 |
| 8 May 1982 | Walsall (H) | 2–1 | McGee 1', Young 50' | 8,537 |
| 11 May 1982 | Preston North End (H) | 2–0 | Hamilton (2) 52', 84' | 13,911 |
| 14 May 1982 | Southend United (A) | 4–1 | Wharton 32', McGee (2) 40', 83', Laws 88' | 5,123 |
| 18 May 1982 | Chesterfield (H) | 1–1 | Young 48' | 18,711 |

### Final league position

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Burnley | 46 | 21 | 17 | 8 | 66 | 45 | +21 | 80 | Division Champions, promoted |
| 2 | Carlisle United | 46 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 65 | 50 | +15 | 80 | Promoted |
| 3 | Fulham | 46 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 77 | 51 | +26 | 78 | Promoted |
| 4 | Lincoln City | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 66 | 40 | +26 | 77 | |
| 5 | Oxford United | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 63 | 49 | +14 | 71 | |

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
| 21 November 1981 | Round 1 | Runcorn (H) | 0–0 | | 6,112 |
| 24 November 1981 | Replay | Runcorn (A) | 2–1 | McGee (2) 12', 78' | 5,500 |
| 2 January 1982 | Round 2 | Bury (A) | 1–1 | Taylor 46' | 9,200 |
| 4 January 1982 | Replay | Bury (H) | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Hamilton 43', Steven 101' | 9,108 |
| 18 January 1982 | Round 3 | Altrincham (H) | 6–1 | Taylor (2) 23', 67', Steven 47', Hamilton (3) 60', 70', 78' | 10,174 |
| 23 January 1982 | Round 4 | Shrewsbury Town (A) | 0–1 | | 7,679 |

### League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
| 1 September 1981 | Round 1 First leg | Tranmere Rovers (A) | 2–4 | Potts 58', Hamilton 72' | 2,034 |
| 15 September 1981 | Round 1 Second leg | Tranmere Rovers (H) | 3–3 | Holt (2) 19', 22', Cassidy 89' | 2,363 |

### Football League Group Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
| 15 August 1981 | Group Stage | Carlisle United (H) | 4–2 | Hamilton (2) 2', 29', Taylor (2) 28', 40' | 2,305 |
| 18 August 1981 | Group Stage | Preston North End (A) | 1–0 | Hamilton 14' | 5,269 |
| 22 August 1981 | Group Stage | Blackpool (A) | 0–0 | | 3,464 |
| 8 December 1981 | Quarter Final | Watford (H) | 2–1 | Scott 18', Holt 23' | 2,658 |
| 16 February 1982 | Semi Final | Wimbledon (A) | 0–5 | | 1,267 |