Nobody remembers him playing because this was a player that featured so long ago in a career that spanned World War One through to the 1920s and a great Burnley team that won the FA Cup in 1914 and the title in 1920/21. For years he was seen as one of the Burnley greats but Mike Smith's book Tommy Boyle Broken Hero paints a picture of a man and player who was a real cult hero of his age through his bravery, toughness, captaincy and achievements. Described as hard as nails, an essential quality to survive the brutality of early football, his leadership was inspirational and his comeback after World War One when he was badly wounded in the leg and told he would never play again was remarkable. Only 5 7 he thrived on conflict and getting stuck in on mudbath or ice-bound pitches. When he arrived at Burnley he had already appeared in a Cup Final for Barnsley. After football, his story is one of sadness and decline, of personal problems both domestic and drinking, financial problems and mental health illnesses so that he ended his days in a secure mental institution. Quite recently Burnley FC paid for a new headstone for his grave to mark his status. Which other Burnley heroes belong on this list? Share your thoughts below in the comments thread.
