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Date and Place of Birth 15th July 1967 - NEWCASTLE
Transfers to and from Burnley from BURY - 28th August 1998 (£40,000) released - 6th May 2003
First and Last Burnley Games WALSALL (a) - 29th August 1998
FRANCHISE (a) - 4th May 2003
Other Clubs SUNDERLAND, BRISTOL CITY (loan), NORTHAMPTON TOWN (loan), BURY |
Burnley Career Stats
| Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Others | Total | |||||
| apps | gls | apps | gls | apps | gls | apps | gls | apps | gls | |
| 1998/99 | 40 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 40 | 1 |
| 1999/2000 | 22 | 1 | 3(1) | - | 1 | - | - | - | 26(1) | 1 |
| 2000/01 | 14(5) | - | 0(1) | - | 1 | - | - | - | 15(6) | - |
| 2001/02 | 11(7) | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 11(7) | 2 | |
| 2002/03 | 1(5) | - | 0(1) | - | - | - | - | - | 1(6) | - |
| Total | 88(17) | 4 | 3(3) | - | 2 | - | - | - | 93(20) | 4 |
Profile by Andy Ashworth
Coming through the ranks at Sunderland Gordon became a true stalwart for the Wearsiders through the late eighties and early nineties. Whilst at Sunderland he entered their history books as a top ten appearance maker, pulling on the jersey over 400 times for them. He is remembered best for them as the scorer of the bullet header against Chelsea which sent them on their way to Wembley in 1992. Well, that and his atrocious curly mullet anyway. He was also twice voted Sunderland's Young Player of the Year.
As his career on Wearside came to a close he was loaned out to Bristol City and then Northampton before his release in the summer of 1996. He was snapped up by Stan Ternent at Bury where he spent two and a half seasons, helping them to a promotion to the 2nd tier of English football.
When Ternent departed the Gigg Lane outfit for us in the summer of '98 and had such an inauspicious start he called on the experienced stopper to shore up our defence. He joined us along with fellow Shaker Peter Swan, making his debut away to Walsall.
Although 'Stretch' was named captain for much of his Turf Moor career and made over one hundred appearances the fans never took to him. In all honesty neither did I. Despite his experience and abilities all I saw was a lack of pace and 'that' backpass versus Brentford. So as a target for the boo-boys and suffering from more and more regular injuries he was slowly phased out of the starting XI by Stan and was released at the end of the 2002/03 season.
With his wife starting a business in the photography field Armstrong considered retirement to help with her venture. However, an offer from Accrington Stanley in their debut Conference season was enough to keep him in the game. However, the Crowngrounders didn't take to him either - a regular occurrence as far as Clarets veterans was concerned. A combination of poor form and a niggling injury limited his impact, allowing him only around 15 appearances. He left the club at the end of the season dropping deeper into non-league.
He signed for Radcliffe Borough though broke his arm during the first match of the season. He wasn't with them long though as in October of 2004 he was hired as assistant manager at Stalybridge Celtic. He had been strongly considered for the managers position itself though lack of experience saw Peter Wragg brought in above him. The duo didn't last the season out though and Armstrong has since been out of club football.
Gordon has since been working as a football agent and currently has a number of our squad on his books.