Haworth, from Accrington, brought the first real success to our football club either side of World War I, leading the team to FA Cup glory a century ago this weekend and then, with many of the players from that final, taking us to the league title in the 1920/21 season during which we went on a run of 30 consecutive league games without defeat, a record that stood in English football until this century when Arsenal remained unbeaten throughout a season.
Haworth passed away at the age of 48 on 4th December 1924 and was mourned in Burnley and Accrington. He was laid to rest at the cemetery in Accrington with two cousins and later with his uncle. That grave has remained unnamed until today.
Descendants of John were present to hear Reverend David Wiseman, very much a Burnley supporter himself, dedicate the new gravestone.
He spoke of the players who Haworth brought to Burnley and how it has affected the lives of us all with the club moving on to further success just a century later.
Below is what Rev David Wiseman said to those present.
We are all here because of one man, and what he did 100 year ago. For all of us here, he changed our lives. Maybe as much as anyone ever did.
Over 70 years ago, my grandparents told me about Halley, Boyle 'n Watson. I knew those names before I ever knew what a football was, or where Turf Moor was.
I remember my grandma telling me about them, and I don't think she ever saw a football match. Such was their fame. And this man brought Halley, Boyle 'n Watson to Burnley and our football club.
Before that he had brought Bert Freeman to Turf Moor, and Bert Freeman was as famous a footballer as there ever was.
Later, he signed Bob Kelly, whom my granddad and my dad rated as the greatest player of all time, not just at Burnley.
Over 70 years ago, granddad told me of how he had gone to the Palace and seen the King. It was only after he died in 1954 that grandma told me it was Crystal Palace and not Buckingham Palace.
And 100 years ago this weekend, John Haworth and his team and my granddad were at the Cup Final. With the King!
Two days ago, 100 years to the day, I went to Crystal Palace myself, where Haworth, Boyle and Wiseman went with Burnley. It's a sports centre now, but 100 years ago our relatives were there with the King of England.
What part John Haworth played that day influenced both or King and his country because, at the time, we were very close to war, and very close to a national revolution between King and country. That was why the King was there, and the revolution was avoided.
And Burnley and John Haworth played no small part in solving that national crisis 100 years ago. Together, Haworth, Boyle and Wiseman who the day for the King and won the cup for Burnley!
Nobody here ever met John Haworth. He died early, aged 48, 90 years ago, but he changed our lives. Without him and his achievements, we probably wouldn't have had a football team that is in the Premier League of England.
He achieved what he did with the help of the players he signed and the team he built and the supporters he had, like my granddad!
Today, we are remembering what one man did 100 years ago, and how much we owe to him. I wonder if what we do today and how we live today and what we achieve today will influence people 100 years from today?
He is an example to us all of an ordinary Lancashire lad who achieved greatness by his life and efforts.
Thank God for the likes of John Haworth, because he changed life for all of us here today, both family, descendants of players, club officials, and descendants of Burnley supporters across the years.
And if you're still not sure what you and I owe this man, it was he who had the idea of Burnley wearing claret and blue.
The club we so proudly support wouldn't even have been the "Clarets" without John Haworth.
That's why today, we Clarets of 2014 remember him and say "God bless John Haworth!"
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| John Haworth's descendants by the new gravestone |
