Top golf contest renamed in John Connelly’s honour

Nelson Golf Club have renamed one of their most prestigious competitions in honour of a former Burnley and England star.
Club captain Ian Brennan, Sandra Connelly and Jimmy Robson at the unveiling of the new board at Nelson Golf Club (S)Club captain Ian Brennan, Sandra Connelly and Jimmy Robson at the unveiling of the new board at Nelson Golf Club (S)
Club captain Ian Brennan, Sandra Connelly and Jimmy Robson at the unveiling of the new board at Nelson Golf Club (S)

John Connelly was a longstanding member of the Marsden Heights club until his death in 2012.

A keen competitor, he had a particular fondness for the fourball style of the game where players compete in pairs.

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And now the club has decided to rename the Club Fourball Championship in his honour.

The new honours board was officially unveiled as the new golf season started this month.

New club captain Ian Brennan, another former Claret, performed the honours with John’s widow Sandra Connelly.

Also there for the ceremony were John’s daughters Deborah Wood and Nicola Connelly and son Jonathan.

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And former team-mate Jimmy Robson also went along to the club for the special day.

Connelly was a hugely-popular and talented player at both Burnley and Manchester United and was part of Sir Alf Ramsay’s successful England squad in the 1966 World Cup.

Between 1956 and 1964 he scored 105 goals in 265 Burnley appearances including a season’s best 20 league goals in 34 appearances as Burnley were crowned champions of England in 1959-60.

Towards the end of his playing career he opened the successful fish and chip shop business in Brierfield, Connelly’s Plaice, with his wife Sandra, the business still bearing his name now.

And while there he was always happy to chat about football to his customers.

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