Craig Burley: A Throwback to a Different Era of Football

They don’t make footballers like they used to anymore. Long gone are the days when a midfield enforcer or fearsome frontman would snap his false gnashers out in the tunnel and flash a gap-toothed grin in the direction of unsuspecting opponents.

Nowadays, smiles are of the brilliant white variety - with veneers being favoured over dentures. Even those that once embraced the rather barbaric look are choosing to alter their public appearance.

In Scottish circles, Craig Burley once epitomised what it meant to put your body on the line for the good of a collective cause. He was never one to back down from a challenge or to bite his tongue.

Expertise

Said qualities leant themselves nicely to a move into punditry, with the ex-Chelsea and Celtic star now offering words of wisdom to an American television audience. 

He is considered to be an expert and will be among those keeping a close eye on Brentford vs Chelsea odds when his former employers return to competitive action. Burley will know that Premier League betting now has the Blues from Stamford Bridge at 8/1 to claim a first domestic title since 2017.

If they are to get over that line again, then the combative qualities that Burley once added to the ranks in west London will need to be embraced. The 46-cap ex-Scotland international was a destructive force that any manager would like to call upon.

There were no airs and graces with Burley - what you saw was most definitely what you got. Again, that sort of character has gradually disappeared out of the game.

You certainly would not expect a repeat of the saga that led to Burley being left without his most prominent fangs at a time of year in which they needed to be put to the best possible use.

He admits to lying occasionally and telling tall tales of how he lost his teeth “tussling with a bank robber or a bear”, with the truth being much less exciting. In fact, said injury was self-inflicted.

Burley somehow managed to knee himself in the face during a Chelsea training session, saying: “My teeth were forced upwards, cracking the jaw bone, and then they came flying out. No one thought to retrieve them, my rotten team-mates couldn’t stop laughing.”

Celebration

Arguably the most iconic image of Burley from what was a relatively distinguished playing career sees him roaring with delight after netting for Scotland at the 1998 World Cup. 

Who knows what happened to the teeth that are glaringly absent from the aforementioned celebration shot, with unfortunate additions being made to the turf at Chelsea’s training facility.

Burley was, however, part of an era that prioritised performance over appearance, with it easy to argue that modern day players could maybe with taking a few lessons from those of the past.