| Season: | 1978–79 |
| Mgrtitle: | Manager |
| Chrtitle: | Chairman |
| League Result: | 13th |
| Cup1 Result: | 3rd Round |
| Cup2 Result: | 5th Round |
| Cup3 Result: | Winners |
| League Topscorer: | Peter Noble (14) |
| Season Topscorer: | Peter Noble (16) |
| Highest Attendance: | 30,000 v Celtic (12 September 1978) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 4,750 v Blackpool (8 August 1978) |
| Average Attendance: | 11,198[1] |
| Nextseason: | 1979–80 |
The 1978–79 season was Burnley's third consecutive season in the second tier of English football. They were managed by Harry Potts.
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| Date | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 August 1978 | Leicester City (H) | 2–2 | Fletcher 46', Noble 69' (pen.) | 12,048 | |
| 22 August 1978 | Charlton Athletic (A) | 1–1 | Cochrane 22' | 8,580 | |
| 26 August 1978 | Fulham (A) | 0–0 | 6,135 | ||
| 2 September 1978 | Notts County (H) | 2–1 | Noble 11' (pen.), Brennan 69' | 9,787 | |
| 9 September 1978 | West Ham United (H) | 3–2 | Brennan 37', Fletcher 50', Thomson 81' | 12,392 | |
| 16 September 1978 | Sheffield United (A) | 0–4 | 15,355 | ||
| 23 September 1978 | Sunderland (H) | 1–2 | Morley 75' | 13,368 | |
| 30 September 1978 | Millwall (A) | 2–0 | Fletcher 23', Noble 64' | 5,389 | |
| 7 October 1978 | Oldham Athletic (H) | 1–0 | Smith 85' | 11,835 | |
| 14 October 1978 | Stoke City (A) | 1–3 | Ingham 17' | 18,434 | |
| 21 October 1978 | Brighton & Hove Albion (H) | 3–0 | Ingham (2) 57', 75', Brennan 71' | 10,321 | |
| 28 October 1978 | Preston North End (A) | 2–2 | Kindon 18', Noble 67' (pen.) | 14,975 | |
| 4 November 1978 | Crystal Palace (H) | 2–1 | Brennan 16', Fletcher 48' | 11,129 | |
| 11 November 1978 | Leicester City (A) | 1–2 | Ingham 88' | 12,842 | |
| 18 November 1978 | Fulham (H) | 5–3 | Noble (3) 20' (pen.), 26' (pen.), 83', James 46', Kindon 85' | 10,566 | |
| 21 November 1978 | Notts County (A) | 1–1 | Ingham 76' | 8,520 | |
| 25 November 1978 | Cambridge United (A) | 2–2 | Ingham 42', Fletcher 61' | 6,502 | |
| 9 December 1978 | Orient (A) | 1–2 | Fletcher 40' | 4,754 | |
| 16 December 1978 | Bristol Rovers (H) | 2–0 | Ingham (2) 30', 80' | 9,257 | |
| 23 December 1978 | Newcastle United (A) | 1–3 | Noble 86' | 23,639 | |
| 26 December 1978 | Blackburn Rovers (H) | 2–1 | Fletcher 5', Noble 43' | 23,133 | |
| 30 December 1978 | Cardiff City (H) | 0–0 | 9,821 | ||
| 3 February 1979 | Sunderland (A) | 1–3 | James 44' | 23,030 | |
| 24 February 1979 | Stoke City (H) | 0–3 | 13,890 | ||
| 3 March 1979 | Brighton & Hove Albion (A) | 1–2 | Ingham 51' | 19,379 | |
| 6 March 1979 | Sheffield United (H) | 1–1 | Fletcher 32' | 8,208 | |
| 10 March 1979 | Preston North End (H) | 1–1 | Noble 51' | 15,270 | |
| 13 March 1979 | Luton Town (H) | 2–1 | Noble (2) 42' (pen.), 54' | 7,691 | |
| 21 March 1979 | Wrexham (A) | 1–0 | Fletcher 38' | 8,840 | |
| 24 March 1979 | Charlton Athletic (H) | 2–1 | James 14', Scott 89' | 8,560 | |
| 31 March 1979 | Cambridge United (H) | 1–1 | Robinson 18' | 8,234 | |
| 7 April 1979 | Luton Town (A) | 1–4 | Noble 58' (pen.) | 6,466 | |
| 10 April 1979 | Newcastle United (H) | 1–0 | Hall 10' | 7,771 | |
| 14 April 1979 | Blackburn Rovers (A) | 2–1 | Morley 46', Hall 71' | 14,761 | |
| 16 April 1979 | Wrexham (H) | 0–0 | 9,401 | ||
| 21 April 1979 | Bristol Rovers (A) | 0–2 | 5,947 | ||
| 24 April 1979 | West Ham United (A) | 1–3 | Noble 1' | 24,139 | |
| 28 April 1979 | Orient (H) | 0–1 | 7,195 | ||
| 5 May 1979 | Cardiff City (A) | 1–1 | Kindon 41' | 10,254 | |
| 8 May 1979 | Millwall (H) | 0–1 | 5,837 | ||
| 11 May 1979 | Crystal Palace (A) | 0–2 | 51,482 | ||
| 14 May 1979 | Oldham Athletic F.C. (A) | 0–2 | 6,791 |
| Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 January 1979 | Round 3 | Birmingham City (A) | 2–0 | Morley 1', James 85' | 15,535 | |
| 21 February 1979 | Round 4 | Sunderland (H) | 1–1 | Thomson 28' | 20,852 | |
| 26 February 1979 | Replay | Sunderland (A) | 3–0 | Fletcher 5', Ingham 20', Kindon 88' | 37,507 | |
| 28 February 1979 | Round 5 | Liverpool (A) | 0–3 | 47,161 |
| Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 August 1978 | Round 2 | Bradford City (H) | 1–1 | Cochrane 75' | 9,185 | |
| 5 September 1978 | Replay | Bradford City (A) | 3–2 | Noble 47', Cochrane 75', Ingham 86' | 9,192 | |
| 3 October 1978 | Round 3 | Brighton & Hove Albion (H) | 1–3 | Brennan 64' | 9,076 |
| Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 August 1978 | Preliminary Group | Preston North End (H) | 3–2 | Kindon 5', Ingham 43', Fletcher 72' | 7,456 | |
| 8 August 1978 | Preliminary Group | Blackpool (H) | 3–1 | Ingham 21', Smith 34', Cochrane 82' | 4,750 | |
| 12 August 1978 | Preliminary Group | Blackburn Rovers (A) | 1–1 | Smith 2' | 6,171 | |
| 12 September 1978 | Quarter Final First Leg | Celtic (H) | 1–0 | Kindon 56' | 30,000 | |
| 27 September 1978 | Quarter Final Second Leg | Celtic (A) | 2–1 | Brennan 21', Kindon 26' | 28,000 | |
| 31 October 1978 | Semi Final First Leg | Mansfield Town (A) | 2–1 | Kindon 79', James 82' | 5,517 | |
| 7 November 1978 | Semi Final Second Leg | Mansfield Town (H) | 0–1 (8 – 7p) | 6,871 | ||
| 5 December 1978 | Final First Leg | Oldham Athletic (A) | 4–1 | Kindon (2) 1', 75', Noble 3', Thomson 67' | 10,456 | |
| 12 December 1978 | Final Second Leg | Oldham Athletic (H) | 0–1 | 10,865 |