Paul Fletcher was signed by the Clarets from Lancashire rivals Bolton Wanderers, where he had started his career and learnt his trade under the stewardship of Nat Lofthouse and a certain Jimmy McIlroy.

He had been involved in the Bolton first team since he was a teenager and had forged a name for himself as a likely goalscorer.

His potential was noted by numerous clubs, but Burnley were the quickest off the mark and, desperate to halt their slide out of Division One, offered a club record fee of £60,000.

Bolton, then heading out of Division Two, were not in a position to resist and Fletcher was heading to Turf Moor.

Fletcher was unable to stop the Clarets from being relegated to the Second Division, but as the Club adapted to life in the lower league, Paul began to repay the fee and the faith that was shown in him.

Ten goals in 1971/72 were followed by 15 in 1972/73, with Fletcher top scoring as the Clarets cruised back to the top flight in great style. He was top scorer again in 1973/74 and his energetic, hard running style, together with his ability in the air won him international recognition.

He won four Under 23 caps during the 1973/74 season, scoring his only international goal against France in May 1974.

It was during that season that Fletcher scored one of the most spectacular goals ever seen from a Burnley player and it came at Elland Road, as the Clarets beat Leeds United by 4-1.

The highpoint of the game was Fletcher's acrobatic overhead kick just before half time, a goal which silenced the Yorkshire crowd and set Burnley on their way.

The all action displays and goals didn't stop and it was only a serious knee injury suffered against West Ham United that kept him at bay in 1975, ruling him out of action for eight months.

His absence didn't help and Burnley were relegated in 1976. Fletcher returned from injury and carried on playing for the Clarets until 1980, when he was sold to Blackpool following the arrival of Billy Hamilton at Turf Moor.

Injury hit Paul again at Bloomfield Road and this time it ended his career, with a broken leg forcing him to retire from the game.

Paul is now a popular after dinner speaker and is still involved in football on the commercial side.

He was instrumental in the development of Huddersfield Town's McAlpine Stadium as Chief Executive of the West Yorkshire club and he has more recently been involved with Coventry City's new stadium plans.

Paul is now Development Director back at his belove Turf  Moor,