At 13 minutes past four on the afternoon of Saturday, May 9th 1987, Ian Britton assumed the status of a saint. Thousands of Burnley fans chanted his name, all worshipping the ground upon which he walked, and no-one who witnessed the miracle he performed that day will ever forget it.

The occasion, of course, was the last match of the 1986/87 season, the 90 minutes of sheer torture endured by all Clarets' followers who were at Turf Moor in person or in spirit, the hour and a half of pure agony which will be forever known as "The Orient Game".

The day of the match dawned with the Clarets having to win to have any chance of retaining their League status, proudly established as a founder member of the Football League a century before. In addition, results elsewhere had to be favourable and there was an extra twist to the plot because Orient might just make the play-offs if they won the game.

Because of the huge crowd, the match kicked off 15 minutes late and so, at least, there was a small advantage. That advantage was increased substantially when Neil Grewcock, another who walks on water, opened the scoring just before the interval.

Three minutes into the second half came the crucial second goal. A perfectly flighted free kick from Grewcock was met by the head of Ian Britton, the smallest man on the field. The ball flew into the net and the roof came off each of the Turf Moor stands.

Although Orient later scored themselves, a goal greeted by a deafening silence, the Clarets just about did enough to hang on to their lead. When the final whistle blew, other results had indeed been kind, the clouds rolled away and the club was safe. Ian Britton and Neil Grewcock had done the trick, scoring arguably the two most important goals ever in the history of Burnley Football Club.

Britton's career began with Scottish junior club, Hillside Rangers, from where he joined Chelsea as an apprentice, turning professional at 17 in the summer of 1971. He made his First Division debut in December 1972 as the Pensioners were preparing for the second leg of their League Cup semi-final against Norwich at Carrow Road.

After Chelsea's relegation from the top flight in 1975, Britton established himself as an automatic choice and scored 10 goals as the Blues clinched promotion back to the First Division in 1977 behind Wolves.

A busy, enthusiastic player with boundless energy, Ian Britton was unable to prevent another relegation in 1979 after which he spent the rest of his Stamford Bridge career in Division Two.

He moved back to his home town in August 1982 and helped Dundee United to success in the Scottish Premier League in 1983, the club's only championship of the top division in its history.

He was transferred to Blackpool in December 1983 and immediately claimed a regular first team place, playing in every league game as the Seasiders won promotion from the Fourth Division in 1985 as runners-up to Chesterfield.

He joined Burnley, initially on loan, in August 1986 and, as that dismal season unfolded, one of its few encouraging features was the experience and commitment of Ian Britton who was in particularly good form as the dramatic climax approached.

Britton was one of the players retained post-Orient and, even at 33, showed that he still had some football left in him. After missing most of the early season games he became a midfield regular once more and, in May 1988 played at Wembley for the first time in his career in the Sherpa Van Trophy final against Wolves.

The following season, 1988/89, was to be his last in League football, and in May 1989, he played his final game in Claret and Blue, against Scarborough at Turf Moor, just six days before his 35th birthday. He was released at the end of the season and, like countless other former Clarets, continued to live and work in the Burnley area, also becoming prominent on the local non-League football scene.

Looking back on that day in May 1987, the Great Escape was undoubtedly a team effort in every sense, behind the scenes, in the boardroom, on the terraces, in the stands and, of course, on the field. Two of that team, the two goalscorers, received special praise, their health being toasted on countless occasions since that fateful day.

However, Ian Britton and his goal was undeniably the focal point of that adulation. That moment in the 48th minute of "The Orient Game" frozen in time, a moment to be savoured forever by Clarets' worshippers and a memory to be handed down to generations of Clarets unborn.