Frank Casper was a splendid servant to Burnley Football Club, certainly on the field where he was a firm crowd favourite. Unfortunately he was never quite able to make the transition between a successful player and a consistently successful manager.

The young Casper was a dashing winger at school in Barnsley but was converted to inside-forward when playing for Barnsley Schoolboys and Yorkshire Schoolboys. After a trial for the England Schoolboy side, Casper was invited to Blackpool for a trial and was seriously considering signing for the Seasiders when Rotherham manager Tom Johnston stepped in first.

After playing for United's Reserve team at 15, he was given an early chance in Rotherham's Second Division side, scoring on his League debut against Derby County in 1962. He also had an early introduction to Burnley, scoring in the Millers 1-1 draw at Turf Moor in the FA Cup Third Round of January 1964.

When Frank Casper crossed the Pennines to join Burnley for £30,000 in June 1967 his transfer, especially the fact that there was a fee involved, was an event in itself. Burnley simply did not pay money for players, and the amount paid for Casper was the first time, other than very nominal sums, since Alex Elder had arrived from Glentoran in 1959.

He scored on his Clarets' debut against Coventry with the Burnley Express coining the immortal phrase "A rasper from Casper!" and, in fact, scored five goals in his first five Burnley games. He was top scorer in each of his first two seasons at Turf Moor and also found the net on the only occasion he won a representative honour, playing for the Football League in a 3-1 victory against the Scottish League at Hampden Park in March 1969. All seemed set for a return to glory at Turf Moor as Harry Potts handed the managerial reins to Jimmy Adamson in February 1970.

Frank Casper was one of the key players around whom Adamson was going to build his "Team of the Seventies" at Burnley. Relegation in 1971 however, after 24 years in the top flight, seemed to mean the end of the dream, until Casper, among others, found his shooting boots again during the two-year struggle for promotion.

He was top scorer again in 1971/72 as the Clarets first promised much, withered but finished strongly. Then the clouds rolled away with Casper, one of six ever-presents in 1972/73 as Burnley played some magnificent football on their way to the Second Division Championship and a return to the First Division.

Season 1973/74 was a turning point in Frank Casper's football career. The Clarets were off to an unbeaten start back in the top flight and continuing the flowing football when Casper was the subject of a crunching tackle by Tottenham's Cyril Knowles. He was out of the side until February, returning just in time to score the goal against Wrexham that ensured Burnley's place in the FA Cup semi-final against Newcastle.

The week before that historic day, Casper was again on the receiving end of a shuddering tackle, this time by Leeds United's Norman Hunter at Elland Road. Although he played in the semi-final it was his last game for 18 months until he returned against Queens Park Rangers in October 1975.

He took the field to a tremendous reception from the fans and, with a sense of true theatre, scored the only goal of the game, the 100th and last of a memorable career. He appeared in Burnley's team again briefly but, as the Clarets once again slid out of the top flight, announced his retirement as a player.

He joined the Turf Moor staff in 1976, first coaching the Youth Team and later the Reserves and First Team. Burnley fans will vividly remember events in January 1983 when Casper was suddenly thrust into the managerial hot-seat replacing Brian Miller just before the Clarets trip to Tottenham for the League Cup Quarter-Final.

After the famous 4-1 victory and fighting performances against Liverpool in both semi-finals it only needed Second Division survival to ensure that the Caretaker/Manager role would be made permanent. It was not to be however, and the following summer as the Clarets contemplated life in the Third Divison once again, Frank Casper was out and John Bond was in.

After a spell at Bury as Assistant Manager to ex-Claret Martin Dobson, he returned to Turf Moor as manager in 1989, again replacing Brian Miller. By now Burnley were in the Fourth Division and not yet showing any real sign of beginning the long road back.

Two years later the Clarets were flirting with success with a controversial defeat by Torquay over two legs in the play-off semi-finals, a sign that the revival had begun at last.

For Casper however the long awaited recovery was not quite quick enough. After a particularly inept performance at Scarborough in September 1991 he resigned amid mounting criticism from the terraces. Assistant Manager Jimmy Mullen took over and the rest of the story, as they say, is history.

Frank Casper is now a successful businessman in partnership with former Turf Moor Commercial Manager Joyce Pickles, running a thriving sportswear company based in Burnley.

During a career with Burnley which spanned more than 24 years as player, coach and manager, Frank Casper made a telling contribution to the Claret and Blue cause. Future success will be well deserved.