What is certainly not in doubt however, is the other page of Burnley FC history that Adrian Heath wrote that day at Wycombe when he took his place in the starting line-up. He became the first Burnley manager ever to play in a competitive game for the club.

As an apprentice with his home town club, Stoke City, Heath was one of a number of local players groomed at the Victoria Ground in the late 70s. He appeared briefly during City's Second Division promotion season of 1978/79, but then became a virtual fixture in the Potters' midfield in 1979/80 replacing Howard Kendall who had departed for Blackburn. It was to be by no means the last time that his career, and that of the gifted Kendall, would be closely linked.

Heath was not a prolific goalscorer during his time at Stoke, but certainly contributed his share and his busy energetic style brought him his first taste of international honours in April 1981. He lined-up in England's under-21 side to play Rumania at Swindon in the EUFA Championships, scoring twice in an impressive 3-0 victory.

The following January, in the week of his 21st birthday, he was transferred to Everton for a Goodison Park record fee of £700,000 to begin a memorable career on Merseyside. The Blues' manager was Howard Kendall.

Heath became an automatic choice in the Everton midfield and his goalscoring output increased considerably over his days at Stoke. He was top scorer during 1983/84 with 18 in League and Cup as the Blues swept all before them in the FA Cup, collecting the famous old trophy for the first time in 18 years as Watford were overcome in the Wembley final. Everton almost made it a Wembley double, eventually falling to Liverpool in the League Cup Final at Maine Road after a replay.

 The Blues were on a roll and, in 1984/85 came within 90 minutes of an unprecedented treble, although, because of injury, Adrian Heath played only a supporting role in the European Cup Winners Cup winners triumph against Rapid Vienna in Rotterdam. He missed entirely the FA Cup run to the final where Manchester United were victorious by the only goal, and was by then resigned to watching his team-mates clinch the League Championship for the first time since 1970.

Everton finished as runners-up to Liverpool in both league and FA Cup in 1986, but in 1987 won the League Championship again with Adrian Heath this time playing a key role alongside former Claret, Trevor Steven.

After over 200 league games for Everton, Heath signed for Espanol of Barcelona in 1988 but spent less than a season in Spain before returning for a short spell with Aston Villa. In February 1990, he joined Manchester City, linking up once more with his mentor, Howard Kendall.

He returned to Stoke in March 1992, but, in August that year, with Burnley getting to grips with life in the new Division Two, Jimmy Mullen made one of the shrewdest signings of his career as Clarets' manager, when he recruited Adrian Heath to the Turf Moor cause.

Played as an out and out front man, Heath was soon among the goals and hit 20 in his first season at Turf Moor, easily the best of his league career.

He was a key figure in the run to promotion via the play-offs in 1994, still with energy and enthusiasm to spare as he lent his support to new goalscoring hero, David Eyres.

1994/95 was not a vintage season for the Clarets and it ended with Adrian Heath injured and on the sidelines as First Division football slipped away from Turf Moor.

After relegation he was very much on the fringe of first team action and in December 1995, accepted the challenge of the position of assistant manager at Sheffield United. The new manager at Bramall Lane, replacing the long-standing Dave Bassett, was none other than Howard Kendall.

Meanwhile, back at Turf Moor, a disappointing season was fast turning into a crisis as a second successive relegation started to become a distinct possibility.

Finally, in February 1996, Jimmy Mullen was relieved of his position. After a short spell with Clive Middlemass in charge of team affairs, the new Burnley manager was confirmed as, the man who had overwhelmingly been voted the fans' choice, Adrian Heath.

The team responded with a victory at Bristol City in his first game in charge, but didn't win again for five weeks as the trap door loomed large.

It all ended happily enough however, relegation avoided, a new era ushered in and a favourable impression created by the new man in charge. Turf Moor was now ready for the new challenge that lay ahead.