In my 13 years as a Burnley professional, the last six of them as club captain, I have seen a complete revolution in style take place at Turf Moor under four different managers - Cliff Britton, Frank Hill, Alan Brown and now Harry Potts - who was a playing colleague of mine with Burnley not so long ago.

Gone are the days when Burnley were rated no more than a tough defensive team, always hard to beat but dull to watch maybe. We've still a sound rearguard, but now the accent with the Clarets is on attack and not defence.

I recall that once upon a time there used to be a Monday inquest on every goal that was given away. Now the inquest is focused on the goals that we did score or those that got away. And I believe that the day is not far away when Burnley will be classed all over the country, and not just in Lancashire, as one of Soccer's most cultured teams. For too long, folk have been writing us off as a club which always promises but never wins anything. We have a remarkably young team at Turf Moor these days. Many of our most potential youngsters-like Ray Pointer, Jimmy Robson, John Angus and Ian Towers, like myself, hail from the north-east which in recent years has been a wonderful breeding ground for the Burnley club.

I disagree with those who say that the old north-east nursery is worked out. There is still bags of hidden talent waiting to be unearthed up in my native corner of England-just as there always has been and always will be. When I first went to Turf Moor as a 17-year-old Northumberland Youth player from Ashington's East Chevington club, Burnley had a teak-tough defence, with pre-war stalwarts like Arthur Woodruffe, Jimmy Strong and George Bray - the iron men.

They also had eagle-eyed scouts like former left-winger Jimmy Dryden, the man who persuaded me to go to Turf Moor instead of to my boyhood favourites, Sunderland, and wonderful coaches like Ray Bennion and Billy Dougal, who between them have given Burnley more than half a century of loyal and conscientious service. Wasn't it Ray Bennion's patient coaching and advice that made the young Tommy Lawton into the player he became in pre-war days? Like every other Burnley player who has come under their influence I am grateful -mighty grateful -for their wise counsel and help.

October 1946, was the month I began my long career at Turf Moor after a two-week trial. Actually, I went back to my amateur club, Chevington, to help them win several important trophies before I began in earnest with Burnley. At first I made little real progress for, in those days, I was rated as an inside-forward. In fact, when Burnley reached the F.A. Cup Final in 1947 I was the club office boy. I was taken down to Wembley with the official party, and I remember that when Charlton's Chris Duffy scored the only goal, I was so upset that I got up from my seat and left the stadium. Later, there was consolation for us when we won promotion from the Second Division to establish a First Division place that we have never since looked like losing.

Until my National Service call-up I was plodding along in Burnley's 'A' team as an inside-forward. Then the club did not see me for the better part of two years, for I was posted out to Aden. But I got plenty of football, often as many as four games a week, on my R.A.F. station, and on my demob I returned to Burnley determined to make the grade or bust in the attempt.

For the next twelve months nothing much happened to advance me very far on my chosen career. And then dear old Ray Bennion had the idea of trying me out as a wing-half. Like many inside-forwards who can never quite make the grade in attack, I seemed to be cut out for the middle line and it was the turning point. After ten games with the Central League team, I was promoted to the League side at Bolton, where we got a 1-1 draw.

I shall always remember one incident in that game. It was nothing really, but it affected me personally and led to a perpetual 'leg-pull' which still goes on between former goalkeeper Jimmy Strong and myself. At one stage of the game, Nat Lofthouse was right through and was just drawing back his lethal foot to smash the ball past Strong, when I cut in and booted the ball off his toe for a corner. As this was my first League game I felt I had done something wonderful in averting what seemed a certain goal. But all our goalkeeper could growl was, "Find a man, can't you?" At first I took him seriously and felt very deflated. Afterwards I discovered that Jim had realised as much as anyone how I had saved Burnley a point, but he was going to make sure that I didn't get too cocky about it. After that I held my place and have gone on doing so for nine years, only dropping out of Burnley's first team through injury.

I was elected skipper during Frank Hill's regime at the club, and continued to hold this proud office when he left to be succeeded by Alan Brown. Our playing technique has radically changed since those early days. Alan Brown, I think it was, began the swing from defence to attack and our present manager Harry Potts has been an enthusiastic devotee of attacking soccer. Harry always joins in our weekly practice and training sessions and is as eager as any of our newly joined youngsters. Frankly, I feel this has had a lot to do with our League success in recent seasons. There is a wonderful new spirit abroad at Turf Moor, and I only hope that at long last Burnley are going to get among Soccer's top honours. They still talk with nostalgia in Burnley of the great era from 1912 to the early 1920's, when Halley, Boyle and Watson were the Clarets' star half-backs.

Of all the many hundreds of games I have appeared in for Burnley, both at home and abroad, I think the one we played against the Spanish club, Bilbao, on a recent Continental tour, takes pride of place. At least, it is the one which gave me most personal satisfaction, for we thrashed the Spaniards 5-2 with a brilliant display of football. And eight of the players who shared in that prestige-boosting success are still regulars in our League side. This is surely proof that Burnley must be rated one of the most consistent teams in the First Division.

Other games which stand out were our fine 5-2 win at West Ham in the 1959-60 season and a hard-earned point against the Spurs at White Hart Lane. I have yet to win any major honour in senior football, and as I am now just the wrong side of 30, I must confess to a great hope that I shall collect something before I hang up my boots. I have played for the England 'B' team against Scotland (in 1952) and the following year was reserve for the senior international against Scotland but I missed a full cap, and feel I have no chance now.

Obviously I'd like to stay in the game - preferably as a coach - although I still reckon I have a few years left in top-class Soccer. Coaching plays a very important part in my life just now. I have gained a full F.A. coaching badge and have recently become a staff coach. I also put in a lot of time coaching junior clubs under the auspices of the Lancashire County F.A. I am a great believer in variety in training. The days of the old lapping the track grind are long out of date. Someone asked me the other day if I rated the 1959-60 Burnley team as the best Turf Moor team I have ever played in. Well, I can't really answer that. I can only say that I enjoyed playing in it immensely and was very honoured to be its skipper.

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