THIRTY years ago a sobbing Joyce Eaglesham provided one of the iconic images of the game which saved Burnley FC from going out of the Football League.

Joyce became known to Clarets fans far and wide as the 'crying lady' after her tears of relief in the Bob Lord Stand at the final whistle when the Clarets beat Orient 2-1 to save themselves from dropping into the abyss of non-league football, were broadcast on national television.

Next month, exactly 30 years on from that emotional day, Joyce has been invited as a special guest to a reunion dinner.

Burnley Former Players Association has organised the ‘Orient… 30 years on charity dinner’ which will take place at Turf Moor’s James Hargreaves Executive Suite on May 5.

Joyce, a lifelong Claret, was in her 30s when the game was played.

She said: "I've lost count of the number of times friends, neighbours and Burnley fans have said they've seen me on the telly or that they had looked back at the clip on the internet.

"The game was so important to us, I couldn't bear the thought at the time that the club would drop out of the league.

"To be honest, I broke down at the time because I thought of my late father Wilf.

"He took me to my first game when I was seven and we stood on the terrace enclosure in front of the main stand.

"He used to make me watch the best players closely and I developed a love for the game.

"On the clip I'm sure I'm mouthing 'dad...dad' as he would have been so happy."

Joyce, of Smalley Street, Burnley, who remained a season ticket holder for decades, was also a club landlady.

She looked after apprentices who lodged with her while they trained with the club.

The evening will consist of a two course meal and footage and memories of the match will be shared of the day when fans in a packed Turf Moor saw Burnley survive the dreaded and unthinkable drop into oblivion on May 9, 1987.

Among those attending will be players from that pivotal day, including goalkeeper Joe Neenan, Phil Malley, Billy Rodaway, Ashley Hoskin and the scorer of the first goal, Neil Grewcock.

Joyce's former lodger Peter Leebrook is travelling to the event from his home in the USA and another, Phil Devaney from Switzerland.

Veronica Simpson, from the players’ association, said: “We're so glad Joyce will be joining us at the dinner.

"I think most Burnley fans from that era remember her tears of joy.

"Many of the ex-players remembered her name and we were able to track her down."