Graham Branch, Burnley's longest serving player, is gearing up for his seventh full season at Turf Moor. In the second of our three-part series, he tells DARREN BENTLEY about his tough upbringing on the football pitch and the problems he has encountered with managers down the years ...

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ROUBLE was always around the corner waiting to pounce on Graham Branch.

In his early teens, it was a weekly occurrence as he tormented savvy Scousers starring for Heswall as a nippy striker in the teak-tough breeding ground of amateur football.

It followed him into the professional game, where a bust-up with former Anfield legend John Aldridge at Tranmere led to an exile and six-months of punishing, pre-dawn training runs.

And in a career-defining moment, it reared its ugly head in a dressing room face-off with Stockport County boss Gary Megson that eventually saw Stan Ternent step in and offer him a lifeline at Burnley.

"The only thing I ever wanted to be was a footballer, but I was a late bloomer," explained Branch, who finally got the call from West Cheshire League Heswall at the age of 17.

"I was playing against men straight away and it took me time to adjust, but I was lucky because I always played with hard players. I was a skinny little whippersnapper playing up front so I was always getting picked on and I remember coming up against a notorious nutter in my first game.

"I scored and on my way back to the half way line, he turned around and said: "You're dead after the game".

"I **** myself but one of our lads threatened to sort him out and that helped me immensely and my football got better.

"I used to get lads saying they would kick my head in after a game, but in the end they would always come up and apologise."

Finally, Tranmere reserve team coach Ray Mathias spotted the potential and, following a trial, Branch was offered a one-year deal under legendary manager John King.

Life was good and, following a brief spell out on loan at Bury, primarily to gain experience, the six-foot striker slowly began to creep into the Rovers first team picture alongside the likes of John McGreal and Danny Coyne.

The 1995/96 season saw Branch finally establish himself in the starting line-up, but in a twist of fate it turned out to be King's last as manager and Aldridge stepped into his enormous shoes.

And it wasn't too long before Branch ploughed in with his own size-nines.

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ithin 18-months Branch had been farmed out on loan to Wigan, where an injury in his first game scuppered what he hoped might be an escape route back to regular first team football.

And in the summer of 1998 came the moment he realised his days at Prenton Park were numbered.

"Towards the end of my time there, I really fell out with Aldridge," explained Branch, whose distant cousin, Michael, was by now trying to establish himself at Everton.

"I was offered a long-term contract after Aldridge said he felt I was ready, but I wasn't totally happy with his first offer. The following day I was in the car with Danny (Coyne) when Danny picked up a paper and I saw what Aldridge had written about me.

"He said I wanted to go and didn't care about the fans. That wasn't true and I rang the local journalist and put my side across.

"The following day, Aldridge pulled me in but couldn't fine me because he knew it was all true.

"I told him I was never going to sign for him after what he'd written. But I still had a year left and, as punishment, he ran me every day for six months.

"He had me in all alone at half-past five every morning until Christmas, when he suddenly called a halt. He knew he hadn't broken me, but I'd lost respect and I left at the end of the season."

Stockport was Branch's chosen destination after Megson snapped him up on a free transfer. But it wasn't too long before tempers flared again.

"I lasted a couple of months before we fell out," he revealed. "I missed a header from about 25 yards in a goalless draw at Bristol City and Megson went ballistic.

"He blamed me for not winning and Paul Cook, who was sat next to me, saw my face reddening by the second. Eventually, even he couldn't stop me from standing up and giving Megson a mouthful back.

"Suddenly, he went for me and his back-up man, Micky Phelan, stepped in to keep us apart.

"Megson stormed out and, despite all the lads giving me pats on the back for standing my ground, I ended up back in the reserves.

"That's where Stan (Ternent) eventually saw me.

"I wanted to get away from Stockport and I signed on New Year's Day, 1999.

I'll never forget the first words Stan said.

He said 'The team is **** son, but I'll get it right!'".