WHENEVER the name of Tommy Cummings comes into the conversation, it inevitably leads to discussions about the wonderful goal he scored, way back in 1952.

Being four years of age at the time and not having yet visited a football stadium, I wasn't one of the lucky thousands to have witnessed it first hand. So I was keen to hear about it from the man himself.

But first of all, let me set the scene.

The game was Burnley against Newcastle United in the first division, on January 1952.

With the scores tied at 1-1 ... well I'll let Tommy take up the story.

"I'd nicked the ball away from Jackie Milburn in our own box and, as I had a bit of pace, I got away from the players nearest to me," explained Cummings.

"I went over the half way line always looking for a pass, but nothing was on and so I kept on going.

"I remember going past their skipper Joe Harvey, twice, so maybe I wasn't as quick as I thought I was or it was just that he was very determined to stop me.

"Anyway, I arrived just outside their 18 yard box and decided to let fly. I hit sweetly with my weaker left foot but it screamed into the net. It proved to be the winner".

A picture of the goal hangs proudly in the Cummings hallway and whenever visitors arrive at the door step, they have their own reminiscences of that famous day.

"We had a very good side then but only had a small squad of about 15 players," said Cummings.

"No rotation in those days, if you were fit then you would play.

"Jimmy Mac was the magician and playing in the same side with the likes of John Angus, who was a wonderful pro, Jimmy Adamson and Ray Pointer was something special. You don't realise it until you retire, how fortunate you were to be at the club at that time"

As a kid, Tommy grew up in the Sunderland area but he always knew, even in those schoolboy days, that he was destined to be a footballer.

"I was captain of a team called Hilton Colliery Juniors, which was in Castletown, a mining village, and we had a fantastic side.

"I was 16 years of age, the war had just finished and I was playing in the Durham Association League where we didn't lose a game in two seasons.

"We got through to three youth finals in one year, which all had to be played on the same day. We won the lot - I slept well that night!"

Tommy's Dad was a miner but it was in the ship building industry where Cummings first gained employment.

"I didn't realise it at the time but Sunderland were the biggest ship builders in the world.

"I moved onto another amateur football team fully expecting that the red and white stripes of my home town team would make an approach but the secretary told me that Burnley manager Cliff Britton wanted to sign me. I was 18 years of age.

"I hadn't done much travelling but I remember going down on the train and being told to get off at TOD-MOR-DEN.

"That's how it was pronounced. I fully expected a three word name. I then got a bus into Burnley where the club sorted digs out for me in Hart Street but my Dad wouldn't let me sign until I had a trade and, as there weren't too many ship yards in Burnley, I went to Bank Hall Pit working in the mining industry.

"I only played about seven Reserve games before getting into the first team and at 19 years of age I became a regular in the side.

"They were tough but enjoyable times. I was down the pit during the day and training at night but the boss was a decent guy and as a young kid it was an exciting time for me.

"Things have changed a little since those days. Nowadays it's Lamborghinis and Ferraris. Those days I was on £7 a week and my first car was a 1936 Morris!"

Tommy enjoyed great success, winning the Championship in the 1959-60 season and playing in the Cup Final against Spurs two years later. He was an outstanding player, well respected by both his colleagues and supporters.

"One of my toughest opponents at the time was Tommy Lawton.

"I remember George Bray having a word in my ear before the game and telling me that this fella was a bit useful in the air. What an understatement that was.

"The first cross I went up with him, he leapt about a foot and half above me. I thought- this is going to be a long 90 minutes. He was a very special player."

In 1956 an injury laid him low for two seasons. During a game against Chelsea, he damaged his right knee and it took him a long time to recover but he completed a 15-year playing career at the club before being approached by a non league club, to see if he would be interested in taking over as player-manager.

"During that meeting I get a phone call and it's from my wife Joy. She told me Mansfield had made an enquiry to see if I fancied a similar position at their place.

"I got back to Burnley and Harry Potts, who was then the manager, told me he had given permission for them to speak to me and we met up at a Manchester hotel. Within 20 minutes I accepted the job.

"When I got there I realised Mansfield had some very good players and couldn't understand why bigger clubs hadn't come in for them.

"Ken Wagstaff, for instance, was an excellent striker and Peter Morris was a brilliant lad. So it was all to my advantage. We won promotion from the fourth division and were just pipped by Shrewsbury to leap into the second division the following season."

A chance meeting with his old Burnley chairman Bob Lord, set him up for his next appointment.

"I was at a managers and secretaries meeting in London and Bob Lord sidles up to me 'Do you fancy the Villa job?' I was taken by surprise but I said 'Yes'.

"Who wouldn't be?' He said 'I'll see you later.' Within days I got an interview at Villa Park and got the job."

After a couple of seasons Tommy first came across Doug Ellis, who had come onto the Villa board from Birmingham City. It was a meeting not to be forgotten.

Deadly Doug took Tommy to one side, told him that a new consortium would be taking over and informed him that he'll be leaving. "Doug said, 'Nothing personal, of course, Tommy, that's how it's going to be'."

It wouldn't be the last conversation of its type, for the new owner of Aston Villa.

Tommy came out of the game and settled in the Burnley area to manage two public houses- The Shooters Arms and The Hare and Hounds. For 23 years he was serving pints before finally calling last orders.

But his association with the club continues.

"On match days Willie Irvine, Andy Lochhead and myself look after the sponsors in the guest lounges and we keep up to date with what's happening on the field and regularly discuss the game with some of our former colleagues".

Maybe one day he will come across another Burnley centre half, who will even eclipse his tremendous strike - but it's very unlikely.