Turf Beat

PAUL Fletcher says he was proud to be part of Burnley's 1972/73 Division Two championship winning team.

The Bolton-born striker, who signed for the Clarets from Bolton Wanderers in 1971, spent a decade at the club.

And some of his favourite memories surround the title winning season.

"A couple of years before that we had been relegated and our manager, Jimmy Adamson, said we would be the team of the 70s," Fletcher explained.

"He didn't want skill, he wanted balance, and suddenly we had great balance.

"We had a great goalkeeper in Alan Stevenson, a solid defence, good midfield and we were scoring goals.

"The most unusual thing was, most of us played every single game that season. We were very together.

"But if anyone was injured, little Billy Ingham would come in and play in any position that needed filling.

"The best thing was we were friends on and off the pitch. We went out together as a team, with our wives and we all lived near each other.

"We were a true team in every sense of the word."

Fletcher, who scored a total of 71 goals in his 10-year spell with the Clarets, netting 15 times in the 1972/73 season, remembers winning promotion, and the title, very clearly.

"We had won promotion by beating Sunderland 2-0 at home and I scored both goals," he said.

"Coming back on the coach from Preston on the final day of the season, after we'd won the championship, there were Burnley fans lining the streets. That was quite special."

Fletcher will attend the 1972/73 Division Two Championship winning side's Reunion Dinner at Turf Moor today.

He is currently the chief executive of Arena Coventry - a £120 million project for Coventry City Football Club and Coventry City Council, after overseeing similar ventures at Huddersfield's McAlpine Stadium, Bolton's Reebok Stadium and was the commercial director of Wembley for 18 months.

Youngsters lift Preston Cup

BURNLEY'S Centre of Excellence Under 10s won the Preston Cup after an unbeaten run in the competition.

The team, coached by Ronnie Ingham and former Burnley player and Community Programme manager Andy Farrell, beat all the six teams they faced 1-0 in the eight-a-side competition.

The preliminary rounds, against Celtic, Cardiff City, Port Vale and Notts County, were played at Springfields, as was their semi-final against Tranmere Rovers.

The final, against Preston North End, was held at Preston's Deepdale Stadium and the team won 1-0 in extra time thanks to an Andy Spencer goal.

"The lads did really well considering a lot of the teams they played were from cities, so they have a wider area of players to choose from," Farrell said.

"It was a long day for them and it was a little bit different to what they're used to but they worked hard.

"It's not results that are needed within the Centre of Excellence, it's more about producing players rather than teams.

"But having something to play for made it a little bit more exciting for them."

The players involved in the tournament were goalkeeper Ben Woodhead, who even scored from a long kick in the early rounds, Danny Morton, Edward Williams, Charlie Pilkington, David Lynch, Andy Spencer, Ben McKenna, James Taylor, Dalian Prescott, Andy McDougall and Sean Breen.

Ex-Claret wants Premier move

FORMER Burnley striker Alan Lee has hinted he is ready to leave Rotherham in search of top flight football.

The Republic of Ireland hotshot has had an impressive season for The Millers, ending the campaign as leading goalscorer.

But he feels he needs a better contract and an increased chance of international football.

"I'm not among the top earners and nobody would blame me if I wanted to go to a bigger club," said Lee.

"If I was at a Premiership club I would have more claims on an international place.

"I've got a lot of thinking to do in the summer."

Nationwide crowds growing

THE Nationwide Football League recorded its highest aggregate attendance for over 38 years in the 2002/03 season, as well as a year-on-year increase of more than 150,000 spectators.

Bumper crowds for the final weekend of the campaign pushed the total to 14,871,981 for attendances in Divisions One, Two and Three - the highest total recorded since the 1964/65 season.

Football League chairman Sir Brian Mawhinney said: "These figures are a tribute to the clubs and the exciting football they are playing.

"Fans are responding positively, which is very good news.

"Once again this season, the Football League has been the best attended sporting competition in Europe."

Were you there?

YESTERDAY marked the 16th anniversary of the game where Burnley saved themselves to stay in the Football League.

It was on May 9, 1987 that Burnley had to win at home to Leyton Orient to avoid relegation to the Conference.

And the Clarets recorded a 2-1 win with goals from Neil Grewcock and Ian Britton to secure safety.