Fans favourite Eli led from the front ROGER Eli was hero-worshipped at Burnley -- and his most memorable moment was when it all started.
The then 24-year-old had arrived at Turf Moor in 1989 from Bury hoping to fill a defensive role -- instead then manager Frank Casper pushed him up front and that is where he made his mark.
"He found my talent," joked Eli who now lives in Keighley. "I had hoped to settle in Burnley as a centre half but then I started to play up front and that was that!"
The moment that sticks in his mind is playing against Scunthorpe in the FA Cup second round in the same year.
It was during the first replay when the young Eli was sent on up front to replace Peter Mumby with Burnley trailing 1-0.
"It was the first time I'd played up front. I remember I scored with a header to equalise and then we went back to Turf Moor for the second replay. "We won that 5-0, I got two, Ron Futcher got two and Jason Hardy got the other.
"I can remember the first, it was a ball into the box, it dropped to my feet and I scored past Peter Litchfield, I think it was, in the Scunthorpe goal.
"That was the first time the Burnley fans really seemed to take to me. I noticed their reaction to me, they seemed to really warm to me and I couldn't believe it!"
Unfortunately the Cup glory was short-lived as Burnley went out to Blackpool in the next round -- but Eli had made his impression on the Clarets faithful.
"The Burnley crowd are just so passionate," said Eli.
"They know the game and know what they want in a player.
"I loved it. I loved running out onto the pitch and hearing the crowd.
"That's one reason I never wanted to go anywhere else when I left Burnley.
"I'd been spoiled.
"I know it sounds wrong but I didn't want to play in front of crowds of 2000 or 3000.
"I went to Farsley Celtic for a while and I'd run out expecting a cheer and there would be one man and his dog!" Eli went on to score 17 league and cup goals that season for Burnley and scored 31 over his five season spell at Turf Moor.
He partnered Ron Futcher up front initially and later Mick Conroy.
Another lasting memory for Eli is when the side clinched the Fourth Division Championship under Jimmy Mullen in 1992
Eli scored 10 goals in the campaign to make him second top scorer behind Conroy.
"The medal is a prized possession," said Eli.
"I remember we started pretty poorly and then we went on this amazing run and the town just seemed to take off.
"I'm not sure many Premiership clubs were as well supported as Burnley that season -- apart from perhaps Manchester United. It was a great season."
Unfortunately Eli's career at Turf Moor didn't finish on a high. In his last season, 1994, he suffered with a knee injury which kept him sidelined.
"It was a massive blow when I was released. I wanted just one more attempt to get fit and show that I could still do a job on the pitch at Burnley.
"Instead it ended disappointingly."
Leaving Turf Moor, Eli went briefly to Scunthorpe and Partick Thistle before moving abroad to China for six months where he played for Fosham near Hong Kong.
And he had no problem winning over the fans there.
"I'd moved to midfield by this stage and they love their football over there.
"It was just taking off, so they used to applaud anything and everything which was nice.
"I scored about seven goals in 25 games so it wasn't too bad.
"I had a great time but I returned because of business. I decided I couldn't mess about anymore."
Eli has hung up his boots and now concentrates on his textile business in Yorkshire.
"I look back on my Burnley days with a great deal of pleasure.
"It was a great club and I try and get back once a year.
"I always get a great reception." ROGER ELI Born: Bradford, September 1965
Career: Leeds United, Wolves, Cambridge, Crewe, York City, Bury, Burnley, Scunthorpe, Partick Thistle
Burnley career: 1989-1994
Total League/Cup goals for Clarets: 31
Club honours: Fourth Division Champions (1992)
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