Clarets defender Steve Davis will start the new campaign as the Nationwide's Division Two Player of the Season for last year, after pushing team-mate Glen Little into third place.

Davis has won the award from Match magazine thanks to the ratings he picked up in games last season for Luton Town and then Burnley following his move to the Clarets at Christmas.

"It's a terrific honour for him and for the club, but it doesn't surprise me," said Burnley boss Stan Ternent, who paid a club record £750,000 to bring the central defender back to Turf Moor.

"It's also an honour for his team-mates because it's a team game."

Davis, who took the magazine's star rating in 16 of the games he played, missed the final two matches of last season after helping secure Burnley's Second Division safety.

However, he has recovered from surgery to cure a hernia problem and after spending more time on the pitch than any other outfield player during the Clarets pre-season programme, the central defender will be firing on all cylinders for Burnley's opener against Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park on Saturday. Little was ranked as the division's top midfielder and finished third overall behind Davis and Fulham's former Blackburn Rovers defender Chris Coleman.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.