Pete Oliver looks back at the Turf Moor legend after whom a stand at the ground has been named:

JIMMY McIlroy is recognised as the greatest player ever to pull on the famous claret and blue shirt.

A member of the great Burnley side of the late 50s and early 60s, the magical Irishman helped the Clarets become League champions, FA Cup finalists and European ambassadors during the club's greatest era.

Born in Lambeg - a small village just south of Belfast - on October 25 1931, his legendary career began at Glentoran in 1949.

A year later, he was snapped up by Clarets manager Frank Hill and made his Burnley debut at Sunderland on October 21 1950.

Within a year, he won his first cap for Northern Ireland and his performance in Belfast against Scotland ensured he would become an international regular well into the next decade.

And by the mid 50s, his superb right-wing partnership with Billy Gray at Turf Moor made him one of the hottest properties in English football, resulting in his selection for a Great Britain side to play the Rest of Europe. But it was his role in Burnley's Championship winning side of the early 60s which really endeared him to the Clarets faithful. His partnership with Jimmy Adamson was the heartbeat of a Burnley team which threatened to dominate English football in a vintage three year spell.

In 1962, he was just edged into second place by Adamson as Footballer of the Year, as the Clarets just missed out on an FA Cup and League double. But the following season, the town was in shock when he was placed on the transfer list after scoring 131 goals in 497 appearances in the claret and blue.

He then joined Stanley Matthews at Stoke City, helping the Potters to the Second Division title in 1963.

And in 1966, he moved on to Oldham Athletic, where he finished his playing career and had a short spell as manager.

After a short stint back at Stoke, he then managed Bolton Wanderers for 18 days before resigning in 1970 after 'unwelcome interference in team selection'.

Following retirement, he worked for a time as a sports reporter for the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

But more recently, he has concentrated on improving his golf handicap - his other sporting passion.

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