THEY say life begins at 40, but Burnley’s Graham Alexander made sure he had a 10-year headstart on everyone else.

It was when the defender celebrated his 30th birthday that he realised he would need to factor in some lifestyle changes if he was to eek out as many minutes as possible on a football pitch.

That was a little over seven years ago last Friday, and the Scotland international is still going strong.

In fact, he would perhaps go as far as to say he is enjoying something of a renaissance in his football career, and it isn’t just down to the steps he has taken to look after his body and physique.

Having switched from midfield to right back while at Luton in order to raise his profile and make the most of his remaining playing days, he has returned to familiar territory to extend them even further.

“Early in my career, up to the year before I joined Preston, I had played all my football in the centre or right midfield,” he explained.

“I told the Luton manager at the time, Lennie Lawrence, that I wanted to play right back to take my career on.

“I was 26 and had played largely in the lower leagues and I didn’t see myself getting any higher than that.

“I wasn’t enjoying playing right midfield and Lennie was brilliant.

“He knew where I was coming from and everything took off from there.”

Ironically, reverting back to midfield, this time in a holding role, has given the former Preston North End defender a new lease of life with the Clarets. “I came here thinking I would be playing right back,” said Alexander, who signed for £100,000 in August 2007. “But within five minutes of signing the contract Steve Cotterill took me on the pitch and said he was going to play me in midfield, which was a nice surprise!

“Owen (Coyle) has played me in midfield now for the past few games and I’ve really enjoyed it. The results have been okay since the formation change and long may that continue.

“I think the role suits me. I have my defensive duties to protect the back four, which is the first thought in my head, but I like to get on the ball and pass it too.”

Alexander has come a long way since his professional career began at Scunthorpe United in 1990. The Coventry-born star is on the brink of registering 700 league starts, and is expected to achieve that at his hometown club the game after next. But such a remarkable milestone wasn’t even on his radar when he was taken on as a fresh-faced trainee by The Iron.

“When I was first taken on at 16, I remember my ambition was to play one senior game, so that in future I could say I was a professional footballer,” he recalled.

“It has been such a privilege to play so many games and it’s something I would never have dreamed of.

“When I think back to my first team debut in a Leyland Daf Cup game (now the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy) in 1988, it seems a lifetime ago. But it has all gone so quick.

“Experienced players at that age were telling me to enjoy every game because it goes so quickly and you dismiss that, but they were right.

“It’s such a quick game now, but I don’t do anything secretive.

“I have been relatively lucky with injuries throughout my career and always worked hard in training.

“I just think there is a professionalism that has kicked in over the past few years, probably since I turned 30 and I realised I had to look after myself a little bit better.

“I would always train and work hard on match days, but maybe away from the pitch I didn’t always do what a professional footballer should.

“Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t out partying, but I was a young lad and I was living a little.

“In the last few years I have listened to good advice regarding things like stretching, warm downs and recovery.

“Intake of food and drink is another area that has moved on massively.

“Nowadays, when you get on a bus after a game it’s all water, Lucozade, recovery drinks and pasta meals.

“I remember when it was a 12-pack of Budweiser and I would have been the first one there, enjoying the trip home!

“That was just the way it was and everyone did it. Nobody was any different.”

How times have changed. But Alexander is confident the alterations are for the better.

“Professionalism kicked in and I think it’s easy to pinpoint when it all changed,” he said.

“All the foreign players and coaches began to come into the English game and brought an approach that has gradually seeped down through football.

“It has definitely gone in the right direction and I’ve tried to learn by it all because the game is so quick.

“If you carried on as you were 10 to 15 years ago, you would have no chance.

“There’s no doubt that players are lengthening their careers because of a sea change in mentality.

“Look at the likes of Gary Speed and I’m sure he would say the same as me.”

Although he doesn’t imagine retirement will be imminent, Alexander has, inevitably, had to think about what he will do once he does hang up his boots.

But there won’t be a dramatic career change.

“There’s only one life for me, hopefully, and that’s through football.

“Coaching is something I have been looking towards for the past few years and I’m doing my coaching badges to enable me to move on when it’s time to.

“I have a fantastic family and that’s my number one priority, but my life revolves around them and football and I wouldn’t change that for the world.”