THE names of many of the current Burnley squad will live on for decades to come. Wembley saw to that. But one name may live on the longest, the name of arguably the greatest penalty taker football has ever seen.

To describe Graham Alexander in such terms seems rather fanciful given that, for all his supreme dedication and pivotal importance to Burnley, he would be the first to admit he is no George Best or Lionel Messi.

But then you look at the facts.

By my reckoning, Alexander has now converted 73 of the 78 penalties he has taken during his professional career.

By anyone’s standards, that is a phenomenal record.

He is not yet the leading scorer from the spot in English football history but the chances are he will be by the time he retires, given that he is expected to carry on for another season at least.

Finding official records for these things is a little tricky but it is likely that the honour is currently held by Ray Stewart, the West Ham United full back of the 1980s.

An impressive 76 penalties scored, but even he cannot match Alexander’s conversion rate, missing 10.

And if raw statistics are convincing, the video evidence is even more impressive.

On Saturday, Alexander knew any last hopes of Burnley’s survival were on his shoulders when he stepped up to take his first spot kick at Hull. And yet, wallop, bottom right, goal.

Some clubs do not allow the same player to take two penalties in one match, since any sensible goalkeeper will dive in the direction in which the taker placed the first.

Thus, either the keeper saves it, or forces the taker to send the ball in a direction he is less comfortable with.

Boaz Myhill did not do this, perhaps because he knew Alexander is equally proficient at drilling the ball into any corner he chooses.

But even if he had, he would not have been able to save it. Wallop, top right, goal.

While some clubs struggle to find a penalty taker at all – Accrington Stanley had all sorts of problems for much of 2009, their spot kicks more Alf Stewart than Ray Stewart – Burnley’s confidence in their man is total.

When David Nugent won the second penalty on Saturday, his team-mates leapt on him as if he had scored. The thought of possible embarrassment at this premature celebration, should the penalty be missed, never crossed their minds.

Alexander’s technique is highly practised and unorthodox, with a straight run-up and the use of the outside of the boot when he chooses to direct the ball into the right-hand side of the net.

But the greatest free kick taker of his generation, former Lyon midfielder Juninho, had an equally unorthodox method, striking the valve of the ball to increase swerve and dip.

Cristiano Ronaldo quickly copied it, with similar success.

It is a wonder that there are not already scores of Alexander copycats, realising that the Burnley man’s success is no accident.

Because, right now, Alexander is the best.

Possibly the best there has ever been.