And he hopes the former Manchester United marksman will be scoring them in a Burnley shirt.

Cole, who has notched six goals in eight starts since arriving on loan from Sunderland in January, has admitted he is "50/50" over whether to extend his playing career – but the Burnley fans might just have swayed his decision.

The 36-year-old said: "It's a long season, with 46 games, and a difficult season, so I've got to talk it through with the wife and kids, and if I come to the right decision, it will be okay.

"I'm still trying to run along – not as much as I used to, but such is life.

"But the reception the supporters gave me this week, both at the fans' awards night and the official Player of the Year night, was tremendous and I would like to thank them for that," said Cole.

"It has given me food for thought in terms of continuing my career here, and hopefully I will sit down with the gaffer when the season is over and we will see what happens."

And Coyle aims to convince him his future lies at Turf Moor: "There's no doubt Andrew Cole could play for a few years to come.

"I think he would be the first to agree, but he won't play 46 Championship games because of the age he's at, and a few injuries here and there, but he's certainly capable of playing a large majority of the games.

"Myself and Andrew have a terrific relationship. We are very open and frank with how we go about our business and we'll sit down and have a chat.

"I have to make sure that Andrew still feels he will have a big part to play so we will have a chat and see where that takes us."

Cole's impact has not only been felt on the pitch either, as Coyle said: "That was always going to be the case, in terms of the calibre of player you're involved with, and his stature as well – he's certainly got an aura about him, and footballers are very respectful of players with the sort of pedigree in the game as he has.

"I think people have a perception of Andrew Cole, but, certainly to my experience, he's a real professional, and a very nice man.

"I think he has a humility, I think back to the weekend in Dublin, and he wasn't going to play, with his Achilles, but he was there, and each and everybody at the airport at Blackpool wanted his signature or a photo, and nothing was a problem for him.

"He's shown himself in a very good light."

Cole provided arguably the highlight of the season with his hat-trick in the win at QPR, and he received a wonderful reception from the fans at the awards night, and Coyle added: "I've no doubt he is a terrific influence, even when he's not been playing, but the reason you sign players is to play, and I feel he's more than capable of playing.

"He's shown with his goal ratio, and he'll tell you himself, he absolutely loves it at the football club.

"We, as a club, have helped rekindle his enthusiasm for the game, if that's possible, he loves coming to work, he does it with a smile on his face, and he's been an integral part of the squad since January."

And Coyle hopes the chance to play alongside Cole will also be a draw for players: "If he stays, of course that will attract other players, it's a big attraction, but it won't just be because Andrew Cole's at the football club, we have a lot of positives and attractions at the club."

Cole will not feature at Crystal Palace on Sunday as a result of the challenge from Cardiff's Darren Purse, which left him needing 10 stitches in a gaping leg wound, and Coyle said: "He won't be available.

"His leg was in a terrible state. So much so that stitches are normally in a week, and the doctor advised him the stitches would have to stay in for a fortnight, so that shows you the extent of it.

"He'll miss out, as will Ade Akinbiyi. He's had some pains across his chest so we won't be taking any chances with that, so we're certainly down to the bare bones in the striking department, given that Kyle's out as well after appendicitis.

"Alex MacDonald has trained with us again, and he'll be in the squad.
"I would have loved to have ha Jay Rodriguez as well, coming back from his loan at Stirling.

"But the way the loan system works because it's cross-border, in England you can recall players and they can be involved, but I think Scotland is different, although I'm having that checked out.

"If he was available, he would be in the 16 as well because we've got the makings of a player there.

"But Alex MacDonald will train and travel, and we'll look at the possibility of one or two others."