Former Claret Steve Davis - Burnley's most prolific defender of all time

Indeed, only 37 Clarets have scored more than his 47 goals, which came at better than one every 10 games.

He is Stephen Mark Davis, to give him his full name - and differentiate him from Steven Peter Davis, who he briefly played alongside in an initial loan spell at Turf Moor.

In three spells with the club as a player, earning three promotions, Davis proved an accomplished defender, strong in the air, comfortable on the deck, and with an impressive range of passing, to go with his marauding runs from the back.

Add in his threat from set plays, and it was no wonder he was a huge crowd favourite.

He may be some way short of the most prolific defenders in football - with his former Luton Town teammate Graham Alexander, who he would later coach at Burnley, fifth on the list with 130 career goals.

But Davis' strikerate was remarkable, nevertheless.

He made 10 appearances in total in 1989/90 on loan from Southampton, without finding the net.

Once he claimed his first career goal at Wrexham after signing permanently in 1991, he was on his way, netting eight in 57 games as Burnley were Fourth Division champions.

Davis had a quieter year the following season as Burnley consolidated their new Second Division status, claiming two in 44 games, but as the Clarets were promoted via the play-offs the season after, he hit eight in 58.

A level up again, Davis went on to score seven in 54 as Burnley were relegated.

A move to Luton followed, but when he returned in December 1998, he would add three goals in 19 appearances over the second half of that campaign.

Another promotion year, in 1999/2000, saw Davis chip in with seven in 48 games, and he grabbed six in 50 as Burnley just missed out on the First Division play-offs.

Injuries lessened his impact over the final two years of his Burnley career, scoring one in 24 in 2001/02, and five in 32 the following season - one of which was the winner against Spurs in a League Cup tie at Turf Moor.

That remains one of his most memorable, along with the first, heading in a Joe Jakub free kick way back in 1991 - one of six for the Clarets at the Racecourse Ground.

Davis looked back: "I started as a midfielder at Southampton - I didn't play as a centre half until I was 17, but I'd always managed to nick a few goals in the reserves.

"You always wonder if you can transfer that to a first team, but I was fortunate enough to be able to.

"It was nice to score goals, I must admit!

"I think someone said I scored 76 all in with league and cup, so I'm pretty pleased with that!

"I think it was 47 for Burnley, in total, so it was a decent record.

"The one against Spurs was probably the most memorable, I don't know about the best, my first league goal at Wrexham was a big one.

"You want to play in the league, and once I'd done that, you want to know if you can score in the league.

"So Wrexham, away, when Lanky (Graham Lancashire) scored his hat-trick - that was a good day."

One of the most indelible images of Davis, is his quite remarkable run against Stockport County in the 1994 Second Division play-off final, as he went virtually the length of the field against the then nine-man Hatters, only to run out of steam at the death.

That would have topped the lot!: "That would have been top of the list!

"It was nice to have the run, the finish didn't match it - i was playing for time, that's why it ended up near the corner flag, that's my excuse anyway!"