FIFTY of the best Clarets footballers of all time are to feature in a new book written by a lifetime fan of Burnley Football Club.

The Rev David Wiseman, who has been cheering on the team for 60 years, has picked out 25 pre-war and 25 post-war players for the book, A Case of Vintage Claret published next month.

And now the retired minister, who lives in Skipton, is asking other fans to try their hand at picking out their own selection of favourite post-war players with the chance to win a copy of the book.

He said: "I want people to imagine that they are the manager of Burnley Football Club and they have to pick the team, but the team they pick is not limited to the present squad, they can choose from all the players who have played for Burnley since the war.

"That's what I have done in my latest book."

Among the players likely to feature are Louis Page, the only Claret to score a double hat-trick in a league match during a 7-1 win against Birmingham in April 1926; Tommy Boyle, the only Burnley captain to lift the FA Cup following the team's 1-0 win against Liverpool in 1914; and Jimmy Adamson, one of Turf Moor's favourite sons whose career at the club spanned four decades and who is arguably the best uncapped player in English post-war football.

Other include Martin Dobson, the last Claret to gain full international honours for England and one of the club's most stylish players and, of course, the magical Irishman Jimmy McIlroy.

Other names are likely to be Andy Payton, Ray Pointer, Trevor Steven and Andy Lochhead.

David has already written two books about the club Up the Clarets and Vintage Claret. The latest book will be available from the club book shop from mid-September priced £16.95 and there will be a book launch at Turf Moor on September 8 with several of the players featured in the book as guests.

For launch tickets, priced £7.50, or to enter the competition, naming 25 post-war players and three captains, contact David Wiseman at 4, The Ginnel, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 2HW.