IT IS ten years since 36-year-old, ex-Bedale High School student Michael Duff signed for Burnley and he now begins his second decade at Turf Moor as a Premiership player.

Duff played football for the high school, the Hambleton and Richmondshire Area and North Yorkshire before the family moved south and he signed for Cheltenham Town, appearing in 99 games in nonleague football.

He scored the winning goal in a 3-2 victory over Yeovil Town which guaranteed the club league status and he went on to make 201 league games in the old Divisions Two and Three before his former manager Steve Cotterill signed him for Burnley in 2004 for £30,000, where he has appeared in 336 senior games. Michael also won the FA Trophy at Wembley.

During his time with Cheltenham and Burnley, Michael has also won 24 full international caps for Northern Ireland.

Michael played in two of Northern Ireland’s finest international moments of recent years coming on as a late substitute in their 1–0 victory over England in 2005 and then in the thrilling 3–2 victory over Spain in 2006.

Michael has just signed a new one year contract with Burnley where remains the only survivor of the squad that reached the Premier League in 2009 and his new deal means he will enter his 11th season with the club.