It’s a long while since Burnley’s youth schemes were in the spotlight as much as they have over the last week.
Although Danny Ings and Sam Vokes were bought in from other clubs, there is not doubt their careers are blossoming for the first time at Burnley, with Ings becoming an England U21 international in the process.
And then there was the news that Southampton’s Jay Rodriguez has been selected for the full England squad for the brace of upcoming friendlies. Jay Rod is definitely a genuine Burnley product; born and bred in the town and making his name for his home town club. Now he may be the first young former Burnley player to don the white shirt since, I think, Trevor Steven almost 30 years ago (we have had players who have played for England before they came to Burnley rather than after - Gazza most notably; Martin Dobson was the last player to be fully capped for England while a Claret in the 1970s).
There was a time when Burnley were more famous than their conveyor belt of new talent than anything else.
A stream of them poured through the ranks and famously Frank Casper in 1967 was the first player the club had bought in ages.
In recent years there has been a frustration that more players are not coming through to first team level but Jay Rod proves it can be done, and his proud coach Terry Pashley (an early 70s Burnley youth product himself) appeared on Sky Sports to talk about his former charge.
Burnley are of course always sending out young players to get experience, the latest being development squad midfielder Archie Love, who last Friday joined Skrill Premier League club FC Halifax Town on loan.
Hopefully the Shaymen will give him a warm, friendly welcome.