CLARETS superfan Dave Burnley will be celebrating 40 years without missing a game, at Blackpool on Good Friday.

Dave will wear his special denim suit, which he calls his ‘thirty three piece suit’ to commemorate the milestone.

The suit makes an appearance every year at the first away game, after April 10, as he last missed a competitive match against Newcastle on April 10, 1974.

That means it will be on show at the seaside as Burnley look to edge clos-er to promotion back to the Premier League.

Dave, who lives in Madeley, near Stoke, and changed his name by deed poll in 1976, said: “I started going to games in 1968 and got a denim jacket for my 15th birthday, which I still wear now.

“I always used to wear a denim shirt and jeans to the games in that era, which is why I wear the suit at the away game after April 10 every year.

“The game I missed was away at Newcastle in 1974.

“There was a miners strike going on and week-day matches were being played in the afternoon to save electricity.

“The Newcastle game had been postponed six times already, and I had gone to two of those.

“I was ringing the club on my dinner hour every day to ask if it had been rearranged.

“But they never told me, and it went ahead without me realising.

“I’m very proud of going 40 years without missing a game.

“But I would love to go back and be at that game as well.”

Friday’s game also brings back good memories for Dave, who celebrated the second division title in 1973 in the town.

After the Clarets drew at Preston, Dave headed to the coast and, after a long night of partying, ended up sleeping in a lifeboat moored on the famous promenade.