TRIBUTES have been paid to “blond bombshell” legendary Burnley FC footballer Ray Pointer who has died, aged 79.

The title-winning striker was the Clarets second highest scorer of all time behind George Beel and an integral part of the history-making 1959/60 side that was crowned as First Division champions.

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Cramlington-born Mr Pointer joined the Clarets in 1955 after being spotted playing for Northern Alliance outfit Dudley Welfare by Burnley scout Charlie Ferguson.

Mr Pointer had previously had a trial at Blackpool but signed at Turf Moor as an amateur and later as a full-time professional in 1957.

The grandfather of six made a total of 270 appearances and scored 132 goals for the Clarets, a post-war record, including a career-best 27 in the 1958/59 season.

He was an ever present in the championship-winning side and scored 19 goals as Burnley were crowned as kings of England.

Fellow Clarets legend Jimmy Robson led the tributes to Mr Pointer and described his fellow darling of the Longside as “a quite modest sort of man”.

He said: “He was part of the town and very well respected. He was very quick and was one of those type of players who never gave up.

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“He was one of the better players Burnley ever had. He was a good striker in his day and scored quite a lot of goals. I remember two goals in particular against Everton — in a league match — both magnificent headers.

“We were in the team together and and we were great friends. We did get transferred to different clubs but would always meet up and when we were younger we used to go on holiday together.”

After collecting several England U23 caps, Mr Pointer was chosen to lead the attack for England against Luxembourg at Wembley and found the net in the 4-1 victory.

In total he earned three caps for England and scored two international goals.

He remains Burnley’s second highest scorer of all time with 118 league goals.

After moves later in his career to Bury, Coventry City and Portsmouth, Mr Pointer retired and became a youth coach at Bloomfield Road, which saw him reunited with Harry Potts.

In July 1978, he returned to Burnley as youth team manager before linking up with Martin Dobson at Bury as a coach.

“His attitude towards the game was fantastic and his work ethic was fantastic,” said Dobson.

“I was player manager and he was youth team coach. I couldn’t have had a better guy around me.”

Mr Pointer died peacefully at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and leaves behind three children Jonathan, Stephen and Anne-Marie as well as six grandchildren.

His wife Marilyn died a few years ago.

Veronica Simpson, secretary of Burnley FC Former Players Association, said: “He was one of the most famous players. Everybody holds him in esteem.

“He was loveable with a great sense of humour and considerate. He played in one of the most famous times in Burnley’s history.”

Jamie Hoyland, a midfielder for Bury’s first team when Mr Pointer was a coach, described him as “a real gentleman”.

He added: “It’s really sad news. He was an absolute legend, he had so much humility and was a gentle and lovely man.

“He was a top footballer. Even at that age you could tell what class he had. He was still as fit as a fiddle.”

Ex-Claret Charlie Austin who went into the record books when he equalled Mr Pointer’s record of scoring in eight successive games, said: “From one goalscorer to someone I proudly share a scoring record with, sorry to hear the news that Burnley legend Ray Pointer has died.”