FORMER Clarets keeper Billy O'Rourke sadly died yesterday, aged 41, writes MATT HORN.

O'Rourke had a brain haemorrhage a week earlier and was initially taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital before he was later transferred to Preston Royal Infirmary.

The stopper was deputy to Alan Stevenson for a number of years and came to national, attention when he made his debut in a 7-0 thrashing by Queens Park Rangers.

The match was shown on Match of the Day and he was shown leaving the pitch close to tears.

That game in October 1979 was a rare outing for the Nottingham born player who had signed professional forms the previous year. He made a total of 17 appearances for the Clarets before he was released by new manager John Bond.

He had loan spells at both Blackpool and Chester before moving permanently to Bloomfield Road in the summer of 1984.

He helped them to promotion to the old third division before joining Tranmere in 1986 where he ended his career a couple of years later.

The flag over Turf Moor is flying half mast in his memory.