TO say it is a minor miracle that Michael Duff is still playing at 37 is no exaggeration, and it has nothing to do with his age.

When it came to prolonging his playing days Duff learned from the best in 1,000-game Graham Alexander.

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But the defender’s decision to look after himself and maximise his career came long before his former Turf Moor team-mate reached the remarkable milestone.

A crunching challenge in a home game with Crystal Palace had left Duff’s future in the game hanging in the balance in September 2007.

He suffered cruciate and lateral ligament damage, and on top of that a torn hamstring tendon.

The prognosis was bleak.

Such was the severity of his injuries there was a chance that he might never play again.

If he did, there was a strong possibility that he would never reach the same standard.

But not only did Duff defy the specialists, returning to first team action in the same season just over seven months later, in the final game (ironically also against Palace), he went up a level - playing in the Premier League not once, but twice.

He has not given up on a third time, just as he did not give up on himself almost eight years ago.

The Northern Ireland international was due to undergo two lots of surgery back then. The first repaired the lateral ligament damage, the second would repair the cruciate. But as luck would have it, that follow-up operation was not necessary.

When the consultant assessed Duff’s knee he discovered the cruciate had snapped back into its rightful place and was healing perfectly all by itself.

It was the best, if most unlikely, scenario. His knee became as strong as ever.

But the fact that Duff has gone on to so far make 215 appearances for club and country since that career-threatening injury has nothing to do with fate. It is pure focus. He has worked hard for it.

When something is taken away from you, something you love - even if only temporarily - you learn to appreciate it all the more.

That has certainly been the case for the former Cheltenham stopper.

Duff was a relative late-comer to the professional game, after responding to a series of knock-backs in his youth by working his way through the non-league pyramid with the Robins and into English football’s 92 before making the move to Burnley in the summer of 2004.

He has been at Turf Moor ever since, and his testimonial at home to Bradford City on Saturday is the perfect time to celebrate his longevity and service. With a 12-month contract newly signed he is ready to give more.

It is highly improbable that, in the modern game, such commitment will be matched again.

“He’s got to be one of the finest players in Burnley history with the service that he’s given the club,” said former Burnley captain Steven Caldwell of his his fellow defender.

Few could argue.

And few would disagree if the armband made its way to Duff - a natural leader - now.