“I DON’T think anyone could have seen it coming”, said Graham Alexander, marvelling at the European adventure that Burnley are about to undertake.

But the former Clarets captain could easily be talking about his new role as manager of Salford City.

As a player Alexander earned international recognition from Scotland and domestic success with a quartet of Football League teams in a career that, for club and country, spanned 1,000 games.

His first foray into management was with Fleetwood Town, guiding them into League One, before moving on to a Scunthorpe United side who had designs on a return to the Championship. But now he is preparing for his first role in non-league.

On paper it appears a backward step. But since a takeover by Manchester United’s Class of ‘92 stars Gary and Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt in 2014, the club has set a target of being in the Championship by 2029.

Back-to-back promotions under former Ramsbottom United managers Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson have elevated the club to the National League - the first tier of non-league.

Now Alexander has picked up the baton and is ready to match the ambitions of Gary Neville and co to move the club forward and bring League football to Salford for the first time in the club’s history.

“Potential is the word,” said Alexander, who played for Burnley from 2007 to 2011, reaching the top flight for the first time in his career at the age of 37, after promotion via the Championship play-offs.

“It was a little bit left field when they rang me up and approached me. It wasn’t something I would have been looking for, so to speak, at the time, but after going to listen to them and see what they had to say it was really impressive - where they want to take the club, where they see my part in it and the experience and expertise I can bring to help them go to the next level and beyond.

“They have proved they can be successful in the last few years anyway. I want to work with people who are ambitious and want to be successful, and once I made my decision I was really excited.

“Salford went full time a year ago. The team has had a lot of success in the last few years and gone through the leagues probably quicker than expected.

“There’s a lot of work been done behind the scenes to get the infrastructure in place.

“That’s part of the reason for bringing me in having done a similar job at Fleetwood, and building the club up.

“But everyone there is so open-minded and keen to do well and improve everything. It’s great.”

Alexander is not the only one with a Clarets connection at Salford, as Burnley-born Chris Casper - the son of former Clarets forward and manager Frank - is the club’s sporting director.

“I met with Gary Neville and Chris Casper - it was Chris that first spoke to me about the role,” Alexander explained.

“It was a really positive meeting.

“The enthusiasm for the club, the job in hand was there to see, without a shadow of a doubt. You could sense the energy coming off Gary in particular. I’ve met Phil since and had messages from the other guys. They are a group of people who are so ambitious for the club - not just the high profile people but everyone that’s there. They’ve hit a vein of success and they want to continue it right into the Football League if we can. But we’ve got to take one step at a time.

“We’re at the National level, where the club has never been at before. We’re taking on teams all over the country now and it’s going to be very competitive. But we believe we can get a team that’s going to be successful.”

And Alexander feels he can use the like of Accrington Stanley as an example of what can be achieved.

“Accrington getting into League One is a fantastic achievement,” said the 46-year-old.

“You look at Fleetwood, who have come up a similar route and are in League One now, and AFC Fylde, who just missed out in the play-offs.

“There are a couple of clubs who have trodden the paths before us. But Salford is a unique club in its own way, how it’s run, how it’s come about and its own history.

“Considering the size of Salford and the backing of the people involved the potential is massive.

“We can’t look too far ahead though, we’ve got to look at the picture right in front of us.”

But as well as Accrington, Alexander can also shine a light on Burnley when it comes to daring to dream.

“It’s so good what’s happened there over the last 10 years,” said Alexander, who revealed he sought the advice of Burnley boss Sean Dyche before accepting the Salford job.

“Dychey has taken it on to another level again and it’s fantastic to see. The job he has done at Burnley is amazing, bringing European football back to the club after so long.

“There are a lot of good people at Burnley and I’m pleased they are enjoying the ride they are on after some difficult times over recent years. I don’t think anyone could have seen it coming.

“You are always trying to improve on whatever you’ve done the season before, and they have done that without a shadow of a doubt.

“It just sets a great example to any team at any level that if your tactics are right and the environment is good and the players are organised and fit and have belief in each other anything is achievable.

“Football’s a team game and sometimes that’s forgotten, but what’s happened at Burnley proves that the real core of football is the team.”