WHEN Sir Alex Ferguson retired as Manchester United manager after 26 years it was said we would never see his like again.

Similarly, on the playing front, Ryan Giggs - the Red Devils’ one club man.

Michael Duff’s 11-year involvement at Burnley - and potentially 11 and counting following confirmation by the club that contract talks are underway to extend his stay - may never be repeated at a modern day Turf Moor.

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Football has moved on since the defender made the move from Cheltenham in 2004. The door revolves more frequently than ever before for players.

But Duff has evolved in East Lancashire.

Since he penned his initial Clarets contract under Steve Cotterill, there have been four managerial changes and more than 200 comings and goings in and out of the dressing room.

The mid-20s Duff would not have imagined still being here more than a decade on, but it is hard to imagine the team without him at present.

With age has come experience, and no shortage of quality at the heart of Burnley’s back line after bidding au revoir to the right back slot.

But there was a time when the Northern Ireland international thought he might not be playing at all.

In the early part of the 2007/08 season he suffered a multiple knee ligament, including cruciate, and hamstring injury in a League Cup game with Crystal Palace.

It is testament to his character, resilience and professionalism that he did not just battle back from that, but is still going strong, despite a couple of other setbacks in subsequent seasons before achieving consistency in selection, and performance, under the watch of previous boss Eddie Howe and, now, Sean Dyche.

As part of the new terms he penned last season Duff was granted a testimonial.

Events have already taken place and there is expected to be a game as part of the summer schedule.

Such occasions tend to occur at the end of a player’s career, but Duff has no designs on hanging the boots up yet with a 12th season with Burnley on the table.

Negotiations for that might not be entirely straightforward. These things rarely are.

But considering he only cost the club £30,000 from Cheltenham, who were relegated to the Conference at the end of season, they cannot argue about value for money.

Duff described his second shot at the Premier League with Burnley as a bonus - not because he didn’t think the Clarets could get back there but because he would not have anticipated being a part of it.

He is part of the reason why their chances of a swift return and a third spell are so strong.

The board should give him what he wants.