STEVE Claridge appeared to have hung up his boots back in 2003, turning down a two-year contract extension from Millwall to move into management.

This signalled the end of an eventful 20-year career that had seen him play almost 700 games and score over 200 goals.

But after 17 months in charge of non-league Weymouth, Claridge's managerial dream came to an abrupt end and his playing career is now centre stage once again.

As soon as news of his recent sacking hit the headlines, several clubs were tracking the ageless 38-year-old to see if he fancied pulling his boots on once more. Brighton made the first move by offering a month-long contract and The Seagulls duly became his 13th club!

As the second oldest player in the Championship, pipped to the accolade by Teddy Sheringham by virtue of eight days, the Portsmouth-born striker made his debut before the likes of Richard Chaplow and Richard Duffy were even born!

As a fresh-faced kid though, Claridge hardly set the world alight. During a year with Bournemouth, he made just seven appearances before dropping out of league football and signing for Weymouth for £10,000.

Three years later, he signed for Crystal Palace before moving onto Aldershot for £14,000 in 1988.

Nineteen goals in 58 league starts alerted other clubs to his ability and two spells at Cambridge, either side of a brief spell at Luton, saw transfer fees clock up beyond £300,000.

It was a spell at Birmingham that really made Claridge a star, scoring 42 times in two years before a £1.2 million move to Leicester City back in 1998.

The goals weren't as frequent at Filbert Street, but Claridge netted a few of real importance - the winner over Stoke in the First Division play-off semi-final and the winner in the League Cup Final in 1997.

Since then, Claridge has enjoyed successful spells with Portsmouth and Millwall, as well as a brief spell with Wolves, averaging 38 games a season since.

He wasn't on the scoresheet in his Brighton debut at West Ham last weekend but admitted afterwards that after five weeks without a game he was feeling a bit rusty.

Now, with a hard week's training behind him, the Burnley back line had better beware.