PAUL Burns is going to take this summer to contemplate whether he is going to hang his boots up - but there's no doubt the Stanley players will miss one of the club's jokers if he decides to go.

The Liverpudlian, who is 34 'but I only look 28', is one of the characters in the Stanley dressing room and will be a loss if he decides to end his football career at the end of this season when his contract is up.

"I get a bit of stick but I take it as well," he said. "We are always having a laugh and I would miss it.

"I can't really decide what to do. I have been in football a long time and I will go away in May and make a decision.

"There are some great players at Accrington at the moment, and I would love to play a part in helping them to the Conference, that would be a dream come true so I don't know."

After returning to Stanley in June 2000 - just after they got promoted to the UniBond Premier Division - he has been impressed with several 'great players' in the current Reds set-up.

The one he thinks has starred is tricky midfielder Russell Payne - but Burns does still have a joke about him.

"I think Russell can play at a higher level. He has been really good this season. He has got the best balance I have ever seen in a player and I rate him highly.

"He charges to the edge of the area but he then kicks the ball like he has cushions on his feet!"

His other team-mates who have stood out for him are Peter Cavanagh, who came through the ranks at Liverpool, and Steve Flitcroft, who was at Rovers' Academy.

"There is no doubt in my mind that they will go on and play in the League."

They have in turn complimented Burns by saying they have learnt a lot from him and the other senior players.

"That is nice. They are eager to learn and pick up tips from anybody but they are clever lads and will go a long way."

Goalkeeper Jamie Speare had a joke about Burns in one interview saying 'he plays quite well for being four foot five' but Burns is quite complimentary when it comes to the Reds number one.

"Jamie has done really well in recent months. He has been an inspiration for the defence and he has pulled off a number of good saves so I can't say too much about him."

Burns has struggled to seal a regular spot in the Stanley side this season after he missed the first seven games through suspension.

He hasn't been able to secure his regular midfield role and has been playing at the back as injuries and suspensions play havoc with manager John Coleman's plans.

"I don't mind where I play although I do prefer the middle of the park. We had some bad results at the start of the season but as I came back we picked up.

"And I can't complain because the lads in midfield have done really well.

"Looking back, our early results were disappointing but if we collect some silverware from this season (Stanley are in two cup finals) and finish in the top three or four everyone will be saying what a great season it was."

He may stay on and help them push for the Conference next term but he has already had a number of highlights in his career.

Having been at Grimsby for a year when he was 18 he played against Danish side Brondby who were doing a pre-season tour.

"It was a full house at Blundell Park so it was fantastic. We were playing against the likes of Michael Laudrup."

He didn't start any first team games for the Mariners and then Lincoln City came in for him. He turned it down because he knew West Brom were interested.

"But the West Brom deal never materialised and I had already blown it with Lincoln."

He moved to Southport where he met 'Coley' for the first time.

"I thought 'bleedin' hell who is this scoring all these goals'. He was just a goal machine."

Spells at Burscough, Caernarfon and Altrincham followed before he went to Stanley for the first time.

"I have had a lot of clubs but only two in the last 11 years, honest," he said. "The thing I remember most about my first time at Stanley was playing against Crewe in the FA Cup at Ewood Park when there was 10,000 people there."

It was December 1992 and a second round tie, the Reds lost 6-1 but to a large extent the scoreline was irrelevant.

"It was the greatest. Stanley treated us so well in the weeks leading up to it and it was a good experience."

He left the Crown Ground to join Jim Harvey's Morecambe.

"I had no say in the matter as the then boss Ken Wright wanted a swap deal so I had to go but I had a great time at Morecambe. We won promotion to the Conference, and I was double player of the year twice."

He had remained in touch with Coleman - 'we are close friends' - and the gaffer sold Stanley to him again.

"I had done my time at Morecambe, I wanted a change and John told me all about life at Accrington. I went to watch a few games, it was a good set-up and I was impressed so that was that."

The first season in the Premier Division was a learning curve for both Stanley and Burns. He was getting used to the pace of this division after taking a step down while many of his Reds team-mates were finding out all about it as many made a step up.

But this season has been better and, except for a bad start, the Reds could be higher than their current sixth place.

"We still haven't given up on the title yet, you just never know, but I think there is every chance Accrington will do it next season. We are good as anybody in the division and I think we will get into the Conference."

His team-mates will just hope he is there to have a good laugh about it with them.

STANLEY travel to Runcorn tomorrow looking for their first League win in three games.