A FORMER Clarets goalkeeping star who is putting his career collection of soccer memorabilia under the hammer declared today: "I am not destitute and this is no slur on Burnley FC."

Medals, caps and jerseys relating to the career of 1970s England under 23 soccer keeper Alan Stevenson are expected to fetch up to £5,000 at auction at Bonhams in Devon on October 15.

The collection includes recognition of a rare feat - winning the championship of three English divisions in a career spanning more than 620 league games for Chesterfield, Burnley, Rotherham United and Hartlepool United.

Stevenson played eleven times for England under 23s and he retired in 1985 after a 15 year professional career.

But the man who kept goal at Turf Moor for 12 years said today financial pressure played no part in his decision to sell his collection.

"I am certainly not destitute and there is no need for me to let them go," Alan, 48, now a sales manager at Wembley Stadium told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph today.

He explained: "The fact is they have been sitting in the loft for 20 years and my two sons are not worried about keeping them.

"It will be nice to have the money, but the real point is I think it would be better for a collector who would get real pleasure from the collection to have it. I will always have great memories of my career and they will always be with me." Alan, commercial manager at Huddersfield Town FC for six years before moving to Wembley in May stressed the sale was in no way a slur on Burnley FC or the town. "I have nothing but very fond memories of both - I wouldn't have stayed for 12 years had that not been so," he added.

The Stevenson collection for sale includes a yellow Scottish inter-league goalkeeper's jersey which the player acquired as a swap after the 2-2 draw against the Scottish League at Hampden Park in 1973 and is expected to fetch up to £350. A silver medal awarded for the same game should make up to £300.

His yellow England jersey from the game against Portugal in Lisbon in 1974 should realise up to £300 and the one from a 1972 match against Wales may go for around £200.

The Division Four champions medal he won with Chesterfield in 1970 should attract bids of up to £400, while the Division Three championship medal won with Burnley in 1982 is estimated at £200-£300.

A gold Division Two championship plaque awarded to Stevenson when Burnley won the Second Division championship in 1973 may go for around £300. A Charity Shield plaque from the match in which Burnley defeated Manchester City 1-0 in 1973 is estimated to realise a similar price.

Other England under 23 caps and jerseys awarded for matches played against Turkey, France, Wales, Holland, Scotland, Czechoslovakia and Denmark all bear estimates ranging up to £200.

Stevenson's collection of programmes of matches he played in between 1969 and 1985 should fetch up to £300.

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