A BLUE plaque in honour of the Clarets’ record appearance holder has been unveiled in the village where he spent most of his life.

The plaque commemorating the life of the club’s former goalkeeper Jerry Dawson is now on display at Mount Lane playing fields, Cliviger.

And the pavilion that now regularly houses youngsters from the Fulledge Colts football team, who use the fields, was also renamed the Jerry Dawson Pavilion during a ceremony on Saturday.

Jerry, who was born 1888 and died in 1970, played 569 competitive games for the Clarets in a career that spanned 21 years and was interrupted by the First World War.

Around 50 people watched the plaque unveiled by youngsters from Fulledge Colts, before former Clarets Jimmy Robson, Frank Casper, Colin Waldron and Stan Ternent, who live in Cliviger, unveiled the new pavilion name.

The plaque and pavilion sign was the brainchild of the Cliviger Archive Group, with funding provided by the Cliviger Recreation and Community Association (CRACA).

Alan Scholes, of the archive group, said: “He is a very, very famous man whose achievements should be celebrated, and we felt it was right to mark the fact that he was born and lived in the village.

“With games that didn’t count during the war he probably played over 700 games for the club and was the best goalkeeper in the country at the time.”

As well as keeping goal for the Clarets, Jerry also used to work in the local pit, and was regularly spotted walking through Towneley Park towards Turf Moor on match days, with his kit and boots slung over his shoulder.

Gary Cocker, chairman of CRACA, which is now disbanding, said: “We are very proud to have contributed towards this plaque before the organisation finishes fundraising.”