PICTURE Frank Worthington at his swaggering best, Peter Reid holding all the aces in the mifield pack, Willie Morgan on the wing, Big Sam and Paul Jones commanding figures at the heart of the defence.

Neil Whatmore conjured up the images as he surveyed the Reebok scene on Monday night.

"I'd love to have seen the lads playing here in the Premiership," the former Wanderers' top scorer said, reminiscing about the good old Burnden days under Ian Greaves.

"We had a great team and there was a magnificent spirit because we'd come through together or been together a long time - me, Reidy, Big Sam, Jonesy, Mike Walsh, Roy Greaves, Ritty (John Ritson)."

Whatmore scored 121 goals in 338 games for Wanderers and topped the club's scoring charts in five of his 11 seasons at Burnden - two of which were in the old First Division. In his best season - 76-77 - he scored 31 in 51 appearances to finish joint top scorer with Garry Jones.

He now lives in Mansfield, where he is head of the caretaking department at a college. But his family are Wanderers and gets to the Reebok when he can to support his old team and his old mate.

"Sam's done a fabulous job here, he really has, and with hardly any money to spend. It's fantastic to see what he has done and how things have changed in such a short time.

"I just can't help looking back and wondering ..."