THE Burnley team coach pulled up at Abtenau on Tuesday evening to be met by a grinning Greek goalkeeper familiar to just a few on board.

Graham Branch, chief scout Cliff Roberts and kit man Daryl Bielby were the only club representatives to recall Nik Michopoulos from his Burnley days.

A lot of water has flowed under the bridge at Gawthorpe since Stan Ternent took Nik on trial in 2000.

Who would have thought that five years on Burnley would be rebuilding under new management, while Greece would be crowned European champions?

The former Greek international has since jumped aboard the renaissance in his homeland by taking up the role of goalkeeping coach with PAOK Salonika, Burnley's first opponents here in Austria.

And despite the passing years, it's good to see Michopoulos has not forgotten the first English words he learned from Ternent and Ronnie Jepson during his early days in a foreign country.

Spotting Bielby, the giant stopper threw out one of his shovel hands, broke into a broad grin and roared an expletive.

Thankfully, the vocabulary has grown significantly since and the 35-year-old is now able to recall his days at Turf Moor with great affection.

"I am very happy to see so many people from Burnley," said Michopoulos, who was a focal point for the hundreds of Clarets fans who travelled to watch the pre-season friendly.

"There is only Branchy (Graham Branch) left that I know from the playing side, but I also played with Ade Akinbiyi at Crystal Palace and it was good to see Cliff, Daryl and all the Burnley supporters.

"I have much regard for everybody at the club and I was very happy when I found out we would be playing Burnley because I have many great memories of my time there. I loved it and I savoured every win."

Michopoulos became an instant hero on his Burnley debut in September 2000 when he saved a penalty in a Coca Cola Cup clash with Crystal Palace - one of his best memories.

Another - his league debut - soon followed when regular first choice stopper Paul Crichton was infamously delayed in traffic on the way to Huddersfield.

Michopoulos went on to make 85 league starts for the Clarets before being released in the summer of 2003.

"From there I signed for Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus, the number one club there," he added.

"I played Champions League games and was there for one year before I stopped playing.

"PAOK then phoned me to ask me to become the goalkeeping coach, and that was fantastic because it was going back home.

"I have a great time there now. I like the job and I have finished my education and got the qualifications to help me give it my best."

Michopoulos's happiness will today be complete when he is reunited with best friend and former PAOK team mate Theo Zagorakis - the star of Euro 2004 - who will rejoin the Greeks after completing his move from Bologna.

But Burnley still holds a special place in the goalkeeper's heart and nothing gave him greater pleasure than seeing the Clarets hit the headlines last season with their unforgettable victory over European Champions Liverpool.

"I still look out for Burnley's score most weeks," Michopoulos revealed. "I saw them beat Liverpool in the FA Cup and that was incredible.

"I still try to find out everything I can, and the Internet makes that easy."

Sadly, the reunion was brief and Michopoulos just found time to be dragged in goal for an impromptu penalty shoot-out with the travelling Burnley fans.

Typically, he saved quite a few!