On the day that Graham Turner marked his return to Shrewsbury Town, it was fitting that another club legend should be watching on.

Frank Clarke scored 89 goals in 218 games for the club in the 1960s – a tally bettered only by the late, great Arthur Rowley (167 goals in all competitions) and the mercurial Jimmy McLaughlin (100 goals).

And the 68-year-old was invited as the first special guest at the Greenhous Meadow this season to mark the club’s 125th anniversary.

Clarke was given the VIP treatment for Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Bradford City and got a rousing reception from the home fans when he was presented to the ground at half-time.

It brought the memories flooding back for Clarke, who marked his home debut for the club in the most dramatic of fashions way back in1962.

“What stands out more than anything was that in the first league game I ever played at the Gay Meadow I scored three,” he recalled.

“It was against Bristol Rovers and we beat them 7-2. I was made up after that, I was here for a long time and I loved it.

“My brother Wayne played here and he loved it too (Clarke junior scored 29 in 76 appearances in two spells in the 1990s).”

Frank Clarke went on to play for Queens Park Rangers, Ipswich and Carlisle after leaving Shrewsbury, but insists there was never any doubt that he would return to Shropshire.

Working for 28 years at the Sports Centre in Wem, he only retired a week before Christmas last year.

“I support Shrewsbury more than anyone else because they gave me my first chance,” added Clarke.

“I used to say that to players at other clubs. As soon as we got to the end of a match I’d be asking straight away: ‘How did the Town get on?’

“I still come to as many matches as I can. I’ve finished work now so I can get to a lot more.

“The new ground is absolutely brilliant, I would love to play there,” he added.

“I liked the old Gay Meadow, I scored some nice goals there.”

By CHRIS HUDSON