A FORMER footballer has slammed his old club and rejected an invitation to guest star at today’s game between Burnley and Swansea City.

Leighton James, 64, who played 399 games for the Clarets in three spells at Turf Moor, was due to be the half-time guest at the Premier League clash and wanted to be accompanied by his grandchildren – one wearing a Burnley shirt and the other a Swansea kit.

But the request was rejected by the Clarets meaning Mr James, who also played 88 games for the Swans, will instead stay in South Wales after what the club described as a “gross misunderstanding”.

Mr James said he had wanted his Burnley-based one-year-old granddaughter to wear a Clarets jersey with his three-year-old grandson – who lives in the Swansea area – to wear a visitors’ kit and accompany him on the pitch at the half-time break.

But a spokesman for the Clarets said they were only told about his grandson and him appearing in a Swansea shirt. Otherwise they would have been prepared for both grandchildren to attend wearing their respective teams’ kit.

Mr James told the Lancashire Telegraph: “Burnley have been great in the past in how they treat their former players and I have always had a great time there when I have been back before.

“But I was told by the club that with my three-year-old grandson wearing a Swansea kit could possibly incite crowd trouble. What is the world coming to?

“He would be on the pitch, with his grandad who has played the odd game for Burnley, and his cousin wearing a Burnley kit. Surely that’s harmony? All clubs do it.

“I was told early last week and I told them I won’t be going at the weekend and I won’t be going back. I’m disgusted.

“How is a three-year-old going to incite a riot? It’s not as if he’s be wandering around on his own. He’ll be with his grandad.

“It’s not as if I’d asked to take my grandchildren in Cardiff City and Blackburn Rovers shirts is it?

“I feel sorry for the real football people of Burnley after a decision like this. This decision has been taken by people who know nothing about football and just sit behind a desk all day.

“Bob Lord (former Burnley chairman) was the best football man I ever worked with and this just wouldn’t have happened in his day.

“He’d be spinning in his grave. But it’s not a problem. It’s saved me a long journey and I won’t go again.

“Burnley has always had a reputation as a family club, but that’s obviously very firmly gone.

“I feel sorry for them if this is the way the game is going. It’s political correctness gone mad.”

A spokesman for Burnley FC said: “Mr James mentioned that he wanted to bring his grandson onto the pitch at half-time, wearing a Swansea shirt,” said a club spokesperson.

“This was felt by those members of staff responsible for such matters as a little inappropriate.

“During these conversations, we were never told about another grandchild, who we now understand was to wear a Burnley shirt.

“Had we known this, we could have gladly arranged something.”