SAM Vokes is woven into the fabric of much of Burnley’s success in recent years.

From dancing on his crutches at the promotion party of 2014, to sparking the next one with the winner against QPR two years later.

The 29-year-old played his part in the Clarets securing seventh last season and then crashed home Burnley’s first European goal in a generation with his thumping finish at Aberdeen in the summer.

It is perhaps a measure of the man, who left Turf Moor for Stoke City on transfer deadline day, that it is the team achievements, rather than any individual glory, which hold the fondest memories of his seven-year stay in East Lancashire.

“I think just being part of the success was the real highlight,” the striker told the Lancashire Telegraph.

And there was plenty of it for the Welshman who went through it all at Burnley. He joined the Clarets, initially on loan, in November 2011 after managing four starts in four years at Wolves and spending time on loan at a total of six clubs.

At Burnley he found a home and admits his heart will always be at Turf Moor despite his exit.

The switch was led by a desire to play first team football and ensure he remained in the thoughts of Wales manager Ryan Giggs.

Vokes had fallen behind Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood in Sean Dyche’s pecking order and, perhaps unsurprisingly for a man who spent plenty of his early career fighting to earn a run of starts at club level, he was not content with a squad role.

He left having made more than 250 appearances for the club, scoring 62 goals and winning two promotions.

He reserves special praise for the Clarets supporters, who he always had an affinity with. And he repaid them in spades, with 22 goals in the promotion campaign of 2014 before a serious knee injury meant he spent nine months out.

He celebrated promotion dancing on the Turf Moor pitch with his crutches, returned with a goal in his second game back, against Spurs, and, after Burnley were relegated back to the Championship, hit 16 goals to fire them up.

Second time he was able to celebrate in the perfect manner with his goal against QPR sealing Premier League football.

He went to the European Championships with Wales and played a key role in a run to the semi-finals, returning to open his top flight goal account in a memorable win over Liverpool..

He’s had to battle for a starting spot in more recent times but made history as the first player to score for Burnley in the Europa League with his powerful Pittodrie equaliser.

“It was a strange feeling leaving,” said the frontman. “I don’t do social media but I had loads of messages forwarded on to me and leaving the club was a life changing moment.

“The fans have supported me through thick and thin and they have been on the journey with me really.

“No-one expected us to get promoted that first season and the fans have supported me through the good times of promotion and goals and through the bad like my injury.

“I look forward to coming back to Turf Moor both as a fan and as a player, it will always be special for me.”

Picking just one special moment may be too tough an ask for the affable striker but his highlights reel makes for impressive reading.

He said: “There are loads, my first Premier League goal was special, the winner against QPR was a big one. It was a great personal moment for me but to just seal promotion was the main thing. Obviously it is nice to score the goal that does it and as a striker that is what you want but it was just great to be a part of that.

“And the goal against Aberdeen as well. But I think just being part of the success was the real highlight. The promotions and qualifying for Europe were huge for the club and even though it sounds weird the relegation proved a success as well because we went 23 games unbeaten and came back up stronger for the Premier League.

“Some of the best moments in my career have been the promotions from the Championship with Burnley. Particularly because of the way we did it with Burnley when we were underdogs, that probably made it more special.

“I think the reasons behind the success at Burnley is the dressing room they have managed to keep there. There has obviously been a lot of changes over the years but everyone who has come in has brought into it. It almost feels like we had the same team throughout my time there because of the way the dressing room was.”

Vokes is adapting to new surroundings now and although he missed a penalty on his Stoke debut, he said he is settling in to his new club nicely.

“It has been exciting settling in at Stoke,” he said. “The first day was a bit weird not making the drive up to Burnley but I have enjoyed it at Stoke and feel settled now.

“I don’t actually have to move because I was bang in the middle of Stoke and Burnley, so it’s the same travelling distance.

“I had a great time at Burnley but not playing as much as I wanted to in the last season or so was the biggest factor behind the decision to move on. It is a chance to play for a big club and try to challenge for promotion.”