MIKE Summerbee once starred alongside Michael Caine, Sylvester Stallone, Bobby Moore and Pele in Escape to Victory.

The ex-Claret hopes Steven Fletcher can be the star of Burnley’s modern day version.

‘Now Is The Time For Heroes’, read the strapline to the 1981 film about football and Allied prisoners of war.

With Premier League survival at stake, with six games to go, the Clarets would wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment.

But Summerbee, who played Sid Harmor in the cult classic, is caught between a rock and a hard place today. He has a love affair with both Burnley and Manchester City, who make their first visit to Turf Moor for the first time since 2001.

Still employed by City, earning the title of club ambassador around four months ago, he has a vested interest in the Blues. He won the title, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the European Cup Winners’ Cup during 10 years at Maine Road.

He wants them to clinch that coveted fourth spot and secure Champions League football for the very first time, but he also hopes the Clarets stay up.

The 67-year-old experienced relegation from the top flight with Burnley at the end of his first season at Turf Moor, in 1976. Until this season, it was the last time they featured at English football’s top table, and to this day he blames himself for the start of their demise.

“I think if I had arrived a couple of seasons earlier I could have made a bigger contribution, but I was coming to the end of my career,” reflected former winger Summerbee, who was 32 when he arrived for £25,000 from City.

“I felt I let the club down a little bit.

“The fans were always very good to me, but I was slightly past my sell-by date.

“Perhaps we couldn’t have gone down if I hadn’t have been. It’s not nice when you get relegated.”

Thirty-four years on, he is desperate for Burnley not to suffer a similar fate.

Carlos Tevez has been instrumental in leading City’s charge.

“I would have loved to have played alongside him. He’s exceptional – a player that would have been well suited to the 60s and 70s because he works very hard for what he gets, and I think every footballer of my era and before would say the same. He looks content, and we’re happy to have him,” said the England international.

In the Clarets camp, he feels top scorer Fletcher can provide the survival spark.

The young Scot was on target the last time these two teams met in November, when Burnley recorded their only away point to date.

And Summerbee has been impressed with what he has seen of the 23-year-old.

“I think he’s a good player. They’ve got one or two there, especially among the forwards,” he said.

“They work as a team, but Fletcher sticks out.

“He’s got good ability and he’s a good goalscorer. He’s definitely someone who we’ve got to watch out for.”

Preston-born Summerbee is also looking forward to being reunited with another Fletcher too – Clarets chief executive Paul, a former team-mates at Turf Moor who he fondly calls ‘Cyril’ after the English comedian.

“The club’s in good hands when he is involved because he knows the game inside out and he has Burnley’s best interests at heart,” said Summerbee.

“For me, the opportunity to play for them was fantastic, and it was brilliant when they got promoted.

“Everyone’s talking as if they’re down already, but I still think they’ve got a great opportunity to stay up and hopefully results will go their way after tonight.

“Burnley’s not a big club, but it’s a great club.”