Burnley's veteran Scotland international fullback Graham Alexander says he owes his late career success to Everton boss Dave Moyes.

Arsenal face Burnley tomorrow in the FA Cup and Alexander recalled the time when he signed for Moyes' Preston: "I told David Moyes my dad Andrew, a lorry driver from Glasgow, was Scottish, because he was asking about my background. He made a joke about getting me into the Scotland squad one day.

"I was 28. You have to take it with a pinch of salt. But three years later - in fact, it was the week after he left for Everton - I was included in the Scotland squad. If it hadn't been for playing under him, I'm sure I wouldn't have got that far. He turned my career around.

"I changed positions from right midfield to right back, then David got hold of me and he was on my case - for about two years and 11 months! But it was just what I needed and I'm eternally grateful to him. He was very hard on me and it took me a long time to realise why he was doing it. I used to fight back against it and we'd have rows. I thought that he was picking on me.

"Then after a year-and-a -half he told me he'd spoken to Craig Brown about getting me in the Scotland squad.

"He said 'That's why I'm always on your case, I know that you can do better.'

"It finally got through that he was doing it for my own good. He made me a better footballer so I owe him a lot."