Sam Vokes could not resist celebrating a goal against Saints for the first time on Saturday.

The Saints-supporting Burnley striker’s winner on Saturday was his third goal in four games at St Mary’s and his fourth overall against the club that rejected him as a schoolboy.

But it was the first he has celebrated with such passion against the team he was cheering on from the stands at Anfield and Wembley in last season’s EFL Cup.

Sam’s dad Tim, who owns Vokes Concrete Flooring in Freemantle, watched the game with his fellow Saints fans while more than 20 family members and friends looked on from the Burnley end.

He said: “After being on the bench for so long, which he hates, Sam could not resist celebrating. There was a lot of pent-up frustration from not playing regularly and it just spilled over!

“It doesn’t normally happen, Sam’s still Southampton at heart. – he certainly didn’t celebrate when he helped relegate us from the Championship in 2009!”

Eight years after being rejected by Saints when he was 11, Sam netted a first-minute header past Kelvin Davis in a 3-0 Wolves win at Molineux in April 2009.

The Wales striker’s two previous St Mary’s goals were both scored with Burnley 3-0 down.

They went on to lose 4-3 in the FA Cup third round four seasons ago and he netted a consolation penalty in last season’s corresponding game, a 3-1 Saints win.

His 81st-minute winner on Saturday, after replacing Chris Wood midway through the second half, was far more important.

It was the former Cherries star’s first goal since scoring twice in Burnley’s 3-2 win at Chelsea on the opening day of the season.

Since then Vokes has only been given three Premier League starts by Sean Dyche, so the celebrations continued long after the final whistle.

“Sam’s wife Maddy was in the Burnley end with my other son Matt and his girlfriend and lots of his friends,” continued Tim, who saw his first Saints game a a five year-old in 1967.

“I don’t have a season ticket anymore as I watch Burnley more than Saints but was in the Itchen North Stand with my mates because it’s nearest the away end!

“It was strange game for me, obviously a point for both teams would have been the perfect result but we were very cautious considering we were the home side.

“Sam’s mum [Penny] was gutted to miss the game.

“She had a pre-arranged trip and was even more disappointed to have missed it when she heard that Sam scored the winner!”