Clarets Star Insists Burnley 'Feel Premier League' After Last Season's Top Flight Survival

Burnley striker Sam Vokes has discussed how he feels that the club have solidified themselves as a Premier League team after securing safety at the end of last season.

After bouncing straight back into England's top flight in the 2015/16 season after their relegation the previous campaign, the Clarets now head into their second successive term in the Premier League, and Vokes has claimed that it's given the squad a newfound confidence. 

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“Altogether, individually and as a squad, we feel Premier League now." He told Burnley Express.

“We came up last time and went straight back down but we gave it another good go. With our home form especially we feel a massive part of it.

“We’ve got some great players now and some great competition for those places. There’s some real talent in the squad. "

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The 27-year-old credits this summer's arrivals for boosting the team's belief in their quality, with players such as Jack Cork, Phil Bardsley and Jonathon Walters all boasting good top flight experience.

“You see the players coming in already and Bardsley coming in as well will add to that competition. It can only bode well for the squad because there’s strength in every position now. 

“There’s a lot of great Premier League experience coming in now so I think it’s another big step for the club to be bringing those kind of players in. The core of the squad has been through both sides of it so the experience is there. I think there’s strength in numbers and we’ve got the experience.”

Burnley's first game this season comes as an away fixture to current champions Chelsea on Saturday August 12.