PAUL McVeigh has thanked Burnley for turning his season around.

The on-loan Norwich striker has been an integral part of the Clarets' strong end to the season after arriving at Turf Moor at the end of March.

But it's a scenario the 29-year-old admits he could have only dreamed about at the turn of the year.

For much of his season at Carrow Road, the Northern Ireland international was reduced to late cameo appearances off the bench.

Clarets boss Steve Cotterill offered him a lifeline when he plucked the 5ft 6ins predator from their Championship rivals as he sought out options to help end his side's run of 18 league games without a win.

McVeigh's impact was almost immediate as he scored the second goal in a 4-0 win over Plymouth to end that barren spell in only his second game.

His other strike, against Cardiff City that rounded off a 14-pass move involving all bar one outfield player, was voted goal of the season at the club's official awards night this week.

And the former Tottenham Hotspur trainee, who is out of contract at Norwich in the summer, has revealed his gratitude to Burnley for breathing life back into his season.

"I can't believe my season's turned around from a couple of months ago," McVeigh said.

"I thought my season was going nowhere - a bit of a dead end and a bit of a wasted year - but it's completely turned on its head and I've got a chance ot play some games and score a couple of goals."

When McVeigh scored against Plymouth it was his first goal in 13 months, but he admitted there was no secret to him following that up quickly with the Cardiff goal two games later.

"I wasn't playing down in Norwich, buy my background there - not to blow my own trumpet or anything - was scoring one in every three games that I started.

"So I knew if I got a chance and played games that I would score goals. It's the confidence you need to have, I think, if you're going to play up front opr as an attacker.

"But I think that's all I needed - an opportunity to play some football.

"I've come up here and I'm so pleased that it's actually worked out and I haven't gone a season without scoring a goal because I have never done that before in my career."

Of his award-winning goal, he added: "It wasn't actually the best finish of the season, but I think there was only Eric Djemba-Djemba who didn't touch the ball.

"Wade's strike last week at Sunderland probably should have won it - the more spectacular the better for me. That's why people pay to watch football matches to see goals like that. But I was delighted."