PAUL Weller is fighting fit and ready to wipe-out the memory of last season's injury hell.

The Clarets' midfielder feels he never hit the heights last season after failing to fully recover from an injury picked up in pre-season training.

And Weller, now in his 10th year at Turf Moor, is determined to make up for lost time by showing his true colours in the coming campaign.

He said: "I've never had a harder pre-season than this, but I feel I need it. Last season petered away badly for everyone after the Watford game, but from a personal point of view I had a bad start and never recovered.

"I got injured after a couple of days of pre-season training and it's the worst thing that can happen to you in football.

"I came back and still made the bench for the first league game of the season, but I was still playing catch-up.

"The lads had done so many runs and played all the pre-season games and I was well behind.

"Eventually, I got back into my stride and picked up another little, niggly injury. Over Christmas I felt quite strong and everything was going well, but all of a sudden I was injured again and it was a bad end to the season.

"It was probably the worst time I've had since a serious stomach injury quite a few years ago."

Weller, 28, is now back in his stride ahead of the forthcoming campaign, which kicks off with a trip to the Isle of Man next week.

Travelling Clarets' fans will hopefully get their first glimpse of new signings Mo Camara, Lee Roche, Brian Jensen and Manchester United loanee Luke Chadwick.

And Weller expects more new faces to arrive over the coming weeks and toughen up the competition in the Clarets midfield.

He added: "The gaffer had to bring a few younger legs in and I would imagine quite a few more will come yet.

"There are not many older legs left now and I've certainly never seen a big change like this.

"Normally, the gaffer has brought in three or four players at most, but with quite a lot going there is pressure on everyone at the club."

"Competition is always healthy for the team though. There are already quite few of us who can play in midfield and it will be interesting to see who else arrives, that's for sure."