SEAN Dyche is baffled by the ‘big spending’ tag that Burnley have acquired this season.

But the Clarets boss is ready to make more moves in the January transfer market if the money is there to maintain another Championship charge.

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Before recent derbies against Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers both opposition managers commented on how much Burnley had spent on boosting their squad in the summer.

What they omitted was that with the sales of Kieran Trippier (£3million) and Jason Shackell (£4m), and a compensation figure for Danny Ings’ move to Liverpool they should at least break even, without even dipping into their Premier League parachute payment purse.

Both of Burnley’s neighbours are suffering for previous years of gross overspending.

Bolton’s bottom line debt in August stood at a staggering is £182.1million, while in January this year Rovers’ net debt rose from £54.5m to £79.8m.

In contrast, Burnley will post a substantial profit when the annual accounts are revealed to shareholders in December.

But there is a perception from the outside looking in that the Clarets are splashing the cash.

“It’s funny how that gets banded about – Burnley have got money. It’s good, it means we’re being productive and I will spend it and I will spend more if I get it,” said manager Dyche.

“It’s there to be spent, within reason. The club is in fantastic shape.”

And Dyche feels that both he, and the club, have earned the right to utilise some of their earnings after a year in the Premier League, having got there on a shoestring budget.

“I’ve never hidden behind it. People forget that in our first 18 months we spent zero. It’s not like I haven’t had my time spending zero,” said the Burnley boss, whose first cash purchase was to sign Ashley Barnes from Brighton for an undisclosed fee.

“There is a process and a building process we’ve had to go to as a club.

“I hope they do that (at Blackburn) because Gary (Bowyer) is a good man and he’s working hard with his players.”

But he reserved particular praise for his own players, and feels there is more to come.

“We’re going about our business well, we still think we can add to it,” he said.

“There are still relationships forming, particularly with the front two and people affecting it from the bench.

“We still think there is more to come, but we have to work for there to be more to come of course.”

Of derby matchwinner Scott Arfield – a free transfer from Huddersfield Town in the summer of 2013 – Dyche added: “Scott has been productive for us. He’s a good player and he sticks to his task.

“Behind that, you have to have a framework of the team, you have to have an understanding of the organisation and all those old traits – will, desire, passion, belief. They all come into play.

“Getting 23 (points) out of 10 games is very productive, at any level of football, especially in the Championship.”