BARRY Kilby says Burnley have become braced for interest in manager Sean Dyche since their Premier League season, but believes they will keep hold of him.

When recent Premier League vacancies arose at Sunderland and Aston Villa, Dyche was among the leading names in the frame.

Those jobs were ultimately filled by Sam Allardyce and Remi Garde respectively. With question marks now over Garry Monk’s future at Swansea City there is bound to be speculation again about the Clarets boss.

Former chairman Kilby, who was appointed vice-chairman last month, says it is an ongoing concern, but admitted it is a consequence of having good people at the club, including players.

“Now, with such a manager every time someone goes you wonder if they’re going to come in for Sean,” said Kilby. “But it’s a price you pay for having good people in the building.”

Dyche did not panic when top scorer Charlie Austin was sold on the eve of the 2013/14. Instead he encouraged a partnership between Danny Ings and Sam Vokes that went on to yield a total of 47 goals and fired Burnley to automatic promotion.

The Clarets went on to lose key players Ings, Kieran Trippier and captain Jason Shackell after relegation 12 months later, but the Burnley boss recruited well to put the club in with a strong chance of a top flight return.

Kilby added: “I’m really proud this time having lost three really talented players in Tripps, Ingsy and Shackell but we’ve put something together.

“His (Dyche’s) man management is pretty spot on to deal with that.

“And for the first time in a while we don’t have to keep having to sell somebody for a source of revenue.

“Although we’ve done quite well out of it previously, it’s nice, because it’s always one of those things that Burnley has had to do.”

And Kilby believes Dyche has ingrained himself in the town over his stay at Turf Moor.

“You can’t argue with the record,” Kilby said of Dyche.

“We have little laughs about things. He talks about pessimism but I say ‘That’s just how we’re brought up in Burnley’.

“Anything that went well in my family, my mother would say: ‘It won’t last’. I can hear her saying it now.

“There’s a certain attitude in Burnley.

“I am known as the club pessimist. I’ve even been heard to say ‘We’ve scored too early’. I’ve done that once or twice.