SEAN Dyche believes Dwight McNeil is showing 'good promise' after the youngster was handed a Burnley debut on the final day of the season.

The 18-year-old ended a breakthrough campaign with a late substitute appearance in the defeat to Bournemouth.

McNeil was named young player of the year at the annual awards do at Turf Moor and signed his first professional contract in April, a two-year deal with the option of a third year in favour of the club.

The former Manchester United youngster shone in an attacking midfield role for Michael Duff's Under-23 side during the season and was part of the first team squad that travelled to Swansea in February.

McNeil was then named on the bench for the Turf Moor finale against the Cherries and replaced Aaron Lennon with a minute to go.

Dyche would have liked to have got him on sooner had the game situation dictated but hopes for McNeil are high amongst the Academy staff and the Burnley boss insisted that the youngster had earned his professional debut and was on the pitch on merit.

“Absolutely, he’s been chipping away at it," the Clarets chief said.

"He’s been with the group training a lot this season, virtually all season, but certainly from Christmas onwards, whenever we could get him across with us.

"We wanted to give him a little taste of it, but he’s earned the right. It was just a shame, of the game was going differently maybe we would have done it earlier.

"But we wanted to give him a little taste, and the crowd took to that, which was great, to see a young player coming through, and we want that to occur, of course.

"He’s still got a lot of work to do, but he’s shown good promise."

McNeil and some of his fellow Turf Moor youngsters could find themselves among the first team squad when Burnley begin their Europa League campaign at the end of July.

"You’d like to think a few of the young lads could get around the squad, depending on recruitment and stuff," Dyche said.

"You’d like to think they could, and get that experience that comes from being around it, the travel, it’s great experience for a young player, with the training and what it all offers."