WHEN Sam Vokes first walked through the door at Turf Moor Europe was a place you went on your holidays rather than to play football.

After an encouraging three-month loan spell in 2011/12, Vokes arrived permanently in July 2012 but soon found the manager that signed him, Eddie Howe, leaving, as the club floundered in mid-table mediocrity in the Championship.

Less than six years on from signing that first contract at Burnley Vokes' goal at Watford last weekend has helped move the Clarets to the brink of European football.

Victory over Leicester at Turf Moor on Saturday should all but wrap up a top-seven finish, which will be enough for Europa League qualification if Southampton don't win the FA Cup.

"It would be huge. From the club I turned up at a few years ago it's a massive turnaround," Vokes said of the European dream.

"We were always going for survival in the Premier League but to take it on this season and push for a European spot is huge.

"For a club like this it shows what a good group of lads can achieve.

"European football is something that we never even dreamed of at the start of the year. When you look at it all you want to do is stay in the league. We've taken that on this year, ticked that off and now we'll see where it takes us.

"It would be some story and great to do it with Burnley. In the time that I've been here it's something that we've never dreamed of. We've not achieved it yet but it's something that we can look to achieve."

Two years on from Leicester's own miracle season, when the Foxes won the Premier League, the Clarets are producing a tale to remember as well in this campaign.

They are already nine points better off than last season and with just six games to go Sean Dyche's side are only five points behind Arsenal in sixth.

While Vokes admits the title success of Claudio Ranieri's side is never likely to be topped, he believes the 2-1 win at Watford last weekend, which made it seven away wins for the season, is another sign of the progress at Burnley.

"Leicester's story was amazing and I took think anybody will top that but this is huge," said Vokes.

"This is our own little journey and to be pushing for Europe is massive.

"Leicester's success was a huge achievement but for us, who people look at as 'little Burnley', we've shown that we can come to these kind of places in the Premier League and get the wins, especially on the back of last year when it took us until the final away game to do it.

"We're on the back of three massive away wins now."

The Clarets could land a knockout blow to Leicester in the race for seventh this weekend by making it five successive Premier League wins, and Vokes admits confidence is flowing through the ranks at Turf Moor at the moment.

"It's a big game in that fight for seventh spot. For us it's important that we keep this going," the 28-year-old said.

"We've got great belief in the team that we can go in to any game and win at the minute."