SEAN Dyche declared himself a 'proud man' after seeing his Burnley side break into the Premier League's top four with a win over Stoke City.

The Clarets beat their visitors and awful conditions to claim a ninth league success of the season, thanks to Ashley Barnes late strike, which briefly lifted them into the Champions League places.

While Dyche is refusing to get carried away with Burnley's remarkable start to the campaign, he admitted great pride at seeing what his side are achieving.

“I’m proud of a lot of things, not just the league position," the Turf chief said.

"How the club’s been managed from top to bottom, how were bringing it forward each season, we’ve worked very hard to create records, but they are markers in time, not about all the things you don’t see, all the little details, work for, myself, my staff and the players to keep this club moving forward.

“I’m proud of all of that, when a bad day comes, you’re still proud, it’s not as easy job we have to do.

“I’m proud, super proud, prouder than the proudest man in proudsville!

“Markers in time and records are great to look back on, but in 20 years or so, it’s more about the next game for me.

“We don’t want to take anything for granted because the game owes you nothing. We’re on a great run again, but the next one owes you nothing."

In heavy rain and freezing temperatures it looked like Burnley were going to miss out on their chance to infiltrate the top four until Barnes rose from the bench to fire home a dramatic late winner.

“It was a really hard night, a really awkward game with the weather and the feel of it, and it was a grind, to be honest, for both teams," Dyche said.

“I was super pleased because they’ve come off a tough result and had to give a response, and I think they did.

“We weren’t quite at the races in the early part of the game, and we had to work out way back into the game, and came more into it in the second half.

“Credit to them, they’ve come off a bad result and changed their shape, and were cleverly direct into Crouch and played that well, and effectively, and we’ve had to defend really well.

“So really pleased, there’s other games where we’ve played a lot better and won, and we’ve had to grind and find those margins tonight, but in all of that, a moment of real quality.

“A great ball from Jack Cork into the front, fantastic play between Barnesy and Scott, simple but effective, and Barnesy’s final touch and hit, I think that’s an absolutely top drawer hit.

"The conditions were as bad as I’ve seen in a long time.

“The wind is swirling, the rain is all over the place, the pitch is taking a battering, but I’m really pleased with that result, it’s probably one of the most pleasing of the season in different ways."