SEAN Dyche believes Burnley’s promotion to the Premier League must rank as a ‘historic’ achievement in English football.

The Clarets sealed their place in the top flight yesterday thanks to a 2-0 home win over Wigan , having been one of the favourites for relegation from the Championship at the start of the season.

The Clarets boss said: “I think this promotion is historic.

“The challenges of the Championship are getting harder and harder because clubs who are relegated are getting richer and richer and some of them are just getting richer by their backers, so to do it automatically is the thing that is getting harder and harder.

“To do it in the play-offs, who knows? But to do it automatically and amass the points we have with a very low budget in the grand scheme of this division – I think is incredible.

“I’m not sure those sorts of markers will be achieved again. That’s why I’m unbelievably delighted because it’s not just about this football club, it’s a marker in history.”

Dyche has kept a lid on his emotions all season, so focused was he on making sure promotion was achieved.

But, while showering his players with praise, he did not shy away from the fact that this was the biggest achievement of his football career.

“It’s internal celebration for me but internally I can assure you I’m more delighted than you’d ever know,” he said.

“It’s a great occasion for me with my wife and my children here.

“It’s the destination at the end of a long journey and an impressive journey from a group of people who are totally motivated and committed to stand the test of what a season is.

“For me as a manager it’s an incredible feeling so early in my career. I’m still learning and still developing I think.

“To guide a group of people to get to this moment is just a major achievement for me and my staff, and for the players and the club.”

Dyche admits even he has been surprised that Burnley have secured automatic promotion with two games to spare.

He added: “To say that we’d get it here with two games to go and amass 89 points, that’s a surprise.

“But to say that we’d be competitive in every game we go into, that’s not a surprise. That was our marker.

“We couldn’t guarantee anything. Two days before the season Charlie Austin got sold and there were question marks.

“But Sam Vokes has been amazing, he has been a player who has probably developed the most this season. Danny Ings has come to the fore, Kieran Trippier, Duffo, Shacks, Tom Heaton, Jonah runs miles, Marns, Ben Mee is developing into a very mature player.

“I could name every one of them and I’m proud of everything that they’ve given.

“This club is a rarity. It is the people’s club. The football club is a massive part of the town and the town is a massive part of the football club, “That connection is there and we’ve just enhanced it, it’s always been there for 132 years.”

Dyche said he was not thinking about the Premier League just yet.

“There’s a time to think about that and it’s not now, we’ll enjoy the moment,” he said.

“There are some interesting times ahead, I’m sure of that.”