BURNLEY goalkeeper Tom Heaton has always believed he would win a senior England cap because he sets himself such massive targets, according to his father.

The Clarets No 1 and captain arrived in Chantilly, France, with the rest of Roy Hodgson’s Three Lions squad earlier this week as they prepare for Saturday’s Euro 2016 Group B opener against Russia.

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Heaton is No 3 in Hodgson’s squad behind Joe Hart, of Manchester City, and Southampton stopper Fraser Forster.

But Dave Heaton hopes now his son is with the senior squad he can push on to challenge for a starting spot. He said: “I know he has (always thought he would get a senior England cap) because he’s always setting himself strong targets.

“Every year, whichever team and whichever club he has been with. He has wanted to get a cap at senior level and he’s got one now. Hopefully he can cement his place in the squad now and move upwards from No 3.”

Heaton started his career at Manchester United, before deciding to leave Old Trafford in order to get first team football, which Heaton Snr says was a brave call.

He said: “Tom signed for Manchester United when he was 11 and was there for 12 years.

“Sir Alex Ferguson pulled him in the office and offered him another contract, and he said, ‘Gaffer, thanks but no thanks, I need to play’.

“So it was Tom’s decision, not Manchester United’s. He progressed at Manchester United. They were absolutely fantastic with him.

“They took him out of school in Chester at 16, put him in school in Manchester, he got three A-levels. He played all over the world and trained with the first team for a long time.

“He thoroughly enjoyed it, but it was time to go and play, so off he went.”

The journey from Old Trafford to Turf Moor took in Swindon, Antwerp, Cardiff, London, Rochdale, Wycombe and Bristol.

But according to his dad, who is from the town, he has found his perfect home at Burnley where Tom, working alongside a manager his admires and respects in Sean Dyche, is flourishing.

He lifted the Championship title last season and can now look forward to testing himself against some of Europe’s best strikers week in, week out.

Dave added: “He loves the club, loves the manager, loves the lads. There’s no big-time Charlies – it’s a perfect fit for him. What you see is what you get with Sean Dyche. Tom said he’s the same every day, nobody gets any special treatment."

As for next season, Heaton Snr just wants to see the club stay in the richest top flight in history.

“Survival in the Premier League would be progression,” he said. “If they went back down, that would be tough.

“I think the club have got to give the manager some cash to strengthen, but they will have learned a lot, Dyche will have learned a lot (from last time).

“If they can survive I think that would be great.”