BURNLEY-born defender Tom Anderson still dreams of the day he can pull on the shirt of his boyhood club in a competitive game for the first time.

Now 23, Anderson has come through the ranks at Turf Moor. He's spent over a decade at the club and his trip with the first-team squad to Ireland is the fourth time he has gone away on a summer tour.

Although he is still awaiting that elusive first appearance for the club he grew up supporting, Anderson is determined to keep working hard to try and fulfill his dream.

"I do dream of it," he told the Lancashire Telegraph at Burnley's Carton House base, near Dublin.

"Ever since I signed for Burnley at eight or nine, and watching them when I was younger at Turf I have.

"Hopefully one day that can be me and I’ll keep working to try and get there."

Despite having never played for the club that holds his registration Anderson doesn't lack for experience.

His next senior appearance will be his 100th and he has gained plenty from two loan spells at Chesterfield over the last two seasons, making 53 appearances in League One.

"It’s been brilliant for me," the towering centre back said of his spell with the Spireites.

"It was a tough season last season in the end getting relegated, but that makes you tougher and smarter and makes you realise how hard you’ve got to work to get where you want to be."

Anderson is one of three outfield players in Ireland who are fighting to make the grade through the Clarets Academy, along with Aiden O'Neill and Dan Agyei.

He believes training alongside his more senior colleagues throughout the week, as well as living alongside them for five days, can only help his own game.

"It’s brilliant, you pick up little things on and off the pitch which helps you progress at what you would like to progress at," he said.

"You see things and think ‘I might try that’ and it helps you in everyday life and on the pitch."

And Anderson isn't short of people to learn from at Burnley, with boss Sean Dyche a former centre back, and he has helped bring the best out of Ben Mee and Michael Keane, before his move to Everton, in that position.

"He’s been brilliant, look at Keane recently," Anderson said of that development record.

"Hopefully I can breakthrough at some point and have a good go."

  • The Lancashire Telegraph is following Burnley on tour in association with Accrington Clarets Supporters Club