SUMMER signing Gareth Taylor plans to make the feel-good factor pay dividends for himself and Burnley when he kicks off the new season as a fully fledged Claret.

Taylor this week formally put pen to paper on a three-year deal at Turf Moor once his existing contract with Manchester City had expired.

At 28, it's been a crucial move for the striker, whose career had stalled at Maine Road.

And having committed himself to the Clarets, where he impressed during a 15-game loan spell at the end of last season, Taylor is ready to show what he's made of in familiar surroundings.

He said: "It had to be right and like I've said to my family and friends it was all about me being happy. It was a move I wanted to make for my peace of mind.

"I enjoyed my spell at Burnley last season and if you are happy on the pitch you are going to play well.

"Sometimes when you move it's a bit of an unknown quantity but I know what I'm going to get with Burnley and I'm looking forward to it.

"It will be nice to start the season with a fresh impetus. I've not had that for a while, probably since I was at Sheffield United, so I'm looking forward to getting back and showing everyone my true value.

"Before I've started off in the squad system or on the bench and it takes a while to stamp your authority, so it will be nice to start off knowing you've got a chance.

"It's been said that I've got the ability but I need to perform week-in, week-out and I felt towards the end of last season I did that. I need to carry that on and improve, for myself and the team."

An improvement on last season's seventh-placed finish will take Burnley into the play-offs and that's the target Taylor will have in mind when he checks in for pre-season training next Tuesday.

He said: "That's definitely in our reach, if not to go even better. But that's definitely our aim.

"We have nothing to fear in this league. Looking at the start there are some big teams and some tough-looking games but once you start and play these teams I'm sure we'll do well.

"We did that at City. We thought we would struggle and ended up going up in second."

Boss Stan Ternent had chased QPR striker Peter Crouch and may yet bring in another front man.

But even if that doesn't materialise, he knows he has proven goal-power with a forward trio of Taylor, Ian Moore and Andy Payton.

"Me and Mooro struck up a good relationship and it was the same with Payts when he came off the bench. Hopefully we bring out the best in each other," Taylor added.

Crouch opted to join big-spending Portsmouth, who are now linked with Celtic's Mark Burchill, ahead of Burnley and Preston in a four-year £1.25 million deal.

He said: "I had a couple of other options. Burnley and Preston both wanted to sign me but I wanted to come to Portsmouth because they seem to be the most ambitious club."