ANDY Cooke gave Burnley a morale-boosting start to the new season by getting their first point on the board and then pledging his future to the club.

Cooke had been linked with a summer move to Crewe Alexandra but made it clear he's going nowhere after heading home the Clarets second-half equaliser at Wycombe Wanderers.

"Since I've been here there's been speculation am I going here, am I going there?

"But I've signed a contract with Burnley and I'm going to see that out.

"That's part-and-parcel of the game, speculation and players moving on here and there but I'm still a Burnley player and very glad to be one," he said.

Manager Stan Ternent has always maintained that Cooke, who has almost two years on his current deal to run, is an intergal part of his plans and he underlined that fact by naming him as his lone striker in Burnley's starting line-up.

And Cooke repaid that faith with a sterling performance which he capped with the goal that earned Burnley their first point at Adams Park in five attempts.

"We've been guessing most of pre-season just who will be doing what but you've just got to get your head down and keep working hard," Cooke added. "The gaffer went with me in the end which I was pleased with so I'm not going to let him down or throw my shirt away. You've got to work hard and keep your shirt for the next game, hopefully.

"I thought I was a bit unlucky early in the game and at the start of the second half and you wonder if it's going to be your day. So I was glad when one went in at the end.

"It's great to get a goal so early in the season just to settle yourself down because at the start of the season everyone's on a high and starting the same so it can be difficult."

And Cooke insisted that a 1-1 draw on Burnley's bogey ground represented a decent opening to the season after the Clarets had come from behind to chalk up a 12th League game without defeat.

He added: "We started okay but then we got a bit sloppy and we let ourselves down in the first half so we had to go out and prove we could get back on top of the game which I thought we did.

"We created a lot of chances and got back in it and we were unfortunate not to win it in the end.

"It's always difficult to come down here, we've never done well. And on the first day of the season when everyone's up for it it's a great result to come here and get a point."

Ternent was equally happy with the outcome after his second-half reshuffle paid dividends. The Clarets started with a 4-5-1 line-up but after a bright start the midfield misfired and Ternent reacted by stiffening up his attack with Alan Lee and then Andy Payton.

That provided the first insight into Ternent's use of a squad system and the evidence may be apparent again if changes are made for the Worthington Cup tie at Manchester City on Wednesday night.

"We've got strength in depth and I can put decent players on. It's a case where I can swap personnel and systems and I've got players capable of playing different ways so there's no problem," he said.

Ternent revealed that the period leading up to half-time had been "unacceptable" before Burnley turned it on after the break and threatened to snatch a win.

"The lads know that so we will be striving to put that right and if we can play at that pitch for 90 minutes, we'll be a match for anyone," he said.

Cooke and John Mullin are under treatment for knee and toe injuries, respectively, but Ternent has no other fresh fitness worries ahead of the trip to Maine Road.

Accrington Clarets have a meeting at the Queen's Hotel, Accrington tonight (8pm). New members welcome.

Rossendale Clarets have spaces available for Wednesday's game at Maine Road. Ring 01706 224924.

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