BURNLEY manager Owen Coyle has reassured his players that none of them will be left in the shade.

Competition is hotting up among the troops as a result of the Clarets’ run of just one defeat in their last 12 league and cup outings, which has catapulted them from bottom to the play-off positions in just two months, and set up a Carling Cup fourth round meeting with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Coyle incentivized players by telling them he would reward good performances and results with a sustained spell in the side, and he has proved to be a man of his word with no less than five ever-presents to date, in Steven Caldwell, Martin Paterson, Wade Elliott, Graham Alexander and Chris McCann. Brian Jensen has also retained the goalkeeping jersey since starting the second game, in the Carling Cup at Bury.

However, that has made it difficult for the likes of new signings Diego Penny and Remco van der Schaaf to have the chance to establish themselves in the line-up, while both Ade Akinbiyi and Alan Mahon have yet to start a game this term. And it has been well documented that Chris Eagles and Robbie Blake, who both came off the bench to score in the 3-1 win at Coventry City in midweek, are pushing for a first team return.

But, ahead of this afternoon’s trip to Charlton Athletic, Coyle insists they will all have their part to play over the season.

“That’s what we need, we don’t have in terms of some of the other squads in the Championship with 25-30 players. We don't have that, but we have 20 players there who are giving everything they can for the football club,” he said.

“Kevin McDonald's coming back fit (following an ankle injury), Remco van der Schaaf has been very unlucky, Stephen Jordan is back from suspension, and Ade Akinbiyi and Alan Mahon have now come back. Those four have missed out and they’ve got a big, big part to play. Within that 20 we feel we can get a decent team on the pitch that will serve the club well.

“There are more than 13 that are deserving to start such is the level of training and performance in games.

“I was there as a player, you want to play and you’re desperate to do well for the club and unfortunately you can only start with 11 at any given time.”

He added: “What I look at is how my players are going about the game and showing that desire to play well.

“We try to win matches game to game and come the end of the season we’ll see where that brings us.

“We won’t make any claims. What we know is we’ve got a group prepared to do their best and as a manager I really believe that’s all you can ask.”