ROBBIE Blake is determined to make the most of his return to the Premier League, because he feared his chance had gone.

The 33-year-old forward has had spells in the top flight with both Bradford and Birmingham City during the last decade.

But he says promotion with Burnley has made his third shot at the big time all the more special.

“I’m 33 now, so hopefully I’ll have a few more seasons in the top flight, but you know time’s running out a little bit so you’ve got to grab it with both hands,” he said.

“I think that’s what we did last season (in winning promotion). As a group of players we knew what a great opportunity we had and we didn’t want to let it slip.

“For us to get to Wembley and get promoted that way, it’s fantastic for everybody connected with the club and hopefully we can do ourselves justice in the big league.

“It’s great to be the with a club like Burnley; a club that I love.

“It’s such a family-run club. From the tea lady all the way through to the chairman, everyone who works here is fantastic and down to earth and I think that’s reflected in the group of players we’ve got.

“There are no hidden agendas with any of the players. We’re all nice guys, I like to think. We all enjoy each other’s company and we get on.”

And ahead of Saturday’s Premier League opener at Stoke City, Blake believes their unity has been enhanced by manager Owen Coyle’s summer signings.

“The lads who’ve come in have blended straight into the team,” he said.

“They’re certainly the same group of lads, the same group of players, who want to prove themselves in this division.

"We’ve got players in this team that will cause teams problems, so we’re just looking forward to Saturday starting now and taking it from there.”