BRIAN Laws is hoping his new signings’ lessons from the school of hard knocks can influence Burnley’s survival bid.

Both goalkeeper Nicky Weaver and defender Leon Cort have experienced life at the wrong end of the Premier League.

Free transfer Weaver suffered relegation with Manchester City in 1996, while Cort was part of the Stoke City squad that defied the bookmakers to stay up last year – comfortably in the end – following promotion as Championship runners up.

Both know what it takes to beat the drop, and Laws is backing them to pass on their wealth of experience.

“The likes of Leon Cort who’s seen it, done it and worn the T-shirt is going to give us a huge benefit because he’s been in situations like this, particularly with Stoke, where they’ve been in a tight situation. But he’s come through all that so he understands the mechanics of it all and he understands what we need to do,” said the Burnley boss, who paid £1.5million for the 6ft 2in stopper.

“I said right from the start we’re going to have to make some really quick decisions on positions and the strength of the team because there’s no turning back. Once we go past the window you can’t reflect and think ‘let’s go and strengthen it somewhere else’. We can’t do that any more. Once you’re in the Premier League that’s it – you’ve got one opportunity.

“Therefore we’ve made some very quick decisions and we need to strengthen the team in particular areas. We’ve done that. We obviously wanted to get a goalkeeper in because we're in a fragile position if you take an injury.

"We've got the backup of Weaver, with his huge experience of playing in the Premier League.

"He's played in some magnificent games, he's a great lad in the dressing room and he'll only enhance the dressing room. That was a real positive for us."

The Clarets boss has even taken their position in the bottom three in a similar vain.

"You've not to be frightened of dropping into the bottom three because you move so quickly when you get a win under your belt. You've got to taste it because if you don't the last thing you want is it happening on the last day of the season," he said.

"It doesn't do anybody any harm, it's just realism that it's going to be a tough time to stay in the Premier League. But if you're honest with yourselves and you put in hard work and commitment, we've got a great chance of staying up.

"We know the games we've got to win and take points from. We need those five or six games in particular to work for us."

Laws has previously stated that wins against the likes of Chelsea, who provide the opposition for his first home game in charge, are a bonus.

But he insists that philosophy shouldn't translate into not believing they can beat the current leaders.

"There's no point in us actually turning up if we didn't think that," said the 48-year-old.

"What's the point in getting changed or putting your boots on if you don't think you can get a result? Any team that you're playing against you expect to go out and get a result.

Just because other people' think that you won't get a sausage, that's their opinion. As long as we have players who believe that when they put their boots on and go on that park they are going to give it their all to get a result, and they've proven that they can do it, particularly at home.

"The home support has been that extra man for us and it's driven players on.

"We know there are going to be tough games but this is what the players and supporters have wanted, to see the likes of Chelsea coming to Turf Moor. So these are the ones they should relish.

"This is what you're here for. This is what you dream about.

"I can't wait for the game. It's fantastic!

"There's no reason why we shouldn't be positive."

Ten home wins were key to keeping Cort's old club, Stoke, in the Premier League last season, and the 30-year-old believes Burnley should be boosted by the fact they are halfway to that figure, with nine left to play.

"The home form is really important, I'm not saying away form isn't, but at home you really get the chance to pick up points, and you have to keep the belief that you can do it and that is how you survive," he said.

"If would be nice if we could win 10 home games like we did at Stoke.

"The fans at Stoke really got behind the team, and the noise level was quite frightening.

"This is a fantastic place to play football as well, and this is another chance to play in the Premier League and to help Burnley stay up.

"But you have to have confidence in yourself.

"It was always going to be hard after getting promotion, because expectations are that you will get relegated.

"But you have to keep your confidence and self-belief and back yourselves that you can do it."