BURNLEY legends Jimmy McIlroy, Andy Payton and Frank Casper believe this afternoon’s clash with Swansea could be the last chance for the Clarets to make a late push for promotion this season.

Eddie Howe’s side have slipped to 12th in the Championship – seven points behind the play-off places with only six games remaining – after taking just one point from a possible 18 since mid-March.

Burnley still have a game in hand at home to Middlesbrough on Tuesday and entertain fourth-placed Swansea for the first match of their Turf Moor double header today.

The trio of club legends met this week at a signing session to launch Dave Thomas’ new book ‘Entertainment, Heroes and Villains: Success and Failure at Burnley FC’.

And all three hope that the current campaign could still fall into the ‘success’ category, even if that prospect has become ever more unlikely in recent weeks.

“Eddie Howe made a decent start but they’ve got one point out of 18,” said McIlroy, 79, who is widely regarded as Burnley’s greatest ever player after starring in the side that won the First Division title in 1960.

“It’s not only a surprise but it’s a disappointment. We’re going to have to accept that promotion or reaching the play-offs doesn’t look a good proposition now.

“I want to be as kind to them as possible but the way they’ve been playing they look a mid-table side.

“I still hope they’re going to improve and start winning points, but we just haven’t looked promotion candidates recently.

“If they lose on Saturday they can’t expect much more.

“This is an important match and Swansea are doing well. In a way, this is a vital match.”

Payton gained popularity among fans after scoring prolifically for Burnley between 1998 and 2003.

But the Clarets have scored just three goals in their last six games and the 43-year-old, still a regular at Turf Moor, believes the fans deserve to witness a better display against Swansea.

“I think the players owe the fans one,” said Payton.

“I’ve been coming to every home game. I’m Burnley through and through, a Burnley lad and all that, and the fans haven’t got on anyone’s backs.

“They’ve been right behind them all the way and I think the players owe the fans one.

“If they give 100 per cent and roll their sleeves up, me being a Burnley lad I know this crowd will get behind them.

“The fans won’t accept anything less and it’s time to show everybody they really want it.

“This game is absolutely huge because if you get beat or don’t win it really puts us out of the frame.

“If we win there are still possibilties of getting into the play-offs.

“We looked in a really strong position four weeks ago but we’ve lost four games on the bounce.

“If at 10 to 5 we’ve got three points, we’re still in the mix. Otherwise we’re looking for a miracle really.

“We’ve been in and around it all season and what we don’t want to do is just peter away at the end.

“We’ve got some tough games coming up if you look at the fixtures but this is a home game.

“If they give everything this crowd wil get behind them and they can act as a 12th man.

“I know that because obviously I played a lot of games here and teams don’t like coming here.

“We need get the crowd right behind us and get that first goal. Go a goal down and it’s tough.

“They’ve got to take it one game at a time, starting against Swansea, and they need three points.”

Casper was part of a Burnley side that gained promotion to the top flight in 1973, later going on to manage the club between 1989 and 1991, and retains hope that the Clarets can return to the Premier League at the first attempt.

“I think they’re still in a strong position because if they win their game in hand it would put them right back up there again,” said the 66-year-old.

“They’ve lost five of their last six games but if they go on a run now I think they’ve got a chance.

“People want to get promotion straight away but it takes a lot of hard work. The players will have a dip but they will bounce back.

“I’ve seen Swansea play quite a bit and they’re a very good side, one of the best sides in the division.

“But saying that Burnley have good players and if they all pull together and stay positive, they’ve still got a good chance.”