SEAN Dyche hailed a 'very pleasing' year as the Clarets prepare to bring the curtain down on 2017 at Huddersfield on Saturday.

It's been a calendar year to remember for Burnley who have won 16 times in league and cup this season and having secured survival in the Premier League in the first half of the year they have taken another step forward since August.

Regardless of the outcome at the John Smith's Stadium the Clarets will at least be seventh in the league as 2018 dawns.

"It was a very good season to stay in the Premier League and then to build on that into this season. Over the whole year it's very pleasing," Dyche said.

“Is the team continuing to move forward? I believe it is. Individually and collectively we're getting stronger and I think that's a really big marker for me as a manager."

Burnley have secured some memorable results during the year, particularly recently with their opening day win at Chelsea and draws at Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United.

But Dyche is equally pleased with how some of his players have developed over the past 12 months as by the results gained on the pitch, and he's hoping to continue the success into 2018.

“It would be good if we could do another version of it. We want to continue to be flexible, continue to improve," the Clarets chief said.

“But I've been really pleased with the development of the players. It's a big underlying thing of mine. It's something I promised myself as a coach when I came into it,and as a manager, can I add to the players? Can I give them something that helps them improve?

“That's beyond results. Results are what I'm measured by as a manager but there's a journey beyond that and that's the one for me. I keep seeing these players improving and that's really pleasing going into the new year."

As for targets for 2018 the first is for Dyche to see his side improve on last season and for the Turf Moor faithful to continue to enjoy the ride.

“The first aspirations are to better last season," he said.

"From outside I think the fans are enjoying the ride. I think they’re well aware there's no gimmes and we have to earn the right in everything we do and I think our own fans are becoming aware we have to do that in different ways.

“You have to find different ways of operating. From a fan's point of view they know we have to continue doing that and I don't think the fans here are too drunk on it all. They know there's a reality to it. We have to work for everything we get.”