CLARETS chairman Mike Garlick believes the club's achievement in qualifying for Europe this season is 'nearly' on a par with the glories of the 1960s.

Burnley were league champions in 1959/60 and finished in the top four five times during the decade, reaching the FA Cup final as well in 1962.

While the tenure of Sean Dyche at Turf Moor is yet to scale those heights in terms of honours, a top-seven finish and a spot in next season's Europa League isn't far behind given the financial disparity in the game now.

"Looking back, judging us over the course of history, the achievement is nearly on a par with what we did in the 60s, given the modern game and the finances of the modern game and the finances of me and the rest of the board, it’s absolutely unbelievable," Garlick said after Burnley's goalless draw with Brighton.

"Full marks to Sean and his team and all the players. It’s an incredible job."

The point on Saturday means it would take a six point and 15 goal swing to Everton over the final two games of the season to deny the Clarets a place in Europe next season.

For months the fans have been singing of going on a European tour and the irony of a town that voted 66 per cent for Brexit now clambering for a place in Europe isn't lost on a delighted Garlick, who admitted he'd been tapping his feet with the rest of the fans as the milestone edged closer.

"It’s ironic, the town that had one of the biggest majorities for Brexit and wanted to leave Europe now can’t stop singing about getting back into Europe," he said.

"It’s a journey that is a new experience for us, it’s going to be very tough and there’s going to be challenges squad wise, but we’re going to embrace it and give it a go."

It is 51 years since Burnley last graced Europe, with an Inter-Cities Fairs Cup run that saw two-legged victories over Stuttgart, Lausanne Sports and Napoli, before a quarter-final defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Garlick was a young child during that run but half a century on he is looking forward to welcoming some of Europe's finest to Turf Moor.

"I’d have been four years old, I’d never seen a football match at that stage so it’s all new for me and for most Burnley fans I think," he said.

"It’s talked about amongst the older generation, everyone knows about it, but out of the 22,000 we get maybe only 10 per cent were there 50 years ago, if that, so it’s a new experience for everyone.

"I’m sure whatever happens and whoever we draw it will be a fantastic event."

Burnley's rise under Dyche has made headlines in this country, with the Clarets progressing from a mid-table Championship side to a club pushing Arsenal for a place in the top six this season.

But a European campaign could spread the word even further, and asked if it could help put Burnley on the map, Garlick said: "I think so yeah.

"We’re on the map already but the world is shrinking and Burnley is getting a bigger part of it, which is nice."