Ashley Barnes — who can emulate Michael Duff’s Burnley record — reflects on a ‘special’ season and an ‘incredible journey’ at Turf Moor

Nearly 500 appearances and more than 100 goals later, the striker is close to celebrating another 'special' season.

The 33-year-old, who won promotion with Brighton in 2011, could soon add a third promotion to the Premier League with the Clarets.

Should he do so, the squad's longest-serving player would emulate Michael Duff's achievement during his time at the club.

“It has been incredible," said Barnes, who has made 281 appearances for Burnley since his move in January 2014. "As a kid I just wanted to play one professional game, let alone how many I have had now.

"It has been an incredible journey. I try to explain it to my son but he doesn’t quite get it. He doesn’t like football too much at the moment!

"It is something that my family can look back on as well and say, ‘what a great achievement’. But obviously it is hard to look back at the moment because I am still enjoying it and I have still got so much to achieve.”

Barnes added: “It would be some achievement [winning a third promotion]. It would be some achievement for me personally as well as my family, but we’ve still got a long way to go yet and hopefully we can do that this year.

“It will definitely be right up there, it will be one of the special ones for sure. The table doesn’t lie and you look at it and think, ‘wow’, especially with all the new people who have come in.

"The whole thing has gelled so quickly. I think everyone will have written us of at the start of the season, so it is nice to prove everyone wrong and show what you are about.”

Barnes has been back to his best since scoring a double in the East Lancashire rout against rivals Blackburn Rovers at Turf Moor prior to the World Cup in Qatar.

The ex-Plymouth Argyle forward has been influential during the league leaders' 15-game unbeaten run, which included a record-equalling 10 wins on the bounce at this level.

Barnes, who has scored against each of the Premier League's "Big Six" during his career, continued: “It’s great going isn’t it. As you’ve just said there it’s amazing to be on that run.

"It’s all about us, it’s in our hands, that’s what the gaffer has implemented on us as a group. Everything that we do is just about us and how we go into the next one."

He added: “As players, we adapt quickly. We can adapt to anything, you can play any system. Every boy or girl who wants to play football, you want to enjoy it and that is all you can do. Your mind is like a sponge and you can go out and learn anything.”

“I think it’s just the system that we play now and the roles that the gaffer wants us in and how he wants us to play and it’s going really well. I’m really enjoying it and I’m really enjoying my role and everything that I’m doing. The goals are coming as well which is nice.”