KEITH Treacy is hoping to play his way to a new Clarets contract, after admitting: “I’d love to stay!”

The winger is enjoying his longest run in the side since November-December of his first season at Turf Moor, in 2011/12.

If selected for this afternoon’s game at home to Sheffield Wednesday it will be his fifth straight start.

The 25-year-old Irishman has been in and out of the side for much of his Burnley career, largely restricted to substitute appearances.

But he feels he has a new lease of life under manager Sean Dyche, and he hopes it can help him to earn a new deal.

“That was the aim at the start of the season,” said Treacy. “Me and Mark Howard, the sports scientist, are quite close and he said ‘I’ll get you fit for a new contract’, and that’s what we’re still trying to do.

“I’d love to stay. If it doesn’t come it doesn’t come, it’s not the end of the world.

“As I’ve always said you don’t get too high with the highs or too low with the lows, just play football and see what happens.

“It’s the first time I’ve played four games on the bounce for quite a while and I’m hoping to make it five, and then six and just take games as they come.

“The more you play the more it comes easier to you, you rattle games off and you get through them.

“It’s just a thing that you do, whereas if you keep coming in and out of the team you get quite cold.

“I was getting used as sort of an impact sub, and I was actually getting brought on when we were winning as well to tie up games.

“But I’m delighted to be playing now. I’m just happy to be playing football, it’s what I get paid to do and it’s nice to be playing again. Hopefully it continues.”

Treacy ended his first season with the Clarets on loan at Sheffield Wednesday after falling out of favour with manager Eddie Howe.

He admits he had a difficult relationship with the former Burnley boss, but insists he is content in the current regime and hopes that leads to improved performances.

“I feel the club as a whole hasn’t got the best out of me yet,” he said.

“We can make excuses or whatever about that but the fact is I haven’t played my best football yet.

“I feel there are still a good couple of years to come for me, and I’d like to do that with Burnley.”