GLEN Little has dropped a bombshell by revealing he will not be a Burnley player next season.

I can exclusively reveal the Clarets winger will quit Turf Moor this summer after verbally agreeing to join the Royals on a three-year deal.

Burnley bosses had offered a new contract to Little, who becomes a free agent when his present deal runs out this summer.

But the Wimbledon-born wide man, 28, has instead chosen to move back south for family reasons.

His partner is expecting their second child later this year and the couple have jumped at an opportunity to return close to their London roots.

The decision brings to an end Little's seven-and-a-half year association with Burnley, which has seen him become a firm fans' favourite.

Little has made almost 300 appearances since former Clarets manager Adrian Heath signed him from Tommy Cassidy's Irish minnows Glentoran for just £100,000 in December 1996.

Three seasons later, he memorably scored the winning goal at Scunthorpe to earn the Clarets promotion back to Division One after a five-year absence.

Last year, Little saw out the season on loan at Reading in a move that shocked supporters.

Earlier this season he was again farmed out on loan, this time to Bolton as part of the swap deal that brought Delroy Facey and Gareth Farrelly to Turf Moor.

However, the winger's dream of playing in the Premiership ended after making just four appearances for the Trotters - and he was soon back at Burnley.

But just eight months later, Royals boss Steve Coppell has finally persuaded Little to agree to a permanent switch to the Madejski Stadium.

The winger now plans to say an emotional farewell to Burnley fans this Sunday, when the Clarets entertain promotion-chasing Sunderland in what seems certain to be a bumper Turf Moor crowd.

Stan Ternent's side can finally breathe easy after ensuring their First Division survival, despite Saturday's desperately disappointing 3-0 defeat at Rotherham.

Little's former side Crystal Palace did the Clarets a huge favour by beating relegation-rivals Walsall 1-0 at Selhurst Park, meaning the Saddlers can no longer match Burnley's 53 point haul.

And either the Saddlers or Gillingham will now suffer final day heartache following the Gills 5-2 drubbing at home to Coventry.

Clarets boss Ternent congratulated his players on reaching safety in what he called "one of my best achievements as a football manager".

However, he branded some players "a disgrace to the claret and blue shirt" following the "woeful" display at Millmoor.