YOU'LL have noticed there has been a lot of speculation linking me with a move to Reading this summer but that is the furthest thing from my mind.

As a player, you can't do anything about stories like that because it comes with the territory.

I know my contract is up in the summer but that is then and this is now, and my sole aim is to keep Burnley in Division One - that is what I am concentrating on for the remainder of the season.

We've known for some time that this was always going to be a massive week for us, our game in hand against Wimbledon and the home match against Derby County on Saturday.

The job is half done, after beating the Dons, and we'll be going out all-guns-blazing to make sure we finish it on Saturday.

We know we won't be safe until its mathematically certain but, if we beat Derby and results go our way, then come Saturday evening we might be able to relax a bit more.

But we have to beat Derby first and that is the job we have to focus on.

It was a huge relief to beat Wimbledon on Tuesday night and to keep a clean sheet was a bonus. People said that because they are a young, inexperienced side and already relegated, all we had to do was turn up to pick up the points.

That was never going to be the case.

Anyone at Turf Moor on Tuesday will tell you that we had to work hard for that win. We started well but our performance was a bit nervy, as you would expect for a team in our position.

But confidence is high, even though it is like the walking wounded. We've got players injured, carrying knocks or playing out of position.

However, this is the time when we have to stand up and be counted and Graham Branch proves that point perfectly. He's played in every position going and as a makeshift striker he scored the first goal against Wimbledon.

Derby is going to be huge test for us because they have had some good results lately, including hammering Preston 5-1 last weekend.

They are quite similar to us in respect that they win one week and lose the next but they've been boosted by the signing of Paul Peschisolido. I was surprised Sheffield United let him go because at this level he can do a job.

They're down there with us so it's as close as you can get to a winner-takes-all match, because whoever wins will probably be safe.

But we've proved already this season that in the big games that matter, like at Bradford and Walsall and at home to Wimbledon, we've come up with the goods.

I'm sure we can do it again against Derby.