THE Clarets may still be pushing for promotion but for the versatile Graham Branch this season is one he would rather forget.

From the moment he injured his Achilles in the pre-season friendly against Chelsea way back in August it has been a tale of frustration and disappointment.

But the setbacks, that have included a succession of injuries and being booed by a section of the Turf Moor crowd, have just made him all the more determined to come back fighting fit next season.

"I still want to do everything I can to help the team this season but to be honest I will be glad to see the back of it," admitted the 30-year-old.

"Every time I have got back to full fitness something else has gone wrong and I just want the chance to prove the doubters wrong."

Today was a case in point as a calf strain ruled him out of playing at his former side Stockport County in a game vital to the Clarets' push for promotion.

He last played in the first half of the game against Birmingham City. Before the match manager Stan Ternent admitted he was concerned about the treatment Branch was getting from some supporters.

"It is upsetting because I have not had the chance to get a proper run in the side this season because of all the injuries," he said. "It has been stop start all the time and I have never been able to get a rhythm going.

"The gaffer has been using me at left back and the aim has been to have me bombing on past Brizza (Lee Briscoe) who can then tuck in. But we have not been able to play that way often enough.

"I have done okay in a couple of away games, Wimbledon was my best and I also did well at Crewe, but at home the fans have been having a go.

"I know the gaffer has spoken out about the fact that the booing is counter productive and I can't believe that Gareth Taylor still gets stick even though he has scored 14 goals for us this season. What more do they want?

"The gaffer has been brilliant with me, keeping me involved all the time even when I was injured, and he knows what I have gone through. The only reason it has been an up and down season is because of the injuries.

"But every bit of abuse you receive it does drain your confidence. I just don't understand what difference they want to achieve.

"To be fair 95 per cent of them are alright because they get behind you but there are the loudmouths who do nothing but have a go. To me the word supporter means you support the team."

But the criticism has only served to spur Branch on and made him more determined than ever to make an impact at Turf Moor.

Branch only missed two games in the promotion winning season of 1999-2000 and he was also a regular last season.

But it was not until the home game against Grimsby Town in late November that Branch was fit enough to take part in this campaign.

Now he is hoping to be fit enough to play for the reserves at Birmingham on Wednesday night in order to become available for the run-in to the season.

"I would love to be involved in the last six or seven games and then, hopefully, the play-offs," he said.

And helping the Clarets to clinch promotion would be the best possible way to silence his boo-boy critics.