GLEN Little is delighted to have signed an extended contract with the Clarets and he said: "Let's hope we can now get into the Premier League."

The year long extension to his current deal was completed this week and the 26-year-old winger admitted: "There was never any doubt I would sign it.

"The manager first came to me last week and it has all been tied up pretty quickly. I am delighted because we are playing as good as we have ever done in my five years at the club and everyone here is full of confidence.

"The first half of the season has gone really well and we just have to try and match it in the next half.

"The season's gone well for me on a personal level, I have even scored a few goals, but the main thing is that the team has been playing well.

"Mind you it is easy to play when you seem to be winning every week."

Life among the dizzy heights at the top of the first division is in stark contrast to the dark days that Little remembers all too well when the club was struggling.

"I have seen good and bad times since I have been here and it is not that long ago we were in the second division and battling against relegation," he said. "The change around in fortunes is all credit to the boys who have all done really well.

"We have always seemed to finish the season well at this club and if we can do that again, who knows."

With each passing game Little's reputation has seemed to grow and there have been countless rumours about Premier League clubs coming in for him. "I have never really known if there has been much truth in them and it has been nothing I have thought about," he said. "The gaffer has always said that I am not for sale so that is good enough for me."

Given the nature of dressing room banter Little confessed to having taken a lot of stick from the rest of the team following the announcement of his new deal with a number of players suggesting life would be a bit quieter if the talkative Londoner was to move to pastures new. "I have taken a bit of stick from the lads but at the moment this club is a really good place to be," he smiled. "Tony Grant has come in and done well, Arthur Gnohere has come in from nowhere and things are going great."

The fans will echo those sentiments and they are as delighted as manager Stan Ternent that Little has committed himself to the club for the immediate future.

"I get on very well with the gaffer and having worked with him for more than three years you know what he wants," he said. "I remember when he first came here a few people thought I would not be his cup of tea. Basically he tells me to go out there and do my thing and everything has gone well for me."

Like any player Little is ambitious and he does want to play at the highest level. The fact that he has signed to stay at Turf Moor until at least 2004 sends out a very clear message - he believes he can achieve that dream with the Clarets. Little looks to the Premier League GLEN Little is delighted to have signed an extended contract with the Clarets and he said: "Let's hope we can now get into the Premier League."

The year long extension to his current deal was completed this week and the 26-year-old winger admitted: "There was never any doubt I would sign it.

"The manager first came to me last week and it has all been tied up pretty quickly.

"I am delighted because we are playing as good as we have ever done in my five years at the club and everyone here is full of confidence. The first half of the season has gone really well and we just have to try and match it in the next half.

"The season's gone well for me on a personal level, I have even scored a few goals, but the main thing is that the team has been playing well.

"Mind you it is easy to play when you seem to be winning every week."

Life among the dizzy heights at the top of the first division is in stark contrast to the dark days that Little remembers all too well when the club was struggling.

"I have seen good and bad times since I have been here and it is not that long ago we were in the second division and battling against relegation," he said. "The change around in fortunes is all credit to the boys who have all done really well. "We have always seemed to finish the season well at this club and if we can do that again, who knows."

With each passing game Little's reputation has seemed to grow and there have been countless rumours about Premier League clubs coming in for him.

"I have never really known if there has been much truth in them and it has been nothing I have thought about," he said. "The gaffer has said that I am not for sale so that is good enough for me."

Like any player Little does want to play at the highest level. The fact that he has signed to stay at Turf Moor until at least 2004 sends out a clear message - he believes he can achieve that dream with the Clarets.