Clarets winger Glen Little has been working overtime in an effort to save his season.

The Burnley squad have been given a long weekend off to re-charge their batteries ready for a return to battle at Crewe next Saturday.

But Little checked in for extra training yesterday as he looks to work his way back to full fitness following a troublesome hamstring injury.

"I still don't think I'm back to 100 per cent," he said.

"I've had a long time out and I've got to keep working.

"With the problem I've had you can't think that you've played the other night so the hamstring is fine, because the first time I came back I felt that and it went again.

"It's still in my mind and I'm not out of the woods. I've got to keep strengthening it."

Little has started only two games since the middle of October after originally picking up the injury against Stockport County and then suffering a recurrence against Norwich City two games into his return.

His absence has been a blow for Burnley and Little admitted that he will be delighted to finally shake off a problem that has blighted his campaign.

"The more games you play the nearer you get back to be able to do 90 minutes and then I'll try and finish the season off well because it's been terrible so far," he said. "It started well but then in the last three or four months it's been frustrating.

"At the start of the season I felt I was just coming into good form. I felt strong and fit and suddenly that's taken away from you.

"The rest of the season becomes mix and match when it goes again and you're out for a couple of weeks and you can't get 100 per cent.

"But then you look around football and there are other people worse off. Michael Owen has had a lot of trouble with his hamstring so I'm not the only one."

Little has been eased back into action this time after an abortive comeback attempt at Christmas.

The influential wideman has come off the bench in each of the Clarets' last four games and played for over an hour in Burnley's FA Cup replay at Scunthorpe on Tuesday night.

And after looking in decent form against the Iron he is closing in on a return to the starting line-up, with next weekend's trip to Gresty Road a possible date.

"I've been back and had a few run-outs and in another week or two I'll look to start a game.

"We have got a few suspensions coming up so I might be looking to start, go from there and play until the end of the season," said Little, whose return will be a major tonic for the Clarets as they bid to stay in the top 10.

Meanwhile, Burnley are hoping to move forward with their Gawthorpe re-development plans next week.

Plans to build a new gym with indoor training facilities and upgraded dressing rooms and offices are being delayed by the fact that the training ground is on green-belt land.

However, the club will have talks with a top local planning officer in a bid to put together an acceptable application for the project.