SAM Ellis will be back in place as Stan Ternent's right-hand man when the Clarets launch their First Division challenge in less than two months's time.

Burnley's assistant manager has been largely out of action since the end of January when he underwent an operation on a damaged disc in his back.

But he is now undergoing the final stages of a rehabilitation programme with club physio Ian Liversedge and has pencilled in a return to active duty at the start of pre-season training.

"I am hopeful of being there on July 10," he said.

Ellis, who came to Turf Moor with Ternent two years ago after helping the Burnley boss achieve back-to-back promotions at Bury, supported Ternent at a number of home games during the run-in towards promotion but was prevented from getting on the training ground or travelling away with the team.

He added: "It is frustrating when you can't physically get about when you've been used to doing it all right.

"Yes I have missed it. But I have been in touch and spoken to Stan every day and been in as often as I could.

"I just haven't been on the front line." Going up on the last day of the season softened the blow, however, as the management team repeated their Bury promotion formula.

"It was a great achievement by everybody concerned and it was nice to be part of it, whether a big part or small part.

"The reason we came to the club was because we felt it was geared up towards this division. This has endorsed that view.

"It had potential then. We are there now," Ellis said.

The former Manchester City and Blackpool boss is now looking forward to the challenge of establishing Burnley in Division One.

However, he insisted that a higher grade of football hadn't added anything extra to the appeal of being back to work.

"I don't need to have my appetite whetted," he added.

"If you haven't got that anyway it's not worth being in the job.

"If you need that extra buzz it means you're finding the job difficult to do and up to press neither Stan or myself have found that."