FIT-AGAIN midfielder John Mullin is planning to make up for lost time by helping bring some overdue success back to Turf Moor this season.

Mullin has endured something of a false start to phase two of his Burnley career since returning to the club from Sunderland in the summer.

Toe and hip injuries had reduced him to just 60-minutes of action before he returned as a substitute in Saturday's goalless draw at Preston.

But Mullin hopes he has now seen the back of the treatment room and is ready to play a part in the Clarets' promotion challenge.

"I'm hoping that I can get the injuries out of the way and have a good run because I want to play," he said.

"I'm really pleased to be back and I'll be absolutely delighted if we can get some success here.

"It's been a frustrating start to my Burnley career again and I'm just looking now to get a good run and getting fully fit and showing a bit on the pitch."

Mullin, who had a run out for the Clarets reserve side at Wolves last night, enjoyed a 20-minute stint at Preston and went close to breaking the deadlock when he curled a cross onto the top of the North End bar.

"That's going to do me the world of good. I'm not kidding myself, I know I need to work hard to get myself fully fit but I'm hoping to get that as quickly as I can and get on with playing," he added. "I'm very short of practice but I'm hoping to get that back as quickly as I can and get myself going."

And, when Mullin does make it back to the starting line-up, he should be boosted by joining a side already up among the Second Division's early pacesetters.

"It all helps when you're in a winning team," he said.

"Football's a lot about confidence and, if we can get a lot of confidence breeding through the team through getting wins, then that should stand us in good stead for the season.

"The fans here deserve a team that's up the top of the table so it's up to the players, me included, to get some good results."

While Mullin was stepping up his fight for full fitness at Molineux last night, Peter Swan has heading back to Lilleshall this week to continue his rehabilitation.

The big defender is making good progress from the knee operation he had last January.

The ligament damage Swan sustained at Wycombe Wanderers has been repaired and it's now a question of continuing to build up the muscles around his knee before he can contemplate a return to action in the next few weeks.

Former Clarets full-back Ally Pickering has joined Hyde United.

Pickering, who played 21 league games for Burnley last season before being released in the summer, had been on trial with Tranmere Rovers.

But the ex-Coventry and Stoke defender has joined Hyde and helped the Unibond League leaders beat Guiseley 2-0 on his debut on Saturday.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.