YOUNG striker Phil Eastwood is building up to the most important season of his fledgling career.

Eastwood has accepted a new one-year deal with Burnley and knows he needs to produce the goods over the next 12 months if he is to make the grade at Turf Moor.

"It's very important. It's make or break type of thing," admitted Eastwood whose long-term future in the game could also hinge on his continuing progress under new boss Stan Ternent.

"If I don't do it this season nobody else is going to want me. If I do play well at least I will have options.

"This is a big season and I will be doing my best," he added.

Eastwood's target for the 1998/99 campaign is therefore straightforward. "Just to play as many first team games as possible," he said.

That of course will be down to Ternent and Eastwood will start to stake his claim when reporting back for pre-season early next month.

"Everyone is equal when you go back, even those players not in favour. I have just got to work hard to impress.

"If you look at Bury they (Ternent and Sam Ellis) did very well. All managers have different ideas and you can pick different bits up from different people and I am looking to learn." The 20-year-old has come through the ranks at Burnley and done everything right so far with goals at youth and reserve team level.

He made his Football League debut on the opening day of last season at Watford but was then sidelined with a broken bone in his foot.

And the Blackburn-born player then had to wait until the final run-in to be involved again as he waits to make an impact at senior level.

He added: "I worked hard to come back from being injured and then went on loan to Telford which helped me a bit.

"I then worked hard in the reserves and luckily got my chance and I am hoping to carry that on in the new season." Eastwood averaged better than a goal every two games for the reserves last season and scored the winner in the Clarets' final game of the season to clinch the Pontins League Second Division title.

"If anyone scores goals somebody somewhere wants them," he acknowledged. "If you get in good positions the chances keep coming."

That goal against York City guaranteed a better standard of reserve team football next term but Eastwood is not ready to settle for just that.

Ternent may also be keen to revive the deal to bring John Mullin back to Turf Moor on a permanent basis, while Eastwood will be competing with fellow rookies Kevin Henderson and Colin Carr-Lawton for a supporting role.

However, Eastwood sees the rivalry as a suitable spur. "There are a few of us and it's good competition. May be the best man win," he said.

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