BURNLEY'S Wembley play-off winner Gary Parkinson rumbles back into contention against Bristol Rovers tomorrow with a stark message to the Turf Moor faithful: 'We are playing for promotion and our futures!'

The reliable defender is expected to make a reappearance at right-back with Chris Brass unhappily sidelined for at least a fortnight with a nasty groin injury.

It will be Parkinson's first morsel of Second Division nourishment since limping out of the action with a damaged hamstring at Shrewsbury Town on November 18.

And he is determined to stake a robust claim for a new Turf Moor contract once the bargaining and haggling for new deals begins in earnest next May. "I can't wait to get cracking again and I just hope I am selected against Bristol because the last couple of months were a very frustrating time for me," said Gary.

"It is a crucial time of the season for Burnley.

"We are chasing hard for promotion and a lot of players know, including myself, that they are out of contract at the end of the season.

"I want to stay at Burnley and I want to earn myself a new contract at Turf Moor.

"I also desperately want to see Burnley back in the First Division too because the relegation last season was a tough pill to swallow."

He added: "I'm so much looking forward to getting back into the first team. I didn't even know where my hamstring was until this season. Now I've had two hamstring injuries in six months. "The injury was doubly frustrating because I rushed back and the hamstring went again. But I feel ready and raring to go for the challenge ahead."

Parkinson, a virtual ever-present last season, believes the next six weeks could prove a make or break spell for the Clarets.

He added: "You just have to look at the games we've got coming up. We face big six-pointers against Blackpool, Crewe and Swindon in just eight days next month.

"That will test us to the limit, but I'm sure we can get the results required. We are not happy with our current position of sixth place and we must improve on that.

"We've haven't really had a period in the season yet when we've strung a load of wins together. Five or six wins on the bounce would make all the difference. "We know we should be a lot higher up the table. We are determined to make a mighty effort to take one of the automatic promotion spots.

"It is going to be a real dog fight. But the very least we should achieve this season is a place in the Play-Offs and another shot at a Wembley final.

"But a target of automatic promotion has to be the number one objective. We all believe we have a great chance of achieving that."

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