STEVE Cotterill has backed Burnley battler Wayne Thomas to bounce back from a nightmare year.

Former Stoke City defender Thomas has suffered a series of setbacks since joining the Clarets last summer, most notably the cruciate knee ligament injury in August that almost ended his season.

Thomas, who made a miraculous recovery to return in December, has since gone under the knife again for a minor knee operation.

And the cursed defender is currently sidelined again as he serves the second match of a suspension for picking up his second red card of the season in the recent defeat at Ipswich Town.

But boss Cotterill, who made Thomas one of his top targets last summer, is convinced the 26-year-old stopper will ultimately prove to be one of his shrewdest signings.

He said: "It's been an awful, stop-start season for Wayne. I didn't fly halfway round the world to know he wouldn't be a decent signing for us, and he still will be.

"Unfortunately, we probably won't see the best of Thommo until next season when he has settled in a bit, but he will come to the fore.

"He will be in the top three for player of the year next season - and I'm saying that now 15 months before the event.

"As long as everything is alright and he stays injury free, he will be one of the best three players here."