BURNLEY boss Steve Cotterill has revealed that a brainstorming session led by assistant boss Dave Kevan helped get Burnley back to winning ways ahead of tonight's Turf Moor clash with Southampton.

The Clarets are looking for their first back-to-back victories of 2006 thanks to Friday night's three point haul against Norwich City.

And Cotterill explained that the seeds of a morale boosting victory, which has reignited hopes the Clarets could improve on last season's 13th place finish, may have been sown behind the scenes.

He explained: "During last week we had a couple of meetings chaired by Dave.

"He wanted to do a few things with the players and I thought what he did with them was excellent.

"The players had to be brutally honest in the meetings and they were. We passed some forms around and some of the questions were about them and some were about the team.

"There are no right or wrong answers, but if you take them away you can analyse a fair bit from them.

"Quite often, when you are losing and you ask the players what is wrong, they don't want to open up, so we went through it."

Cotterill added: "I am not saying we are gurus because all of a sudden we have got a win.

"But I thought it was a good idea by Dave and I think he deserves a lot of credit.

"He has an input anyway because that's why he is here with me, but he and my support staff have been very good.

"Behind the scenes, while I am trying to do my bit, you have to have good support staff and without them over the last few weeks and months things would have been really tough.

"They have encouraged the players and hopefully now, against Southampton tomorrow night, we can go and put another performance on."