FIRED-UP and fit again Martin Paterson is ready to ignore speculation over his future and instead prove to everyone just what he can do on the field as he spearheads Burnley’s promotion push.

The striker has been linked several times with Portsmouth, with Fratton Park chief Steve Cotterill an admirer of the former Stoke and Scunthorpe hitman.

The Lancashire Telegraph understands that Burnley are not interested in selling Paterson – at any price – after rejecting two bids from Pompey this summer.

But Paterson doesn’t even want to think about that, especially with the Clarets dismissing Pompey’s plans out of hand.

And now he is aiming to reap the benefits of a delayed comeback from injury as he shapes up for a new season at Turf Moor.

Paterson has missed huge chunks of the last two campaigns with knee, groin and thigh problems but says he is fitter than ever after manager Eddie Howe refused to rush him back when his fitness improved towards the end of last season.

The 24-year-old made a goalscoring return in a reserve game against Preston last April but wasn’t risked in the first team when Burnley’s Championship play-off challenge fell away.

He is looking to make up for lost time now.

“I’m fit and healthy which is the most important thing for me this year,” said Paterson.

“I did a lot of running over the summer.

“I’m as fit as I’ve ever been and I’m looking forward to the season ahead.

“I think the reserve game was more to test if I could go out and run around.

“I think it would have been easy to throw myself back in but the manager made a point of not putting me back in and maybe I’m getting the benefits of that now.

“I always want to play and personally I felt that my thigh was fine, but you never know. I felt like that a couple of times previously and it wasn’t, so maybe it’s done me good.”

And Paterson is determined to make amends for suffering two injury-ravaged seasons.

“It’s difficult, not being able to do what you’ve wanted to do all your life. I suffered more with the mental side of it,” he revealed.

“But I can’t complain, I’m a lucky person to have such a job and I refuse to use it as a negative, I’ll use it as a positive.

“Now that I’m fit I’ll prove to everyone what I can do.”