Sean Dyche Claims He Would Have Taken 15th Place Finish at the Beginning of the Season

​Burnley fell at the hands of Arsenal in their last game of the season, losing 3-1 in a feisty affair at Turf Moor. 

Sean Dyche's men have found it hard to live up to expectations this season, after finishing in seventh place last term made them a favourite to finish in the top half of the table and challenge for best of the rest.

A busy fixture list at the beginning of the campaign saw them play nine games in the month of August, two of which went to extra-time, and Dyche claimed that inexperience and the fatigue that European competition brings with it ended up taking its toll on his team.

Speaking to ​BBC Sport after Sunday's ​Premier League finale, the ​Burnley boss explained that he would have taken their final league position if given the chance before the season kicked off. 

When asked if he would have taken the 15th spot pre-season, Dyche said: "I would on reflection.

"Because we knew it would be a tough season with the Europa [League] and coming off the back of a really strong season.

"I've said many times, when you're here it's a restart. It's not always like the last one looks after the next one, we have to restart each season and grow again as a side, and I think we've done that in different ways this season."

He expressed his delight at how his players have performed in order to keep the club in the ​Premier League for a fourth consecutive campaign, the first time that has happened in their history. He said: "I've been proud of them all season, I mentioned that when we weren't winning. 

"There's players here that have carried themselves and the club a long, long way. My pride in them doesn't change, it just gets greater when you're doing well and you're winning.

"I think the way the players have taken on the second half of the season, and under some duress around Christmas time, a lot of noise outside of our camp saying that we were done, doomed and finished and all the rest of it, it happens. 

"But I think the way they have seen through that and concentrated focused on the challenge in front of them has been magnificent."