Clarets skipper Steve Davis has broke with tradition and THANKED the media -- for not rating Burnley's chances of promotion!

Footballers are famous for hating their pals in the press, but not Davis -- he loves the hacks.

The Clarets' Geordie captain is grateful that Burnley haven't been tipped for the play-offs because, he says, it has helped them almost get there.

"We have not been given a chance in the media and from that point of view it has allowed us to just go about our business and we have been winning some games," he said.

"We haven't been tipped but we feel we can take anyone on.

"I think it helps you that you are not fancied. It means you are not in the spotlight all the time.

"Even last year we were hardly tipped to go up automatically and we got there on the last day.

"Nobody gave us a chance but we have got ourselves up there, we have surpassed all expectations and we will be going all out to make the top six. "The play-offs have not been talked about here but if we were to beat Birmingham we might be a little bit closer.

"Preston have got difficult games to play and we can take points off teams around us.

"It is out of our hands because even if we win all our games it doesn't mean we will do it.

"We really want a top six spot but all we can do is win every game and go from there. We had a good start to this season and it looks like we are going to have a good finish and they are the important times to have good runs."

After a home draw against West Brom last weekend Burnley's play-off chances looked slim but a win at Norwich helped put them right back in it.

They were four points behind sixth-place Preston with three games to play before today's home game against Birmingham City. "We were disappointed that we didn't take three points from the West Brom game last Saturday because we thought we deserved to.

"We were pleased with the performance. We went down to Norwich feeling confident and got three points.

"I think if we'd got three points at home against West Brom and then taken a point on Monday against Norwich we would have been happy. Four out of six points is not a bad return. We are very confident but the play-offs really hasn't been talked about by anyone at the club."

By this evening, what Burnley's chances are of grabbing a coveted top six spot will be more clear. But Davis says even if the play-offs aren't reached the season has been a huge success.

"This season has been good, it has shown we have nothing to fear at this level. At the beginning of the season we said we are just playing against 11 players, not against the name or size of a football club. We are not in awe and we have managed to pick up some good results."

And the skipper pleaded with fans to get behind the team -- as always -- in the final games.

"It is important for the fans to get right behind us in the remaining games.

"The supporters have been first class all season, even on that run we were on where we were getting no points, there were no boos. They stuck by us and we are reaping the rewards now." "We are going out knowing we can win games

"It is nice to be winning games comfortably now. Like, at Crystal Palace, we won 1-0 but we got battered. We don't want that to be happening but there haven't been many of those recently.

"It builds confidence especially at this stage of the season.

"Now that Gareth Taylor and Ian Moore have started to score goals for us we know now that every time the ball goes upfield we could score.

"It takes the pressure off the backline as well."