BURNLEY goalkeeping coach Billy Mercer said he was 'immensely proud' after watching Clarets captain Tom Heaton become the club's first England international in 42 years.

Heaton came off the bench for the Three Lions at the Stadium of Light as England beat Australia 2-1 in a Euro 2016 warm-up fixture.

The 30-year-old played the final three minutes plus injury time in England's victory and Mercer, who watched the game while on a family holiday in Paris, was delighted to see one of his charges make his Three Lions debut.

In doing so Heaton become the first Claret to play for England since Martin Dobson in 1974, and the first goalkeeper at the club to play for England since Colin McDonald in 1958.

"First of all you think of Tom and his family and you’re absolutely over the moon for them, but then you do get a sense of pride because little old Burnley just got a goalkeeper into the England team," said Mercer.

"I’m immensely proud but first of all it’s for Tom, if anyone deserves it it’s him for the way he trains and lives his life, everything he does is surrounded by his football and he’s the model pro.

"It’s nice to see someone like him get the rewards he deserves."

Heaton has started 130 consecutive league games for Burnley since signing on a free transfer from Bristol City in the summer of 2013, experiencing two promotions in that time and captaining the side to the Championship title this season.

His mistakes during those three years could counted on one hand and Mercer revealed nobody at Burnley was surprised by his elevation to the England ranks, which arrived with a first call-up 12 months ago.

"He’s flawless," said Mercer, who has been goalkeeping coach at Turf Moor since January 2010.

"Nothing seems to get to him, good or bad, he just stays on an even keel. The great thing about Tom is he’ll play on a Saturday, come him Monday and once we’ve done the clips of the previous game it’s forgotten about, he puts it to bed and moves on and we start the preparation for the game after. That’s good, bad or indifferent, how he plays or the results. He analyses it, puts it to bed and moves on.

"He’s so calm and focused, we’re not surprised at Burnley that he’s England level."

He added: "We’re probably a little bit biased but we’re also more knowledgeable than others because we see him every week and he has been so consistent in his performances.

"Last year I can’t remember him putting a foot wrong as a captain and a goalkeeper.

"Over the three years he’s brought into the gaffer’s methods and everything we’re about. There’s nobody that works harder than Tom Heaton, that’s for sure."

The former Manchester United trainee, who represented England from Under-16 to Under-21 level but has had to wait for his first senior cap, has been involved in five of Roy Hodgson's Three Lions squads before making his debut on Friday, and he will be part of Hodgson's final 23-man squad for this summer's European Championships when it is officially announced tomorrow.

"He’s training with Joe Hart every day and Fraser Forster and that can only improve you," Mercer said of Heaton's involvement with England.

"Every time he comes back from international duty we can see he’s got an extra spring in his stride and he’s wanting to kick on all the time.

"I can’t speak highly enough of him."