BRENDAN Flood has spoken of his delight at returning to the Burnley board, insisting: “It’s a privilege to be back.”

The one-time operational director has been reinstated to form a now seven-man board, just 14 months after stepping down following issues with his personal finances.

Flood was instrumental in backing the Clarets to promotion to the Premier League in 2009, three years after teaming up with then chairman Barry Kilby.

Second-placed Burnley have put themselves in with a great chance of a return to the top flight, with Flood’s boardroom comeback confirmed just days before the East Lancashire derby.

Flood cited problems with director Clive Holt and co-chairman Mike Garlick after standing down from the board in January 2013.

He retained his shareholding and added that if he was to consider a return in the future it would be “subject to the board being different”.

His second stint comes after the recent appointments of Brian Nelson and Terry Crabb, adding to Garlick, co-chairman John Banaszkiewicz, Kilby and Holt.

Flood’s return brings the boardroom numbers up to seven - all of them Burnley fans.

“It’s becoming more and more scarce to see a club with homegrown directos, but I think we’ve got a strong sense of identity at Burnley and we’ve got to try to preserve that in an ever-changing sporting world,” he said.

“I am delighted to be back and I want to just focus on the football club and do my bit as a fan and as a director.

“I think I have probably learnt a lot through all the years I have been operationally involved, and the board is bigger now, which is something I’m glad has happened.

“We have two more directors and I think there’s a bigger spread of knowledge and skills around the table, which I think is a positive.

“The mix involves people who are from wider backgrounds, both working in London and internationally, so there are lots of different viewpoints that can make things happen.”