During the course of this campaign, Burnley supporters have grown used to seeing their team being written off by the wise and venerable of the football cognoscenti – it has become one of the hallmarks of this staggeringly successful and record breaking season.

Initial annoyance gave way to mild amusement as pundits produced reason after reason as to why the claret and blue bubble would eventually burst.

First of all, those in the know condescended that it was “a good start”, a comment which carried with it the patronising implication that we’d had our fun but should now run along to join Yeovil and Millwall and thumb a lift to League One.

Sadly, for the experts, Burnley refused to give up their lofty perch.

And so the specious line about us “not having played anyone” was lamely trotted out.

“Anyone” turned up at Turf Moor in the form of QPR and Reading, both of who were summarily dismissed.

The next obstacle was supposed to be our feeble spending-power compared to the Championship’s big guns in the January window.

Harry Redknapp recruited a further five players to his already bejewelled and bloated squad and still couldn’t find a way past the Clarets.

And so to Saturday and Charlton, when the last great hope of the  nay-sayers; that one about Burnley not being able to absorb injuries, what with their tiny squad and all.

Shorn of the services of not only their leading scorer but also the division’s leading assist provider, surely collapse was inevitable?

Well, no. Played out on the Championship’s first all-sand surface, Burnley pretty much strolled to about as straightforward a victory as they have enjoyed all term.

There was a first goal in claret and blue for Ashley Barnes, a 20th strike of the season for Sam Vokes and an accomplished debut from new signing Chris Baird.

But most importantly it was another small step taken towards the ultimate goal of Premier League football come the end of the season.

Burnley currently sit on a 10-point cushion (I can scarcely believe I’m typing this) with Derby, QPR and the rest of the chasing pack struggling to keep up the pace.

Find a way past Doncaster Rovers this evening and if results go our way the margin could be even greater to those chasing.

If that happens, maybe even the pundits will have to concede there’s something special happening at Turf Moor.