CLARETS defender Michael Keane labelled the moment he finally got his hands on the Championship trophy as a "special night".

Burnley’s title success was the first medal the 23-year-old had won in his senior career and, having been made to wait for the silverware after victory at Charlton, Keane was soaking up the experience on Monday night as 20,000 Clarets fans packed the streets to salute their heroes.

While the players were disappointed not to get the trophy at The Valley a week ago, Keane believes it may actually have been better lifting it in the glorious Burnley sunshine two days later before celebrating with an open-top bus parade back to Turf Moor.

“It’s been a long time coming,” the former Manchester United youngster said of getting his medal.

“To win it and it not be there is a bit disappointing, you feel like you’ve earned it, but we finally got our hands on it.

“It was a special night with all the fans who came out. In some ways it was better for them, there was only three thousand or so at Charlton, to do it here in front of 20,000 will be special.

“It was beautiful weather but I don’t think anything would have stopped the fans coming out. But it just added to the occasion.”

Keane managed just five senior appearances in his time at Old Trafford but the Red Devils were a trophy machine in his time at the club, a habit he is keen to continue in his career away from Manchester.

He was an key figure in the Burnley side this season, starting 44 league games and only missing out for a couple of games after suffering concussion in the win over Rotherham in February, when James Tarkowski came in in his place.

And he revealed it was a "special moment" in his career to be lifting a senior trophy for the Clarets after being demoted from the Premier League with them a year ago.

“It’s huge, this is why we play football,” said the former England Under-21 international.

“I was brought up that way by United, coming through the youth ranks, and I’ve always had that winning mentality because of them, and to do it here at Burnley is a special moment in my career.”