DEPARTING Burnley midfielder David Jones has backed his former captain Tom Heaton to kick on this season after he made the journey to the North East to watch his England debut in May.

The former Manchester United trainees have known each other since they were 10 years old, and having gone their separate ways after leaving Old Trafford they were reunited at Turf Moor in the summer of 2013.

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They’ve both won two promotions with the Clarets but Jones’ three-year association with the club came to an end after 131 appearances yesterday when he signed a three-year deal with Sheffield Wednesday.

Jones started Burnley’s Premier League opener against Swansea on Saturday, but the Owls met a buy-out clause inserted in the two-year contract he signed with Burnley last summer, and he travelled across the Pennines for a medical on Monday.

Despite ending his time at Turf Moor, Jones is sure his friend can improve even further for his experiences with England, the highlight of which was his Three Lions debut against Australia at the Stadium of Light.

“It was brilliant, he’s been fantastic since he’s been at the club,” Jones said of his mate’s England bow. “I’ve known him for many years. On paper he was far away from an England call-up three years ago, but I know he’s always looking to develop and always on the upward curve.

“Sometimes in football your circumstances don’t reflect your game, but he’s always had that vision and those goals.

“He had a great season in the Premier League and rightly got his call-up.

“Although he hasn’t played much for England, he must have done really well in the camps to keep his place all last season.

“He’s come back with extra confidence. He always has his chest out, but he seems to have grown!

“He’s always looking to improve, from his own admission he’s relatively inexperienced in the Premier League. He’s only had one full season, so he’s got aspirations to do really well and take the club on.”

Jones’ journey back from watching Heaton’s England bow was an adventurous one as he got stuck in traffic.

“I’ve given him stick, it was a long night, but it was worth it, a great achievement,” he said.

“I’ve known him since I was 10, so it was nice to be there.

“He was buzzing after, delighted to finally get on the pitch. It was looking at one stage that Roy Hodgson had forgotten about him, Gary Neville was nudging him - ‘shall we get him on?’ “I was delighted to see him do it.”

Meanwhile, after Jones completed his move to the Owls, Burnley boss Sean Dyche said: “David has been fantastic over three years at Burnley and given everything to the cause.

“He’s played a massive part in all we have achieved, and he’s activated a clause in his contract.

“He has moved forward and we wish him well.”