MICHAEL Keane may have been honoured as Burnley's player of the year by his Clarets teammates, but the England defender believes it has been a team effort to survive in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old has had a memorable personal campaign, winning two England caps, the players' player of the year award and being nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

The former Manchester United youngster was honoured to win the club award from inside the dressing room, but he felt he was one of half-a-dozen that could have taken the prize after the Clarets secured a second successive season in the top flight for the first time since the mid-1970s.

"It’s a big achievement and an honour to be voted for by your fellow players," he said. "It’s brilliant that Tom Heaton won the fans one but it’s a bit extra special to be voted by the players.

"They’re with you day in and day out, they see how you train and play. I’m very grateful for all the votes I got and it was a special one to win."

Keane edged some fierce competition to take the award, and he added: "I think that shows how strong we’ve been as a collective. It’s been a team effort that has helped us to create history.

"To be recognised individually through that is a great achievement but it could have gone to as many as five or six players and nobody would have batted an eyelid.

"I think it shows the strength of the squad this year and hopefully we can build on it."

Keane enjoyed something of a breakthrough season a year ago, playing 44 games in the Championship-winning campaign, and he felt it was going to be tough to beat that.

But two England caps and Premier League safety later, he is in no doubt that he has topped it on a personal level, but is keen to pay tribute to Sean Dyche, his staff, and his teammates for his successes this season.

"Coming into pre-season I thought it was going to be hard to top last year but I think I’ve surpassed it by a long way now," he said.

"It’s been an unbelievable season again, but a lot of thanks has to go to the gaffer, the staff and the rest of the players.

"The work that goes in day in and day out is what has helped get to me to this point. England was a massive bonus and a huge honour for me, but things like that I couldn’t have done without everyone at the football club, so I have to say a big thank you."

Now they've secured Premier League safety the Clarets will begin to build towards next season, and Keane is sure that Dyche can continue to take the side forwards.

"Every year the team has surprised the fans recently with how well we’ve done and there’s no reason we can’t keep that going," he said.

"It’s hard to set a target now we’ve stayed in the Premier League but all you can try and do is improve, improve the players we’ve got and improve on the work we do day in and day out and see where it takes you."