Bring on Beast battle, says new Burnley keeper (From This Is Lancashire)

Bring on Beast battle, says new Burnley keeper

11:20am Wednesday 28th July 2010 in

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NEW Burnley goalkeeper Lee Grant admitted he is relishing a battle for the gloves with his friend turned team-mate, Brian Jensen.

The duo first worked together when Grant, who yesterday signed a three-year deal from Sheffield Wednesday for an undisclosed fee - understood to be around £750,000, arrived at Turf Moor on a short loan from Derby County almost five years ago.

Since then, Danish stopper Jensen, nicknamed the ‘Beast’ has fended off the challenge of three international goalkeepers in Welshman Danny Coyne, Hungary stopper Gabor Kiraly and more recently Peruvian Diego Penny.

During the Clarets’ promotion season of 2008/09, he started all bar the first of their 61 league, cup and play-off games.

But after being reunited with former Wednesday boss Brian Laws, Grant is determined to win the dual for the number one spot.

“It should be interesting,” smiled the 27-year-old, who has kept in touch with Jensen since they worked together under former Burnley boss Steve Cotterill.

“At the minute Brian’s done fantastic for the club, it’s up to me now to try to grasp an opportunity to get in the team.

“Hopefully I can get that opportunity and I can keep hold of it, and we’ll take it from there really.

“Obviously it’s my second spell here. It was quite a short one first time around so hopefully this will be a much longer affair,” continued Grant, who arrived as cover for Jensen and Coyne for two months during the 2005/06 campaign.

“I really came for just the one game and ended up staying on having enjoyed it, and it’s nice to be back.”

Grant had struggled to establish himself at Derby, leading to Laws snapping him up for Wednesday on a free transfer in the summer of 2007, where he went on to start all bar two games, in all competitions.

It’s a statistic the 6ft 4ins stopper readily admits he is proud of, and one he aims to continue at Burnley, even if it means ousting pal Jensen.

“I’m hoping I can get myself in the team and stay in the team for a long period.

"It’s not going to be that straightforward but I’m hoping to do as much as I can to make sure I can do that,” said Grant, who was named players’ player of the year in each of his three seasons at Hillsborough, and last term also scooped the fans’ player of the year prize.

Although the Owls were relegated to League One on the final day, Grant was nevertheless regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the Championship last term.

His excellent working relationship with both Laws and goalkeeping coach Billy Mercer, who arrived at Turf Moor in January, are understood to be major factors in his decision to leave Wednesday with two years of his contract remaining, as well as the opportunity to push for a place in the top flight as Burnley plot a Premier League return.

“It’s a huge challenge and one that I’m really looking forward to,” he said.

“As a player at 27 you really want to try to test yourself. Obviously the Championship is where I would like to be, looking up rather than looking down. I think Burnley is the ideal opportunity to do that.

“Hopefully now I can come here and enjoy playing at a good stadium in front of some great fans and hopefully get some good results to go along with that.”