STRIKER Andy Payton has two hopes for the season - for the Clarets to reach the play-offs, and that he plays his part.

"After six weeks out after my hernia operation I am feeling fit again and it was great to get back in the first team picture as a late sub against Grimsby in the cup replay," he said.

"I have not had many chances recently but I hope that I can keep fit and show good form in training and the reserves so that the gaffer knows I am here if he thinks he needs me."

Payton was back on the goal trail for Ronnie Jepson's second string at Sheffield United in midweek, bagging a brace, and he admitted: "It was great to find the net again.

"No player likes being injured and missing matches and so it is just good to be back with the rest of the lads. I still think that I can contribute if I am called upon."

The problem for the striker is that he has slipped down the pecking order with the arrival of four forwards in the past couple of years.

Robbie Blake, Gareth Taylor, Ian Moore and Dimitri Papadopoulos have come in and while the likes of Andy Cooke and Alan Lee have moved on, Payton has remained to fight for a his place.

Manager Stan Ternent has always said that the striking position is his strongest in terms of options but he has left Payton waiting in the wings.

Payton believes that the whole club could benefit from the fact that, unlike the last couple of seasons, Burnley is not being talked about as a play-off contender.

"This time around we have the chance to come up on the rails and sneak into the top six like we have seen other teams do in the past couple of years," he said. "I think we have a very good shot at the play-offs."

Even if the Clarets can make it into the play-offs and achieve the ultimate dream of getting into the Premiership, Payton knows he has an uncertain footballing future.

"My contract is up in the summer and obviously having not played much in the past two seasons I have to accept that I might not get another one," he said.

"But I am only 35 and there are plenty of players around older than me, people like Steve Claridge down at Millwall.

"Also I think it is to my advantage that I have not played a lot recently because it means that I have not got all that extra mileage on my clock.

"I feel fresh and I am keen to continue playing, even if it has to be at a lower level in the Football league or maybe even below that. I am sure I can do a job, I have got a good goalscoring record all the way through my career and I hope it keeps going. I have never stopped scoring, I have never had a time when people have been able to say the goals have dried up."

Payton insists money is not an issue as he has established a property business in the Padiham area, buying and renting out 25 houses, he is just convinced that his goalscoring days are not over.

He accepts that may lie away from Turf Moor this summer, but until then he will be ready and willing to answer any call to action.