ASHLEY Barnes enjoyed the most productive season of his Clarets career last term - but he insists he's already forgotten about it.

The 28-year-old hit nine Premier League goals, taking him to a record tally of 20 for the club in that competition, as he helped Burnley to seventh place in the table and European qualification.

But for Barnes the achievements of 2017/18 have already been consigned to the history books as he focuses on repeating it this season.

"It was my best season in terms of goals, but that season has gone now, I need to write it off and create a new season and hopefully I can get a bit more history and bring goals to the club," the striker said.

"But the most important thing for me is winning, I couldn’t care less who scores, I just want to win and as long as we come away with the three points that’s the main thing.

"Personally, it always nice to hit the back of the net as a striker and I want to do that as often as possible."

Barnes just lost out in the battle for top goalscorer honours at the club to Chris Wood, who netted on the final day of the season to edge ahead of his strike partner.

It had been a fine end to the campaign for Barnes, who scored six times in his last 10 games of the season.

But he added: "Last season has gone now, you can’t live off what you’ve done or what you’ve achieved until after football, I’ve always had that mentality, it’s in the past, you have to move on, it’s a new season, a new challenge, new games.

"I think you reflect on it through the off-season but now it’s a brand new season, it’s a new start for everyone and you have to go and prove to the manager that you deserve to be playing."

That task will be made easier for Barnes by his return to fitness during the summer, having suffered a shoulder injury on the penultimate day of the season at Arsenal.

He was ready to return for the first day of pre-season and is now building up confidence in his shoulder after going under the knife, having spoken to club captain Tom Heaton about his own dislocated shoulder last term.

"It’s getting there, I’ve been speaking to Heats throughout the summer, it’s a tough road to come back on, you don’t realise how much you need your shoulder," said Barnes.

"But now it’s coming back well and I can crack on with a few things, I can play, but I’ve got to modify what I’m doing strength and gym wise.

"I was out on the pitch at the start of pre-season. I didn’t take it into consideration. I just joined straight in with the lads and started getting bounced around.

"It feels all good, I’m ready to play, I've got all the range now, it’s just getting smashed, you need to be smashed a few times to get used to it."