BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche was pleased with a point and his players’ performance in the goalless draw at Leicester City, but admitted circumstances meant that football took a backseat today.

The Clarets were the opponents for the Foxes’ first game since the tragic death of owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in a helicopter crash that killed him and four others a fortnight ago.

And there were emotional scenes before kick-off as the club played a video montage in tribute to the Thai businessman, while there was also a two-minute silence in honour of the crash victims and to mark Remembrance Sunday.

So while Dyche was pleased with a point, which ended a run of three defeats for the Clarets, he admitted events had put football into perspective.

“It’s probably a rare feeling as a manager, because you want to win, of course, and if we had, it would have still been pretty much incidental in the grand scheme of things, it puts it into perspective when what’s happened has happened,” said the Burnley boss.

“We spoke about it on Monday to make sure the emotion was controllable for us, we weren’t sure how it would pan out, small things, they asked us to get here early, and we respected that, of course, no problem. We worked early in the week on how it might feel, how it might be, and once we got here, it was more about being professional. That’s the job, you have to play hard, and all football fans expect that.

“So pleased with how the players got on with it professionally, but overall, it’s irrelevant because today was bigger than a result.

“But, you’ve still got a professional job to do, so...it was very tough on us, coming here, but very tough on Leicester and their players this week.

“I’m only lifting things I’ve read and seen, but the travel time, and still trying to prepare for a game, very, very difficult.

“Complete professional respect for them, and, of course, for the situation.”

In terms of the result, Dyche was encouraged that after a run of three defeats in which Burnley had conceded 13 goals, his side got back to basics with a point and third clean sheet of the season.

“It’s been tough, we’ve had a tough run of results, then you add in what went on today, and we’ve still got to give a performance, so I’m very pleased with the players,” he said.

“I’ve said many times, I have great pride in these players, they give a lot, and they get questioned, of course, it’s part of their job.

“But it’s easy to praise players when you’re winning and doing well, but they’ve been terrific, their mentality, the way they train, the way they go about their professionalism...

“We know we can improve, and there were good signs of that today.

“Last week the mentality to perform was good, and I think it was again today, in very difficult circumstances.”

He added: “The balance was better, attacking and defending, to make sure you get something from the game, which we did.

“And the demand of the team for the clean sheet, we were back to blocking and doing the right things at the right times.

“There were some good performances. And there was a good shape to the team.”