SO, this week marks seven years since Sean Dyche first took the reigns at Turf Moor… and what a seven years it has been!

I remember meeting him at his very first press conference which I was covering for various outlets.

I arrived at Turf Moor from another unveiling just down the road at Ewood Park where Henning Berg had been introduced as the umpteenth Rovers manager in as many years.

The difference couldn’t have been starker.

While more than a few Clarets fans were underwhelmed at Dyche’s appointment, the then-joint chairman Mike Garlick and John B were adamant that they had the right man to replace Eddie Howe.

At Ewood, Shebby Singh – remember him? – answered dryly ‘not telling’ when asked if Berg was the right appointment.

It was an attempt at humour that was both badly delivered and somewhat prophetical.

Anyone know where Berg is these days?

That first season might not have offered much in the way of improvement but since then it’s been a ride that none of us could have imagined.

Two promotions to the Premier League – including one as champions – a seventh-placed finish in the top flight, a European campaign and, as we stand here today, a fourth successive campaign among the elite.

Ok, the European campaign might not have been that successful but who’d have thought we’d been playing in the Europa League for just a couple of games? Certainly not me!

I think the most impressive thing about Dyche’s reign, so far, hasn’t necessarily been those achievements I’ve just listed but the way he’s shaped the club in all areas in his image.

We have an incredible new training ground, a youth set-up which, having already helped bring through Dwight McNeil, hopefully has a few more rough diamonds ready to polish and a culture in which everyone who comes into the club respects and works towards.

We’re still, to a certain extent, little old Burnley.

But we’re a little old Burnley who can mix it with the best in the business.

The start to this campaign has been decent enough and if we continue to build as we have been doing then there’s no reason why we can’t become one of those sides whose main challenge for the season is for the European or top half places rather than fighting against relegation.

I’ve said it so many times over the last seven years but I trust Dyche unreservedly and can’t think of a better man to be in charge.

Here’s to another seven years… and beyond!