TYRONE Mears is determined to avoid the heartache of relegation from the Premier League for a second time.

The 27-year-old defender was part of the Derby side that suffered the dreaded drop in 2007/8, with an all-time Premier League low of 11 points.

Mears, though, has fought his way back to the top-flight with Burnley, and is desperate to succeed where the Rams failed.

Until Saturday’s trip to Hull City, the right back hadn’t recorded a top flight away win with three clubs. But he hopes breaking that duck proves to be a springboard to survival to keep Burnley’s, and his own, Premier League dream alive.

“I had a bit of a nightmare with Derby. It’s hard for promoted teams to come up and compete, you always find it difficult,” said the former Rams and West Ham right back.

“We were a bad team, but here I think the bonding is still there, the lads are still close. I’ve seen it when times get tough and players turn on each other - that’s not happened here.

“Everyone’s stuck togehter and we’re still digging in and hopefully that can help us.”

Since signing a three-year deal last summer, Mears is confident he got what he came to Turf Moor for, but won't be satisfied until he's helped to keep Burnley up.

"I've really enjoyed it here. I've done what I really wanted to do, which was play games and get seen and show everyone what I can do," he said.

"That was the main reason for coming to Burnley. That's what I spoke about a lot with Owen Coyle and I've been given the opportunity to play, which was what I wanted."

Mears is one of a number of Clarets to be linked with moves at the end of the season, come what may, with Saturday's opponents Sunderland believed to have made him a transfer target.

The former Marseille loanee has made no secret of his ambition to play at the top level, but he insists his sole objective is to prevent last season's play-off winners from being a one-season-wonder.

"You can't think beyond the end of the season. There's loads of stuff that goes on in the press - players linked here and there - but I'm a Burnley player and it's all about staying in this league and that's the most important thing," said Mears.

"At the end of the season you look at different things and see what position you're in. But my focus and every players' focus is about staying in this league right now."

And he believes a 4-1 win at Hull can provide the perfect platform.

"We've had a dreadful run and winning games is where you pick up your confidence," he said.

"It was just a big relief. It was a great feeling after the game seeing all the lads smiling and laughing. It's like a big weight off your shoulders and hopefully we can build on that.

"Even when Hull went ahead quite early I just felt, in the game, that we were going to get something out of it.

"Hull were a bit nervous and their crowd was getting on their backs a little bit and we started to get the ball down and play.

"I could just feel it. I knew we were going to get something out of it.

"There have been a lot of times this season where we've played away from home, played really well and got nothing. But in this game I really, genuinely thought we were going to win."

Mears is among a number of players who feel they have under-achieved this season.

He is particularly rueful about dropped points at home to Stoke, Wolves and already-relegated Portsmouth, but intends to make amends in Burnley's remaining four games, starting with Saturday's trip to the Stadium of Light.

"I feel that we've let ourselves down to be honest. We've had some great opportunities to pick up points from teams round about us and it's just not happened," he said.

"It's hard because you go home and try to put your finger on it, you come into training the next day and the manager's trying to pick out things and wants to know what the lads are thinking, and it's hard.

"You can't put your finger on it.

"We've had a psychologist in to help us - trying to promote positive thinking even when things are going against you - so hopefully that's helping, as well as getting the win now.

"It's just about taking it a game at a time - not thinking about getting relegated, it's about staying up and winning a game."