Heaton: England start a testament to Burnley progress
Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton will make his first England start on Tuesday evening and believes that fact shows just how far the Clarets have come in recent years.
Heaton is set to win his third cap for the Three Lions in a friendly against France in Paris, with the previous two coming as a substitute against Spain and Australia.
The 31-year-old was superb between the sticks as Burnley finished 16th in the top flight last season, the first time they have avoided immediate relegation from the Premier League.
Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images
The club now have a squad packed with internationals, while defender Michael Keane made his full England debut earlier this year – the first Clarets player to start for the Three Lions in 43 years.
“It’s a good marker,” said Heaton. “Since I signed four years ago, the club has moved on leaps and bounds.
“We had a successful season in the Championship and then got relegated from the Premier League, but as a club we were moving things forward.
“There were a lot of things going on in the background with the infrastructure and planning, and I think that stood us in good stead to go and win the Championship and retain our Premier League status this season.
“We have a lot of internationals at the club now, which is a good sign.”
