JOEY Barton said being a part of Burnley’s promotion-winning squad had been "a privilege".

The 33-year-old was a surprise free transfer arrival in the summer but has become a key cog in the Clarets machine after working his way up to full fitness by the start of October.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The former Queens Park Rangers midfielder secured a third promotion from the Championship to the Premier League against his former club, repeating the feats he achieved with QPR and Newcastle.

“Relieved to get over the line is the first emotion,” he said. “A little bit nervy, a little bit tentative, it’s not ideal when you play a team who came to stifle you, which QPR are good at doing.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be an easy game and nobody gives you anything in this league so we’re relieved to get over the line.”

Since Boxing Day the Clarets are 22 league games unbeaten and have picked up at least eight more points than any other team in the league in that period. Barton believes Burnley have been the best team in the division.

“I was fortunate enough to be part of a squad that won it at Newcastle, and I got promotion at QPR via the play-offs — while it’s a fantastic way to go up, it’s not being champions, it’s not being the best team in the league, and I think since the defeat at Hull we’ve been that. We’ve been resolute, disciplined, it’s a real collective effort,” said Barton.

“There’s been individuals — Vokesy won the game today, and others when Andre has done it or Boydy or Scotty — but it’s an absolute team effort. There’s lads who have an abundance of appearances but their attitude in training, the way they handle the disappointment of not being in the starting XI, it’s a real collective effort and an absolute privilege to be a part of.”

Barton said he may have taken a play-off berth if offered when Burnley sat fifth after their Boxing Day defeat at Hull, but he hailed their response since then as "phenomenal" and now wants the job finished on Saturday with the league title.

“We were talking in the dressing room about the disappointment after the Hull game because we didn’t think we applied ourselves that well on the day. Truth be told if somebody had offered you the play-offs at that stage, with the run of form we were on in December we might have taken it, but our response to that was phenomenal and it’s still going,” he said.

“The goal for us is to win the league and we’ve not done that yet. We look forward to going to Charlton with the pressure off but we’ve got to win and go and cement it. There’s no better way to go into the summer than being 23 games unbeaten, the Championship trophy, you go down in history. There’s some illustrious names in football clubs and players who have held that aloft.

“That’s the focus, that was my focus when I walked into the football club.”