DERBY County number one Lee Grant is not surprised to see his old club Burnley pushing for the Premier League.The Rams and Burnley have been described as gatecrashers at the Championship promotion party.
Leicester City have booked their place in the top flight for next season and Burnley are odds-on favourites to join them by filling the second automatic promotion place. They have been in the top two virtually all season.
Derby have not been out of the top six since they won at Wigan at the beginning of December and a win against Doncaster Rovers at the Keepmoat Stadium tonight would secure a top-six finish for the first time since 2007.
Not too many people expected the Rams or the Clarets to muscle their way into such company as Leicester City, Queens Park Rangers, Wigan Athletic, Reading, Brighton and Nottingham Forest in the battle at the top end of the division.
They have – and they fully deserve to be sitting second and third.
Grant spent three years as a Burnley player and the goalkeeper made 126 appearances.
He says he has spoken to a number of his former team- mates.
"Huge credit to them for what they have done this season," he said.
"It doesn't surprise me hugely the season they are having. It may have surprised a few on the outside but not me.
"I know the quality they have there and the strong management team in place."
Grant admits to having mixed feelings about Burnley doing so well.
"I'm pleased for them but on the flip side, I am disappointed we have not managed to quite be in a position to be favourites to finish in second place," he said.
Burnley lost at home for only the second time in the League this season when Middlesbrough left Turf Moor with three points last weekend.
Sean Dyche's team have collected four points from the last 12 after an unbeaten run of 16 League matches.
The gap between Derby and Burnley is now eight points and while Grant admits the door is slightly open, he added: "The odds are heavily stacked in Burnley's favour and with four games to go they will be fairly confident they will be able to get themselves over the line."
Burnley's fixtures see them play at Blackpool tonight before they welcome Wigan Athletic and Ipswich Town to Turf Moor and then make the trip to Reading on the final day.
Derby take on Doncaster away tonight and Barnsley at home on Easter Monday, followed by Watford at the iPro Stadium.
Their final game of the league season is against Leeds United at Elland Road.
"For us, it is about fulfilling our end of the bargain and trying to win four games and seeing where that takes us." said Grant.
