Burnley defender Kyle Walker has issued a rallying cry to his team-mates ahead of the new Championship campaign, insisting the club cannot dwell on the disappointment of relegation as they look to bounce straight back to the Premier League.
The Clarets finished bottom-half in 19th place last season, sealing their return to the second tier after a difficult top-flight campaign. They open their Championship season on Sunday at Turf Moor against West Ham United, who were also relegated from the Premier League this year.
Burnley have experience of swift returns to the top flight, having bounced back at the first attempt following previous relegations in 2021-22 and 2023-24. Walker, speaking at the EFL's season launch event in Manchester, believes that same resilience must now be replicated if the club is to end its stay in the Championship as quickly as possible.
"I'm very excited, it's a different challenge for me personally but it's all about the club and bouncing back to the Premier League – that is vital," said the 36-year-old former England international. "This club has had ups and downs, but we need to bounce back and stay in the Premier League for the things this club does for everyone."
Walker, who arrived at Burnley following a decorated career that included six Premier League titles and a Champions League triumph with Manchester City, stressed that mentality will be the key factor in avoiding another disappointing campaign.
"It's about your mentality," he explained. "The lads have had a taste of the Premier League but we don't want to have a hangover and we want to make sure they are on the ball from the first minute. We have an obligation to be - to themselves, their team-mates and also the fans that support this club."
Burnley's relegation last season was a stark one, with the club managing just four wins in the entire Premier League campaign. They finished a full 19 points adrift of 17th-placed Tottenham Hotspur, highlighting the scale of the challenge they faced in the top flight.
Despite the harsh final outcome, Walker pointed to periods of promising form that were undermined by poor fortune, particularly in the closing stages of matches. "At the start of last season we actually did well, we put in a decent run of performances but did not get the points we deserved," he said. "We conceded penalties in the last minute, but that's the cruel world of football, especially in the Premier League, and by the end of it we were a bit far off and we went too many games without getting a win."
Walker was keen to frame the difficult season as a valuable experience for Burnley's younger players, many of whom were experiencing Premier League football for the first time. "It is a learning curve for these young players and hopefully they have the fire in their bellies to get back up," he said. "Everyone knows what the Championship is like, it is a difficult league and there are going to be expectations for a lot of clubs."
Having previously tasted promotion during a loan spell with QPR in the 2010-11 season, Walker expressed a personal desire to experience a full campaign's journey back to the top flight with Burnley, a club he says holds special significance for him.
"I'm very excited for it," he said. "I was lucky enough to play the first part of the season with QPR and get a promotion medal. But I want to do a full season and do the celebrations and parade at the end of it – and I want to do it with this club, which has a place in my heart."
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.