We made memories today – Vincent Kompany celebrates ‘special’ Burnley promotion

Vincent Kompany is delighted that his Burnley players were able to “make memories” as they confirmed their promotion back to the Premier League with a 2-1 win at Middlesbrough.

The Clarets bounced back to the top flight at the first time of asking with seven games to spare, with the pain of last season’s relegation having been well and truly banished by the excellence of the last eight months in the Championship.

Goals from Ashley Barnes and Connor Roberts secured Burnley’s win at the Riverside, enabling Kompany and his players to celebrate in front of more than 2,000 jubilant travelling fans at the final whistle.

Kompany said: “I’m pleased and happy for the players. It’s a very special feeling, we have made memories today.

“We still don’t have the silverware, but we have made memories. There is already one milestone that has been achieved, and one achievement that cannot be taken away from us.

“I am really happy for the club and for everybody involved. This is special. I still have to say that the best moment will be if we get the trophy, and that is not the case yet.

“But for this club it already means what it means – next year, Burnley will be in the Premier League and Turf Moor will host the best teams in the world. That is something to be proud of.”

Kompany’s main priority now is to ensure Burnley finish the season as champions, and he will then turn his attention towards planning for life in the top flight.

The Clarets moved onto 87 points with Friday’s win, 11 points clear of second-placed Sheffield United and 19 above Luton in third.

Kompany said: “We don’t have to be ready (for the Premier League) now. We’re still in April, so we have another three months to make sure that everything is ready.

“We want to have a good time in the Premier League, and we want to compete. We have three months to plan, and I don’t think we have to fear that. We’ll embrace it.

“It’s a great achievement to have won promotion with seven games to go. I’ve experienced it twice before in my career where you’re pulling away and the next four or five games are about really enjoying it and showing the best version of yourself.

“It’s a really special feeling because you never get to enjoy it as much as in those moments.”

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick was quick to praise Burnley’s achievements in winning promotion with so much of the season still to go.

Carrick, whose side had equalised against the Clarets through Chuba Akpom’s penalty at the start of the second half, said: “Fair play to them, they’ve had a terrific season, they really have. It’s not easy when you’ve come down to go straight back up, and they’ve changed a fair bit.

“Fair play to Vincent and his staff – they’ve deserved that for their performances over a period of time. If you go up at this stage of the season, and you’re top of the league, then you deserve it.

“We respect that, and that’s why I’m so proud of the players for the way in which they played against a team that have done ever so well all season.

“I was pleased with the players for playing like we did – I genuinely didn’t think we deserved to lose the game with the way that we played.”