IN around a decade coming through the youth ranks at Burnley, Joe McGlynn picked up plenty of tips as he forged his own path in the senior game.

The on-loan Kelty Hearts forward, who was born in Warrington, joined the Clarets at the age of 12 before leaving to join Hamilton Academical last summer.

Capped at under-18 level by Scotland due to his Scottish father, McGlynn's time at Turf Moor saw Sean Dyche, now at Everton, deliver Premier League and European football, before current manager, Vincent Kompany, took them back to the top flight last season during his first campaign in charge.

The riches of England's highest tier are far removed from SPFL League One, but McGlynn - who notched his first goals in maroon during last Tuesday's 3-2 home win over Edinburgh City - is enjoying the opportunity of regular first team football, and believes his grounding at Burnley will stand him in good stead moving forward in his career.

"It's a lot different, but I'm enjoying it. At the end of day, it's football - it's what everyone wants to be playing," he said.

"There were two different sides to it, from when (Sean) Dyche was there and then when (Vincent) Kompany was in, but I've learned a lot from Burnley. I'm only 21, so I'm still learning, still young, but I'm just enjoying my football at the minute.

"I've seen first team strikers that were at Burnley, I've watched them, I've had them kind of mentor me a wee bit, and just learn off them. Learning off them was all I tried to do when I was with them."

Although he didn't spend too much time around their first team, McGlynn revealed that Ashley Barnes, who spent nine years with the Clarets before moving on to Norwich City last summer, was a particular influence.

"He's unbelievable, and he's a good guy as well," he continued.

"I probably watched a lot of Barnesy and try to emulate what he does, well, the best I can, obviously!

"When you're with them every day, you learn to be like them in terms of standards, the way they play, the way they are. It just happens naturally.

"Being around first team, Premier League level, you see day in, day out the standards that they bring, and you need to get up to that level."

McGlynn made 16 appearances for Kelty's League One rivals Accies, scoring four times, before switching to New Central Park, and admitted to being frustrated and not having more game time.

He's not only aiming for that with Michael Tidser's side, but he's got his eye on helping them to try and reach the Championship promotion play-offs.

"The goal is the play-offs to go up. That's everyone's goal and if I can help the team, then I'll do the best I can," he said.

"I'm loving it. Playing games, scoring goals - that's what anyone wants to do, especially a striker, scoring goals. I'm getting minutes under my belt, playing games - that's the dream. I'm enjoying it.

"I've not played many minutes this year, which everyone can see, but it's just about playing minutes, playing games, and helping whatever team I'm playing with to win games.

"I think anyone would find it frustrating sitting on the bench and sometimes not even getting on, but you just have to persevere. I've always had it in my head that if you stick with it, in the end, something will come of it.

"Sticking with it is all I've had in my head.

"I'm 21 so I need to be playing, I need to be scoring, and that's why I'm here."