Burnley boss Sean Dyche delighted to see former Claret Kieran Trippier join an elite group of English La Liga winners

The England international full back helped Diego Simeone’s side to an unprecedented success, ahead of Real Madrid and Barcelona, with a 2-1 win at Real Valladolid securing a first title in seven years for Los Rojiblancos.

Trippier, who left Turf Moor for Spurs in the summer of 2015, playing his last game for the club at Aston Villa six years ago today, is the 20th Englishman to play in the top flight in Spain, and joins a list of title winners included Laurie Cunningham, Steve McManaman and David Beckham, all with Real Madrid.

In terms of fellow Brits, Wales’ Gareth Bale has won La Liga with Real, and Scotland striker Steve Archibald with Barcelona.

And Dyche is thrilled for a player who helped win promotion to the Premier League under him with Burnley in 2014:“I’ve been messaging him, jumping on the bandwagon as you do, associating myself with success!

“‘Get me a signed shirt for my kidney charity (Kidney Research UK)!

“Who would have thought it when he was at Burnley?

“He’s a class act, he always was, he’s done fantastically well, he’s had his knocks along the way as well - people forget when he first went to Tottenham it took him a long time to earn the respect of the manager there and get in the side, but eventually he did, and did so well for them and for England.

“He got his move over there and he’s adapted well, which isn’t easy, and he has won the league, and obviously could have a glorious return to Burnley on the back of that!”

That last bit was tongue in cheek, although Trippier told Burnley Express Sport last year: https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/football/international-football/kieran-trippier-exclusive-burnley-only-club-id-come-back-england-2459964 “I would love to retire there. That's my aim, to retire at Burnley. I have a great relationship with Sean Dyche

"I want to play as high as I can for as long as I can, but I'll know when the time is right. If I'm at Atleti for another two years that'll take me to 32 and Burnley's the only club that I'd come back to England for.

"That's the way I want it to plan out. I want to play here for as long as I can and then finish playing for a manager like Sean Dyche while ending my career at Burnley. That's where I want to finish."

Eddie Howe signed Trippier on loan from Manchester City in the summer of 2011, but he blossomed under Dyche, who added: “I saw his talent, we witnessed him in training, and thought he could be a top player, and he adapted to the demands physically, which was a bit of a challenge for him, and, to be fair to him, he changed his lifestyle in a positive way, taking it more seriously about his shape and physicality, but he is quality, there’s no two ways about it.

“Probably the only player I could liken him to at a young age, in a different way, is Gary Charles, when I was at Nottingham Forest. He was an absolute Rolls Royce, he could play in any position and probably do great.

“Tripps is a bit like that, we didn’t, but he could have played either side, probably midfield.

“He’s professionalised himself really, we gave him a bit of guidance, things we thought would be important for him, but he deserves the credit for his journey, he’s taken on the information and ran with it.

“He deserves everything he gets.”