NEW signing David Unsworth has revealed he would be disappointed if Burnley were not challenging for promotion at the end of this season.

The former Everton defender, who completed a 12-month deal with the Clarets in the first week of the season, believes the squad is well enough equipped to sustain a push for the Premiership.

The 33-year-old admitted he turned down approaches from two Championship clubs and one Premier League outfit in order to be part of Clarets manager Steve Cotterill's ambitions.

And he believes he has joined a bigger club, with more potential, than previous club Wigan Athletic, who released Unsworth at the end of last season after his first-half penalty sealed their Premiership survival.

"This is a big club," said Unsworth, who made his Burnley debut in the Carling Cup win at Grimsby last week.

"It's a bigger club than my last one. The potential here is huge, the fanbase is big, the redevelopment ... everything is gearing up in the background for us to be successful on the pitch.

"I saw how well the team did at the start of last season and they were challenging right up to Christmas time and thought they had a great chance.

"So the squad's obviously another year older, another year wiser and having seen that last year, I thought before the season started that Burnley would be there or thereabouts. And I haven't changed my opinion of that, especially after beating West Brom."

Unsworth watched that game from the stands ahead of agreeing terms with the Clarets.

"I thought in the first half we didn't get anywhere near them. I thought they passed it around great. In the second half we came out like a different team and we battered them, and in the end it should have been three or four or so," he said.

"It was great. I was delighted with the lads. It was a great win."

That 2-1 win against Tony Mowbray's win was countered with a 2-1 defeat at Championship newcomers Scunthorpe last weekend.

But after starting the game strongly and creating a host of chances, including two for Unsworth himself, the 33-year-old believes their 2-0 loss would serve as an early wake-up call.

"If you're ever going to lose a game it might not be a bad game to lose in terms of we can't just turn up and expect to beat teams in this league," he said.

"You've got to work your socks off first and foremost and put your chances away, and we didn't do that."