I won't give up on our season

England U21 international Whittingham is due to return to Aston Villa following the Clarets Championship clash with Rotherham United tomorrow.

However, Burnley boss Cotterill would like Villa to allow the midfielder to remain at Turf Moor as he continues to seek a strong finish to the league campaign.

He said: "It doesn't matter what gets said or what gets written, I never give up on anything. I've not given up on the season and I won't do that.

"We've got to play to the end of the season because that's what we get paid to do."

The Clarets manager feels that Whittingham has grown in stature throughout his initial month with the club. And he hinted that if his request to extend the loan gets the green light, he has a specific role in mind for the 20-year-old.

"Peter is a great lad and I'd have him here tomorrow," added Cotterill. "He might have been a bit low on confidence when he first arrived because he hadn't played a lot of football, but he's got better as time's gone on.

"With him, I'm still trying to sort out his best position and I think I might have come to a conclusion. But first I've had to have a chat with Villa about extending the loan and we'll just see where we go from there. "

Burnley could be virtually back at full strength for the visit of Rotherham, whose relegation could finally be sealed within a fortnight should results continue to conspire against them.

Tony Grant remains the only injury concern, and with Mo Camara and Lee Roche both back from bans that leaves Ade Akinbiyi as the only definite absentee as the Clarets seek their first league win in six games.

Burnley failed to build on their 19th clean sheet of the season against Leicester last Tuesday as a series of missed chances left the hosts still seeking their first league goal of 2005 at Turf Moor at the fifth attempt.

And Cotterill warned against complacency against a side still fighting for their lives.

He added: "Keeping a clean sheet always gives you satisfaction, but obviously we would like to score a few more goals so I expect Rotherham will be thinking it's a chance to win the game as well.

"The one thing we musn't do is take this game lightly because if we do they'll beat us.

"It's about us and I don't want to put the kiss of death on us, but if we create as many chances as we did the other night I can't see us missing all them again."