Ex-NFL star pledges to earn trust of Burnley fans

JJ Watt played for the Arizona Cardinals and the Houston Texans in the NFL

Former NFL star JJ Watt has promised to earn the trust of Burnley's supporters "by showing them how how passionate we are" after investing in the newly-promoted football club.

Watt and his wife Kealia, who is an ex-USA football international, recently joined the Clarets as minority shareholders.

He will join the open-top bus parade later to celebrate Burnley's return to the Premier League.

Watt told BBC Breakfast the club was in good hands with a "perfect fit" of leadership characters.

"Promotion and relegation, the highs and lows, the consequences are incredible so we have been looking for a club for a long time," he said.

"We knew that once we found the right opportunity we were going to go all-in so we took our time.

"Burnley checked every single box."

Burnley's Josh Brownhill and Jack Cork lift the Championship trophy

He described Burnley as a "hard-working mill town" with "tough people who are so passionate and loving of their club".

"Alan Pace and his vision, Vincent Kompany and his vision and what they have been able to do, it is a perfect fit," he added.

JJ Watt played for the Arizona Cardinals and the Houston Texans in the NFL before retiring in December and was voted NFL defensive player of the year three times.

Kealia Watt played for Houston Dash and Chicago Red Stars, as well as earning three USA caps, and will be involved in helping to grow Burnley's women's team.

"That's one of the biggest things that my wife and I want to do," he said.

"There is so much history and tradition, we want to respect and honour that.

"The club has been around since 1882 and it will be here long after we're gone.

"We just want to help tell their story and show people what Burnley is about."

Celebrations have been in full swing since the club's Championship title win on 25 April.

Kim Long said she spent a couple of hours a day making the topper

Lifelong fan Kim Long said she knew her beloved club would clinch the title so spent up to a couple of hours a day for three months creating a crochet post box topper to mark Burnley's success.

"It was always a case of when it would happen, not if it would happen," she said.

The design, which features players Jay Rodriguez, Anass Zaroury, Nathan Tella and Ashley Barnes, is on display on Pendle Street in Padiham near the club's training ground.

Ms Long, who taught herself how to crochet after being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome following the birth of her son, said the club was now back "where it should be" in the top flight.

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