JJ and Kealia Watt interview 7th September 2023

 “I don't know if the rest of the world is fully aware of how special this place is”. JJ and Kealia Watt on the power of the community within Burnley.

Prior to last season, if you would have asked anyone outside of Burnley what they thought of the 94,000-populated town they would probably have come up with the usual spiel about Anti-Football and Brexit FC before trying and failing miserably to imitate the accent.

You only have to look at a recent Twitter video from Paddy Power depicting what they felt is the stereotypical Burnley fan to know that on paper that's what some people think of when they hear the word Burnley.

Granted, that clip showed some element of imagination and was actually quite funny, but for those on the inside, Burnley is far from that. It’s the Singing Ringing tree, the ‘Bene and Hot', the Haffners pies, the cotton mills, and the Royal Dyche. But most importantly it’s the sense of community. 

This is what appealed the most to JJ and Kealia Watt when they decided to invest in Burnley back in May. Whilst this may only be a minority stake, it is clear that they are fully invested in what the town and football club has to offer.

The American couple visited the Leisure Box in Brierfield Lancashire as part of an event showcasing the great work that Burnley FC’s official charity Burnley FC in the Community does for young people across the borough of Burnley and Pendle.

Such is the magnitude of the pair’s sporting achievements they were swarmed by a sea of excitable young fans clamoring for selfies and autographs before they could even as much as say ‘Up the Clarets’.

Both have enjoyed stellar careers in their respective sports, mastering their craft down to a fine art, and have reaped the accolades and adulation that has been bestowed upon them.

JJ is widely seen as one of the greatest defensive linemen in NFL history, receiving defensive player of the year three times in his first five years in a professional career spanning 11 seasons for both the Houston Texans and the Arizona Cardinals

Soccer player Kelia competed in the NWSL from 2014 to 2021 making a total of 152 appearances for Houston Dash and Chicago Red Stars as well as scoring the winning goal for the US Women’s National Team in the Under 20 World Cup Final in 2012, before going on to make three appearances for the senior side.

It is definitely not something that has gone to their heads though and within a few seconds of talking to them, it is noticeable that they exude a certain warmth and have an acute social awareness to boot. Perhaps this is down to where they grew up with their hometowns being Pewaukee, Wisconsin, and Draper, Utah:

"Wisconsin does remind me a little bit of Burnley,” JJ says. "It's a lot of farming. It's a big open area. It's not rich. It's not poor. It's a lot of very hardworking people and they're very passionate about their sports team.”

Kealia was also immediately struck by the town’s passion for the shirt when they first visited Burnley back in March:

“That's what we loved so much when we first came here, and when we were driving through Burnley and saw all the football club jerseys”.

She also noted that both Utah and Wisconsin share a lot of similarities with Burnley, particularly when it comes to generosity:

“Everybody really wants to give back to the community, and everyone is really ingrained in the community, which I feel is similar in Wisconsin and kind of how we were raised. And that's why we love doing it so much.”

In this case, they gave the most valuable commodity of all their time, speaking to everyone alongside viewing the facilities on offer, which they heaped huge praise on:

“This place is incredible," JJ states. "I mean, to have this facility with this beautiful turf field with the rock-climbing wall and everything that they have here for the kids. It really is a beautiful thing for the community.”

Kealia continued, “When we first came in we both said to each other I don't think we've ever seen a facility made for something like this so beautiful and cool and really unique.  It's a really special place. We're so happy we got to come back here”.

The 133,000-square-foot leisure facility which was opened in 2019 by then Prime Minister Theresa May, really is downplaying its importance when it describes itself as ‘friendly fun and affordable’ on its website. It is a place awash with people from so many different walks of life, which the former Texans player believes sport has the power to do:

“I think sports are an incredible way to bring people together. It's anybody from any background, anybody from any situation can come together on one team, put everything aside and play together towards one goal.”

This especially rings true when it comes to Burnley FC in the Community’s Limitless Clarets Project. A project that aims to enrich the lives of children and adults with additional needs through sport and sensory provisions.

I work on the project and see first-hand the positive impact sport has on our participants on a weekly basis which they both witnessed after observing one of our sessions.

“I think the Limitless Clarets do an incredible job with that” mentions JJ, “Obviously giving everyone an opportunity to participate and to feel like that they're a part of that team. And there's not many things that are more powerful than feeling like you're part of a team.”

The multi-year partnership with TikTok for Burnley FC Women, the Mission to Burnley series on Sky Documentaries, and the acquisition of the Watt family and YouTube sensations Dude Perfect as stakeholders, are just some of the fan engagement strategies ALK Capital has implemented since becoming owners in December 2020.

Why? Because they want to let the world know about Burnley, and the Watt’s along with Dude Perfect only hope to aid that process.

“I don't know if the rest of the world is fully aware of how special this place is” comments JJ. "And that's what we're here to do. That's what Dude Perfect is here to do. That's why Mission to Burnley is what it is. We just want the world to know about Burnley because there's very special things going on.”

I know journalism is supposed to be unbiased, but I think I speak for everyone who lives and works here when I say Burnley is brilliant. There is just something different about this place situated in amongst Lancashire’s endless supply of hills. It's our town, it's our turf, it's our home.

They say home is where the heart is, well Burnley certainly seems to have stolen a place in this couple’s heart.

"Records are for DJ’s”- Seamus Devlin on life as a journeyman boxer

 “Records are for DJ’s”- Seamus Devlin on life as a journeyman boxer  

“As soon as I stepped in the gym, I knew it was for me” says local boxer Seamus Devlin when recounting his introduction into the combat sports world.

Devlin hails from Padiham and currently holds a professional boxing record of 0-16, although that is something that is subject to continual change considering he fights around four times per month.  

Now looking at this from an outside perspective you may be thinking why does he bother?

The answer to that question is born out of pure love for the fight game. Growing up in a working-class environment with little to do and a lack of opportunities can leave people susceptible to going down the wrong path something which the 33-year-old is no stranger to.

But determined not to be a product of his environment, Devlin quite literally fought his way out of a dark place citing bare-knuckle boxing as the catalyst for turning his life around.

“It has been in the public domain a while my story, I got lost to drug addiction I lost everything, and I hit rock bottom.

“I’ve always loved boxing and when I hit rock bottom I had nothing left to lose (so) I put both feet in and I got into the bare-knuckle game.”

 

Source: Seamus Devlin after his BKB title fight with Mikey McGowan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCTWf10TXBo 

Five wins four losses and two English BKB titles followed before a trip to Lacey’s Boxing gym in Bolton put him on the path to where he is today initially through unlicensed boxing.

“The glove thing transpired later on down the line when I met Baz Neil. When I met him, he said you're actually more suited to boxing and that's how I ended up slipping into doing the unlicensed whilst I was actively fighting as a bare-knuckle fighter.”

Taking the two sports at face value you would think that being exposed to bone-on-bone contact carries more dangers than the padded protection of a boxing glove.  

Surprisingly though Devlin believes the rawness of bare-knuckle is a safer alternative providing an insightful argument as to why he feels this is the case.

“When you put a glove on, you're spreading the surface area out. So you’re taking that serration of the knuckles away and it makes it easier to take the shot so you can sustain more damage with the gloves on.

“That's where pugilist syndrome (and) the term punch drunk comes from. But I suppose it's a case of pick your poison.”

Pick your poison may sound like a slightly sadistic phrase, but all fighters must get into that frame of mind before a fight regardless of what or who they are fighting for.

For some it’s money and fame, but it is apparent that for Seamus and his family fighting is about something far more meaningful. This becomes evident when his brother Alex who had been listening intently embarks on an impassioned response.

“The pride, it’s the sense of pride. That's what it is, having pride in your name these days.

“That's why you watch some of these bare-knuckle fights and you've got past the reason why they're fighting, you’re just in awe of the fight.

Then afterwards, people ask the questions, what was that actually about? Because the actual spectacle of two fellas putting their names, their pride on the line is bigger than money or a belt.”

Alex shares an unbreakable bond with Seamus and delights in his brothers’ achievements, but the elephant in the room which has not yet been discussed is what if something happens to his sibling whilst he is in the ring? He provides an emotionally driven analogy should this ever occur.  

Brothers in arms. Alex and Seamus Devlin at Lacey's Boxing Gym in Bolton. Source: Alex Devlin

“I've had this conversation with myself before, and the way I see it is when a soldier enlists and God forbid, he does get struck down, he has gone out on his shield doing what he wants to do, and what he loves to do and to say otherwise I think is a disgrace to the person to the dream and to what they're aiming for.”

Not only does Seamus have to put his body through grueling pain to ensure he is physically prepared for a fight, he also has to make sure he is mentally prepared. Being a journeyman means you often have to take fights at short notice with little to no background on your opponent.

As a fighter in the away corner like Devlin, you are often paid to turn up and give the person standing across from you a tough test and then move on to the next one which can become monotonous.

In no other sport are you essentially paid to lose and so the mental challenge of getting up for a fight can prove to be harder than the fight itself which Seamus has dealt with in the past.

“The psychological aspect, it's tough, because when you're losing there's the adrenaline spike as well.

 “You're up from the adrenaline, then you come down, you don’t sleep, and when you get back your sleep patterns off.

“Then you have got to get back to the gym the next week, and you've got to get the jump leads out so to speak because you've kind of not healed psychologically from that defeat properly.”

Seamus with his first opponent Leon Willings. Source: Burnley Express

. https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/boxing/road-warrior-seamus-devlin-inspires-after-making-belated-bow-in-boxing-3331411 

We then go on to discuss the fact that he hasn’t been victorious yet and then comes that line “Records are for DJ’s.”

This is the attitude of a fighter who cares not about the fact that underneath his picture on BoxRec there remains a zero but rather the “Invaluable experience and priceless memories” he makes along the way.

When the ‘Celtic Cobra’ gets that illustrious first win is unknown, but one thing is for certain Seamus will continue to give his all every time he steps through those ropes as he continues to fly the flag for the unsung hero that is the journeyman.

 

My letter to Gareth Southgate

 Dear Gareth,

As I am sure many others are doing today, I am writing you this letter to express my sincerest gratitude for what you, the staff and the players have done for this country. For the past month you have united a nation at a time when it has been at its most divided. There has perhaps never been a better time to be an England fan and that is down to you. 

I have followed your journey as manager closely for the past three years and have the upmost admiration for you as a person way beyond any football result. Although in the interest of transparency and honesty I have a confession to make. For many years I felt a sense of disconnect and resentment towards the England team for what I felt was its lack of identity and affinity with the fans. I am someone who feeds off emotion, energy and experiences more than anything and throughout my life I have heard stories of Gazza’s tears, Stuart Pearce’s penalty celebration in 96, the boys of 66 and the impact they had on the country.

I wanted that for my generation, a team in which we could relate too and I became disheartened when I felt we were not getting that. That leads me to the main part of my confession, at the start of your tenure I wrongly called you a yes man which I wholeheartedly apologise for because that could not be further from the truth. 

In my frustration at the team, I also wrote a Facebook post as a 17-year-old saying ‘Come on Scotland’ when we drew with them at Hampden Park, but believe it or not, behind that post was a boy yearning for a team to be patriotic about. I love this country Gareth and everyone in it and our national sport has the power to bring us all together like it did in this tournament and in 2018. At the start of the World Cup, I had resigned myself to another summer of disappointment and my friends tried and failed to get me in the spirit until something changed. The moment that swung it for me was after the penalties win against Columbia when you screamed “Come on!!!”. 

I knew then that you and this group of players were different and the outpouring of emotion from you let me know that you were all with us and that you were all one of us. Some may call it glory hunting as my support came back when the team were doing well, but I can honestly say the result then and the subsequent ones are secondary to me. It is about having something to get behind and be a part of whilst knowing that we are all on the same page. That is why when people say to me why do you like Gareth Southgate so much? I say because he cares! 

If you lost the next six matches in a row, I would say the same thing. You and the players are also not afraid to speak out on issues outside of football such a racism and mental health which has influenced a generation including me more than you will ever know.

If I may I’d like to give you a brief background on myself. I am a 21-year-old wheelchair user from Padiham Lancashire with a condition called Cerebral Palsy, and I am also an avid Burnley FC season ticket holder! I have had my struggles with mental health over the years due to bereavements and finding it difficult to accept the way society is in regards to disabled access and equality, but in August 2018 I began to take control of my situation. Since then, I have become a Level 1 football coach on Burnley FC in the Community’s Disability Sports Project, started a Multimedia Sports Journalism Degree at UCFB Etihad and raised £8,097.64 for my local hospice doing a 100 round boxing challenge during the pandemic. On my way back to positive mental well-being and achieving these things I took inspiration from yourself Tyson Fury and David Goggins. 

I still have my off days, but I stay calm during those and do the right things like daily exercise and mental stimulation which help me to win more battles than I lose. There are too many words to write in one letter Gareth, but I hope I get to meet you one day to thank you for what you have done for me and so many others. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

 Yours Sincerely, Joe Skinner

Can the Three Lions roar at the Euro’s?

Gareth Southgate has come under scrutiny since his decision to call up the inexperienced Ben White who has just one cap to his name as a replacement for the injured Trent-Alexander-Arnold.

Many people felt that Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse was more deserving of a spot in the final 26-man squad for the European Championships especially after his performance at the Riverside Stadium against Romania on Sunday.

The central midfielder was one of the brighter sparks for England as they failed to score from open play against a side who sit 37th in the World Rankings.

Even with the injury to Alexander-Arnold Southgate still has three right-backs at his disposal which is why White’s inclusion led to some raised eyebrows but I agree with his choice.

With uncertainty surrounding the fitness of Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson, White offers Southgate the luxury of being able to play in both of their positions should neither player be fit enough to start the tournament.

White may only end up playing a bit-part role but what an experience for the 23-year-old to be part of a vibrant squad seeking to win a major competition for the first time in 55 years.

Patrick Elmont- Uefa /gettyimages

By picking the Brighton defender Southgate may be looking ahead to the World Cup in 17 months’ time and the Euros present a perfect opportunity to allow young players like him and Jude Bellingham to gain a feel of what tournament football is like.

Croatia is a tough opening assignment for the Three Lions who will have painful memories of their last meeting in a major tournament.

Mario Mandzukic broke English hearts with his extra-time winner in the World Cup Semi-final in 2018.

That defeat often leads some fans to question whether England are actually a good side arguing that as soon as we come up against decent opponents we come unstuck.

I disagree with this given the fact that in the 3 years since that loss we have exacted revenge on Zlatko Dalic’s men in the Nation’s League group stage as well as claiming victories against Belgium and Spain.

What appeals to me about this England side though is its identity. Gareth has managed to unite the players, supporters, and media so that we are no longer as pessimistic about the national team as we once were.

For many years I was the most pessimistic England fan you could meet and harboured resentment towards them due to their lack of direction and affinity with the fans.

So much so I made an ill-advised Facebook post saying “Come on Scotland” when the two teams met at Hampden Park in 2017.

I got some stick for that but believe it or not, that post was my way of showing how much I yearned for a side to be patriotic about.

Throughout my life I have heard stories about Euro 96 and Stuart Pearce’s war cry, Italia 90 and Gazza’s tears, and not forgetting the boys of 66 the greatest England side of them all.

Mark Leech/gettyimages

I envied those who got to experience that and I wanted the same for the younger generation of England fans.

Those tournaments took place in times of prosperity and optimism in the form of ‘The Swinging Sixties, the Acid House era of the late ’80s and early '90’s and the Britpop scene from 1993-1997.

Daily Mail

That is not a coincidence. Football has the power to unite a nation and that is what Gareth and his squad did in Russia.

During a time when the country was at odds over Brexit, the likes of Kieran Trippier and Eric Dier allowed us to forget about how divided we all were as we dared to dream of World Cup glory once more.

The moment that swung it for me was when Southgate walked over to the England fans and screamed “Come on!” at the top of his lungs following the win against Columbia on penalties in the Quarter-final.

Robbie Jay Barratt-AMA/gettyimages

22 years of pent-up emotion poured out of him as he let go of the guilt he felt for missing a decisive penalty at Euro 96 versus the Germans.

The question is can England recreate scenes like that this summer by lifting the trophy at Wembley? Do you still believe?

What Chris Wood brings to Burnley

 

Chris Wood hit the headlines yesterday after he became the first player to score a first-half hat-trick since Michael Owen did it for Liverpool against Newcastle in 1998.  

That hat-trick also meant he has hit 10 or more league goals for the fourth successive campaign. This achievement holds more significance considering his slow start to the season where he had only scored four league goals before March.

Since then he has got on the scoresheet six times in the last six games. As well as providing a goal threat he also has other qualities that he brings to the team, let’s go deeper into these qualities:

 

Unselfish play

Strikers can often be selfish in the way they play and become hell-bent on scoring goals which is all well and good but a Sean Dyche side focuses on a collective effort rather than the performance of one individual. 

Wood fits into this dynamic well and that can be shown with the fact that he has registered two assists in his last three games. One of those assists came in yesterday’s game and was a perfect example of his unselfishness.

 Jay Rodriguez gave him the ball in the box and having already scored three times he would have been forgiven if he had tried to add to his tally. Instead, he laid the ball off to Ashley Westwood who rifled the ball into the top corner. 

His assist in the previous home game against Newcastle took more work. You don’t expect strikers to be putting crosses in but this is what Wood did as he picked out Matej Vydra with a low-driven cross and the number 27 finished off his teammate's good work.

Predatory instinct 

Like all great strikers Wood has the ability to be in the right place at the right time. This was evident in his second goal at Molineux when after seeing Dwight Mcneil dispossess Nélson Semedo in the penalty area he raced across the box to pounce on the ball and tap it home.

 

Marc Atkins /gettyimages

In the Arsenal game last month Wood scored a goal similar to the one he scored for Leicester against Watford in 2013 except this time it didn’t hit him square in the face. 

Along with his strike partner Vydra, Wood set out to press the Arsenal defence in the box and this forced Granit Xhaka to make a rash pass intended for David Luiz. Unfortunately for Xhaka it hit Wood and bounced off his thigh into the net. They all count.

 

Ball control

Burnley fans have been critical of Wood’s ability on the ball in the past but it looks to be an area he is developing in. 

His first goal against Wolves was a superb finish where he held the ball up, knocked it through the legs of Conor Coady and smashed it into the opposite corner. 

He is no stranger to this type of goal, in the final game of last season against Brighton he exquisitely controlled Erik Pieters ball over the top and slotted it past Robert Sanchez for his 14th league goal of that campaign. 

With five games to go that figure is well within reach this time around and if he keeps on firing at the rate that he is, that can only bode well for the Clarets. 

Funny Tweets from the world of sport

 Although Twitter can be a toxic place at times it can also provide us with moments of great humour especially in the sporting world. I have picked out four tweets which I found amusing below:

Dulux and Totteneham Hotspur

When a football club forms a new partnership with a company it is customary to expect them to start singing each other’s praises on social media with cliche tweets like “We can’t wait to start working with you”.

What you don’t expect is for them to start laying into their new partners within minutes.

This is exactly what happened moments after Spurs announced that Dulux had become their official paint supplier.

In reply to one user’s tweet about the London club’s lack of trophies the Dulux Twitter admin posted a picture of an empty trophy cabinet that had the club crest on with the caption” For sale unused trophy cabinet: Telephone 03444995000”. 

They would later go on to suggest that the Dulux dog could do a better job at the back than the current crop of defenders at the club in response to another tweet. 

You do have to wonder whether the person behind the tweets was an Arsenal or West Ham fan, fair play to them for having the bottle to do it but I expect they will be receiving their P45 in the post.

Amir Khan Anthony Joshua

Khan may be six weight classes below the World Heavyweight Champion but that didn’t stop him from calling out Joshua on Twitter, just not in the way you might think.

Whilst out in Dubai Khan announced that he had split from his wife Faryal Makhdoom accusing her and Joshua of having an affair.

The funny part about this Twitter spat is that AJ cheekily responded with a video clip of the song It Wasn’t Me by American artist Shaggy. 1-0 to the Champ.

MRWGifs

Jarrod Bowen

As a teenager out shopping with his dad Bowen probably thought nothing of his tweet which let the internet know he was “Milf Hunting”.

But as we have come to find out with social media, once you click the post button it is out there forever and these kinds of tweets have a tendency to come back and bite footballers years later.

One thing I will say is that I admire his ambition for thinking he could get a bit of action in the middle of B&Q.

Gary Lineakar’s pants

When the Match of the Day host told the web that he would present the first show of the following season in his pants if his beloved Leicester City won the league he probably didn’t think it would come true.

That’s exactly what happened though as the Foxes pulled off the unthinkable to lift the 2015/16 Premier League trophy as a 5000/1 outsider.

Linekar’s Leicester shorts were on show to the nation as he analysed the reigning champion's performance against newly promoted Hull City. Let’s just hope he wasn’t too cold...

Do you have any particular tweets from the sporting world that have amused you over the years? Let me know in the comments!

When Athletes change sports

Jeff Kravitz gettyimages

After MMA fighter Ben Askren’s humiliating defeat to Youtuber Jake Paul in the boxing ring on Sunday I’ve decided to take a look at athletes who have tried their hand at more than one sport during their careers. 

Rafael Van De Vaart

Van De Vaart is a product of Ajax’s illustrious youth academy and has played for the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid.

Arguably the greatest achievement of his career was helping the Netherlands reach the World Cup final in 2010. Since hanging up his boots in 2018 VDV has swapped his studs for the arrows and become a professional darts player.

The 38-year-old took to the oche under the jurisdiction of the British Darts Organisation at the Denmark open in 2019. Things got off to a flyer for him as he defeated Thomas Anderson 4-2 in the first round of the tournament but he bowed out against Mogens Christensen in the second round.

It is unlikely that he will be able to perform at the same level as his Dutch compatriots Michael Van Gerwen and Raymond Van Barneveld but it would be some story if he did!

Curtis Woodhouse

Growing up Woodhouse had two loves football and boxing. He would go on to have a career in both sports firstly as a footballer captaining Sheffield United at the age of 19, before eventually becoming a pro boxer in 2006. 

The defining moment in his career came when he won the prestigious British Title at Light-Welterweight in a split decision victory over Darren Hamilton in 2014. In an interview with IFLTV after the bout “The Troll Hunter'' described it as his “destiny” to win the Lonsdale belt.

Petr Cech

Cech stands at 6”5 and holds the record for the most clean sheets in the Premier League with 202. After retiring from football in 2019 he returned to Chelsea to assume the role of technical and performance advisor.

Alongside his new role, he ventured onto the ice rink to play for semi-professional hockey team Guildford Phoenix on a part-time basis.

The small-sized goals proved to be a perfect fit for him and he put in a man-of-the-match display on his debut which included two penalty saves in a penalty shoot-out win.

Usain Bolt

Central Coast Mariners must have thought they’d hit the commercial jackpot when they took the Olympic sprinter on trial, especially after he scored two goals vs Macarthur South West United in a pre-season friendly.

“Lightning Bolt” looked to be fulfilling a childhood dream and Mariners wanted to extend his stay but both parties were unable to agree on a deal.

Perhaps this was for the best as fellow A-League player Andy Keogh didn’t speak very highly of his footballing ability stating that “He had a touch like a trampoline,” not exactly a glowing report is it.