Clarets fan from Rhode Island USA travels over three thousand miles to watch his first game at Turf Moor

Jorge Rodrigues has been a Claret for 10 years but only saw his team play for the first time at the recent home game against Fulham.

He made the journey from his home in Cumberland, Rhode Island, to watch Burnley play and although the team has experienced some heartbreaking defeats since the start of the season, Jorge still has every confidence in them. He said: “Now is the time to look back and reflect on things and see what needs to be done differently moving forward.

“Vincent Kompany is a young manager so I hope that the fans will give him more time and not be too harsh on him.”

Keen to find a British team to follow, Jorge (35) chose Burnley as it is similar to his working class hometown. A keen sports fan and follower of American football, Jorge supports the New England Patriots also follows hockey (Vegas Golden Knights), and his local football teams of Rhode Island FC (a second division team in the US) and New England Revolution (a MLS team that is in the first division in the United States). He also plays curling and loves watching it every time it's on during the Winter Olympics. His trip to Burnley was also the first visit to the UK for Jorge and he was bowled over by the warm welcome he received from locals. “I loved my time in Burnley, I made some fantastic new friends. People in Burnley were so friendly towards me, “ said Jorge.

Jorge enjoyed a private tour of Turf Moor and no trip to the town would be complete without a visit to the Royal Dyche and also the Miner’s Club. And of course, Jorge enjoyed a traditional benedictine and hot water, known as a ‘bene and hot.’ “It was a lovely drink,” said Jorge who also went sightseeing in Manchester and Liverpool. “But I did believe that if I had more than a few I would struggle to function!”

While in Burnley Jorge was thrilled to discover a connection to the States through Rhode Island coffee shop in the town centre. The owner visited America and loved the vibe of Rhode Island and its cafe culture so much he came back to the UK and founded his first coffee shop in Altrincham.