BURNLEY and Blackpool are two clubs that are close to my heart, and I think it could be a good time to face the Seasiders.

I saw Blackpool play against Sheffield Wednesday a few weeks ago and I was impressed with them. They have done well this season, and Paul Ince has done a good job there.

He obviously had a difficult time as manager at Blackburn but he rebuilt his career by going back to MK Dons and now he has done well at Blackpool.

At the start of the season no-one expected them to do well, particularly as they were missing Tom Ince for a few games, but they had a great start.

After I saw them beat Sheffield Wednesday though, they had a midweek game at Yeovil when they had three players sent off. Then in the next game they lost another couple of players to red cards.

Ricardo Fuller is still suspended and he will be a big miss today because he played really well in the game I saw.

I think if Burnley can get an early goal they could go on and win the game comfortably.

I had four great years at Blackpool and I will always be indebted to them because they gave me my chance as a professional footballer.

I left because I saw Burnley as a fantastic opportunity and obviously going up through the play-offs at Wembley it proved to be the right decision.

I had four great years with Burnley and whenever I go back I am always made so welcome.

When I went back to Bloomfield Road in my first season playing for Burnley we won 2-1 and I scored, and that didn’t go down too well with because I celebrated the goal.

Blackpool fans will probably think I will be supporting Burnley because they always gave me a bit of stick, but I will sit on the fence!

I was at Burnley’s FA Youth Cup game against Manchester United and I thought the Burnley boys produced a fantastic performance, even though the result went against them. I thought they deserved every credit for the way they played against one of the best youth teams around, who only won because of two outstanding goals.

Terry Pashley and his staff have done a great job bringing players through. We’ve seen Stevie Hewitt and Cameron Howieson get games for the first team.

It’s only because of how well the first team are doing that they haven’t played more, because they’re capable of playing at that level.

There are signs now that there are one or two in the current youth team who can go on to earn professional contracts.