PROUD dad Brian Reid has put his hospital visits on hold to help Burnley seek a vital victory against Wigan Athletic tomorrow, writes PETE OLIVER.

The recent Clarets' signing became a father for the first time on Tuesday afternoon when his wife Christine gave birth to son Kyle by an emergency Caesarean section in Paisley.

Reid was there to support her but was back on the road yesterday morning to report for training at Gawthorpe in readiness for the clash with Wigan when Burnley will be looking for their first win in five games.

"She's in hospital until Sunday anyway so I can only see them at visiting times and obviously it's important for myself to keep playing and for the team as well because I think we have some injury problems and suspensions," explained Reid before heading for his hotel bed to catch up on some sleep.

"I never hesitated in coming back down. The gaffer was good that way and said I could have stayed if I wanted but I have got to play on Saturday and hopefully get a result.

"Then I'll get straight back on the road after playing. She's getting out on Sunday and the gaffer said I'll maybe get Monday and Tuesday off."

The Scot has fitted into the Burnley back four remarkably well following his signing at the start of the month given his domestic circumstances.

"It's been a wee bit of a problem," he admitted. "But to be honest I have been made to feel at home. The club has really helped me settle in and in the hotel there's a good atmosphere and everybody has been very friendly. "I am hoping that once the baby is a wee bit stronger my wife will come down next week or the week after.

"We have got a house that I'm hoping to move into soon and once we've got that everything will then be a wee bit better.

"But I have enjoyed it for starters although maybe we could do with a few wins.

"Hopefully that will start now because it's got to the stage where we need to start winning some games."

Reid is yet to play in a victorious Burnley side in his four appearances but the former Rangers and Greenock Morton man has still looked a shrewd acquisition under the Bosman ruling.

A cultured left-sided defender, Reid will again have an important role to play as Burnley - just a couple of places out of the bottom four - look to make up for the absence of the suspended Peter Swan against a potentially lively Wigan attack.

"I have been reasonably happy with my form," he added. "I have been working on my fitness and maybe I am still a tiny wee bit short of full match-fitness but once I get 100 per cent fit and get to settle in with the boys a wee bit more then I think you will see the best of me.

"But I think I have done reasonably well - it's just a pity about the results. We have had a couple of draws and a couple of defeats but they have all been close games and could have gone either way and hopefully we can turn it round.

"Hopefully we can get a bit of the rub of the green as well because in some of the games it has not gone our way. But it usually happens that way when you are down towards the lower end of the table."

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