Jay keen to get stuck in

YOUNG BURNLEY forward Jay Rodriguez has been a part of the Stirling Albion squad for just over a week now and the 18-year-old is already turning a few heads.

Stirling are currently in the Irn Bru First Division, which is Scotland's equivalent of Burnley's Coca-Cola Championship. The quality though is far different, with the league being compared to the likes of League One and Two.

So when Albion pulled out all the stops to sign young starlet Rodriguez on loan until the end of the season, a player they have never heard of before, it was surprising when people started to take note.

'It's just the craziest thing really,' Rodriguez told me in an EXCLUSIVE interview with Vital Burnley,

'to have fans chanting your name, well I think it was my name, I heard Rodrig.., and then it went a bit muffled, but I am pretty sure it was me they were cheering for.'

Rodriguez made his first team debut for Stirling last weekend, coming on as a substitute with 25 minutes left at Celtic Park against the best club in Scottish football and one of the best in Europe.

Jay must have done something right in the game as his Stirling gaffer, Allan Moore, handed him the number 10 shirt for the home game against Livingston. A game which ended in a 4-1 defeat.

'It was a disappointing defeat to be beaten by such a big score line, especially when you have scored first and taken the lead, but that's football for you and we just have to kick on from it.'

Rodriguez is dividing his time between Burnley and Albion at the moment, as he trains with Burnley throughout the week and travels to Scotland on Friday evenings to take part in their game on the following day.

And the youngster admits it is hard doing the distance:

'Yeah, I'm at Burnley through the week, but it's not as though I just turn up in Stirling with no idea about what has gone on throughout the week.

'I keep in touch with the club whilst I am down in Burnley and they are great with me. I'm just delighted to get the opportunity at first team football and hopefully I can carry it into next season with Burnley when I return.'

We would like to thank Jay for taking the time to speak to us.