FORMER Burnley striker Jay Rodriguez was back in East Lancashire this week as he got married.

The 25-year-old, who now plays for Southampton, married partner Simone Lee, also from Burnley, in the Ribble Valley on Tuesday.

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Rodriguez, born in Burnley, tied the knot to Simone in pre-season before he returns to the South Coast to work on his fitness, having not played for the Saints since April 2014, when he ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament against Manchester City.

Rodriguez said: “On Tuesday I married my fiancé and best friend Simone in the heartland of where we grew up... the Ribble Valley in Lancashire; surrounded by all our family and closest friends.

“We chose Eaves Hall in Waddington as the venue and The Smiths song There is a Light that Never Goes Out was our first dance song.

“Such a very special day for us both.”

After the wedding the couple and guests celebrated in the rural village of West Bradford, on the edge of the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Brother Joe was one of Rodriguez’s best man, while dad Kiko, a non-league legend in East Lancashire, and mum Carol, who owns a sandwich shop in Burnley, were also in attendance.

Among the guests at the ceremony was Rodriguez’s former Burnley team-mate Jack Cork, who also moved to Southampton from Turf Moor, and has since signed for Swansea.

Dad Kiko was born in Burnley after his parents moved to England because there was no work in Spain.

After spending some time in York they made friends with a family from Burnley and eventually moved to the town, running the St James’ Cafe Bar on St James’s Street in the town centre.

‘Jay-Rod’ came through the youth ranks at Turf Moor and scored 41 goals in 128 games, but he missed the 2009/10 Premier League season through injury.

In June 2012 he signed for newly promoted Southampton for a fee in the region of £7million.

He made an immediate impact at St Mary’s and was called into the England squad in November 2013, winning his first cap on November 15 at Wembley in a friendly against Chile.

He was tipped to make the World Cup squad for 2014 before suffering his injury.

Last month he signed a new four-year contract with Southampton and he is expected to be fit for the start of the new season.

Rodriguez, who has constantly been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur despite his injury, rose through the ranks to become a cult hero at Turf Moor.

After playing as a junior, he won himself a contract and was promoted to the senior squad at the end of the 2006–07 season after completing his two-year apprenticeship.

He was the only player to be signed by Burnley manager Steve Cotterill from the seven youth players available at the time.