THE infamous Irish twins, Joe, Lloyd, Olly, Jamie and Danyl are all battling to be Simon Cowell’s number one, but there’s only one man who has the X Factor in Alan Mahon’s eyes.

The midfielder saw first-hand how Owen Coyle inspired Burnley to end a 33-year absence from English football’s top table at the end of an epic 61-game season.

And he is confident the Scot will have masterminded Premier League survival come May, even if pundits continue to write his old club off.

“The club always had potential, but it needed someone to steer the ship in that direction,” said the Dubliner.

“The reason Burnley are in the Premier League is because they’ve got a great bunch of lads and a fantastic young manager.”

Mahon featured for the Clarets just 12 times last season, ending it on loan at Blackpool, and in the summer returned to his football roots by signing a three-year deal at his first club, Tranmere Rovers.

But Turf Moor ties have not been cut, which made last weekend’s derby uncomfortable yet compulsive viewing for the 31-year-old.

Clarets fans will not need reminding that Blackburn, another of Mahon’s eight former clubs, came out on top.

Refusing to sit on the fence, he badly wishes the outcome had been different.

And despite having a foot in both camps again today when Wigan hit town, he hopes Burnley can hit back and extend their unblemished home record.

“I watched the derby. I thought the boys were fantastic and got off to a great start – Robbie Blake did what he does every day in training with a textbook goal - but unfortunately they let Blackburn back into it and they are a strong side.

"I think it will be a different story when they meet again at Turf Moor,”

said Mahon, before outlining his claret and blue allegiance.

“The two clubs are very close to my heart and it was a pleasure to play for both of them and to have that on my CV.

“Blackburn was fantastic; a friendly, family-orientated club and I had some good times there and good success.

“But Burnley is more recent in my career and I have a lot of friends there.

“The gaffer was fantastic with me when I left, so my loyalties, at the moment, are more with Burnley.”

Mahon spent four years at Ewood Park after Graeme Souness made his loan move from Sporting Lisbon permanent in the summer of 2001, completing the East Lancashire set when he was snapped up by Steve Cotterill in 2006.

A two-year stint with Wigan was slotted in between.

Mahon won promotion to the Premier League at all three, and lifted the Carling Cup with Blackburn.

Silverware isn’t the only shared interest among this trio of neighbouring clubs. From Blackburn’s steel magnate Jack Walker, Wigan’s sports retail tycoon Dave Whelan and the combined efforts of Burnley’s self-made millionaires Barry Kilby and Brendan Flood, local businessmen have proved prominent in their success stories.

“You get more of an intimate feel from working town clubs like these,” said Mahon.

“Local businessmen naturally want the team to do well. They’re not in it for any kind of motive and that’s something that’s needed more in football; people putting money where their mouth is.”

And that hard-working background is something the former Republic of Ireland international has endeavour-ed to mirror in his own career.

“When I came to Burnley I had a year left on my contract at Wigan.

“I’d done alright at the start, but it was the same old story ... I wasn’t playing,” he explained. “As a kid you grow up playing football for nothing and you come into the game to play, but I wasn’t getting that and I felt I had to leave to progress my career.

“Paul Jewell was quality with me. He said he wanted me to stay but there was no point in me doing that if I was just sitting on the bench, picking my nose on a Saturday. I just wanted to play football.

“When I arrived at Burnley (initially on loan) we were mid-table in the Championship. Now they’re in the Premier League and it’s fantastic.”

When Mahon tunes in for Match of the Day tonight, he hopes the winning home trend has continued, but the one-time joker of the Clarets pack couldn’t resist a parting shot.

“I haven’t managed to get to a game yet but I’ve been watching on television and giving the boys some stick,” he said.

“Joey Gudjonsson’s ‘heavy’ head looks even bigger on television. It’s like a pumpkin!

“But seriously, it’s a great honour to have been part of that team and to see them doing well.”