IF famous Clarets fan Neil Hodgson has his wish granted, Burnley will soon have a sporting week to remember.

Hodgson will not get the chance to see his beloved Burnley take on Blackburn Rovers at Turf Moor on Sunday, but he has his fingers crossed that a home victory will be followed seven days later by his own triumphant return to the British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch after 10 years away.

“I’ve not had chance to watch them many times this year because I’ve been busy and I’m always travelling, but I was back over here at Christmas and I went on Boxing Day against Bolton with all my mates,” said the former British and world champion.

“I’m hoping they stay up like you can’t believe, like everyone in Burnley is. It’s a constant worry now!

“They just need that little run, that little bit of luck, because they’ve had no luck at all.

“I won’t get the chance to go to the derby unfortunately, although I’d love to.

“But it’s the ultimate really to beat Blackburn.

“If they could beat Blackburn and I could have a good first race next week, that would be just perfect for Burnley in general.”

A lifelong supporter, Hodgson has had to watch the Clarets’ progress from afar over the past five years as he competed in the American Superbike Championship.

“I was living 40 minutes south of Los Angeles, in a place called Laguna Beach,” said the 36-year-old.

“It was funny because I’m just a normal lad from Burnley.

“There were many times when I thought, ‘How the hell did I get here?’ “I’m back in the Isle of Man now but I come back to Burnley loads.

“I’m from Burnley, my mum and dad live there as do all my friends.

“It’s is an important part of my life. I went to school in Colne and I always say this is home.”

Previous derby matches led to the renewal of the war of words between Hodgson and Rovers fan Carl Fogarty, who won the World Superbike Championship four times.

The spat rumbled on in the press for several years but when Fogarty – eight years the elder – had his own team following retirement, Hodgson was reportedly set to race for him.

The Burnley man, though, insisted he would never race for his supposed foe – although he now says that, and indeed the whole rivalry, was just a publicity stunt.

“It was really close to happening,” said Hodgson.

“It was just lacking some funding and at the last minute it fell through.

“It would have been great to ride with Carl as team owner.

“The rivalry was just the competitiveness of the sport, and him coming from Blackburn and me coming from Burnley!

“We’ve had a bit of fun with the press. He’d do a snidy comment so I’d just retaliate.

“But behind the scenes, I’ve always got on with Carl.

“We would laugh about the things we’d said.”