HE is the son of one of Burnley’s most famous centre forwards, but Stephen Irvine’s passion has always been for motor sport.

Irvine’s father Willie – a columnist for the Lancashire Telegraph – scored 97 goals in 148 games for the Clarets between 1963 and 1968, representing Northern Ireland on 23 occasions.

But Stephen’s love for football never quite matched his need for speed, and the 40-year-old’s desire to race is such that he is now getting ready for the next stage of his comeback after a career-threatening back injury, the remnants of his days serving in the Army.

The support of his father, whose own interest in the sport has grown in recent times, means a lot.

“My dad is getting into a bit now and he came down to Silverstone recently to watch me,” said Stephen.

“That was like a couple of seconds a lap, having him there.

“I’ve spoken to him in depth about playing football and he has said about what it was like getting the ball on the halfway line, taking on your opponent, scoring a goal and then turning away to face the crowd, that feeling.

“It’s like an addiction and I think it’s like that with me with my sport. I don’t really worry about the competitors, I just turn up and try to beat the time I set last time or try to beat the lap record.

“I was never really that interested in football, although I did play for my school team and the army team.

“My dad bought me a car when I was young and I did BMX racing as well. Anything to do with speed I just loved it.”

Irvine, who is based in Worsthorne, thought his racing career was over a year ago when he required two back operations.

But he has returned this year with some strong performances MGCC Luffield Cars Speed Championship, which he won in 2009.

And, although a new job at Richmond Aerovac in Keighley means that his involvement in that may now be over, he has designs on a switch to the Cockshoot Cup next year.

“I was paralysed from the waist down and I had to have surgery on my back twice,” he said of his injury. “This was pretty much a test year to see how I went on. I’ve finished first in my class in three of the events and I was second in the other one.

“But I’ve got a new job, it’s a really good job and I don’t think I’m going to be able to compete any more.

“There are 16 to 18 events in total and I’ve only done four so far.

“But I’ve been offered the chance to compete in a new championship for me, the Cockshoot Cup.

“I’m going to compete in that in September 10 and 11 at Croft and then I’m looking to do the season next year. It’s only six weekends, eight races, so that suits me down to the ground.

“It’s circuit racing rather than sprints and hillclimbs and it will be support races for bigger events at good circuits.

“I’ve still got that burning desire to do well.

“I’ve got the bug back.”