JJ Watt makes cheeky Wrexham request ahead of crunch clash against bitter rivals
Burnley owner JJ Watt made it very clear who he was supporting in Wrexham’s FA Cup clash with Blackburn Rovers.
The Welsh club took on the Championship team in the fourth round of football’s oldest cup competition at Ewood Park. Wrexham took to social media platform X to upload a post about their cup tie ahead of the game, which read: “It's @EmiratesFACup matchday and we travel to Lancashire to take on Blackburn Rovers!”
Watt, who became a minority owner of Burnley in May 2023, replied to the message with a slight dig at their rivals Blackburn as he asked for directions to the Wrexham end to support the club owned by Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and RobMcElhenny.
Watt wrote: "Vs. Blackburn you say? Well pour me a pint and point me to the Wrexham end. Lechyd da! (Yes, I just googled that. I can only hope it’s anywhere remotely close to being used properly or even relevant in any capacity whatsoever).” Despite Watt's support, Wrexham was beaten 4-1 by Blackburn, despite taking the lead in the 19th minute.
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Burnley vs Blackburn is an East Lancashire rivalry and is amongst the fiercest in English football with the clubs just 11 miles apart. They played each other for the first time in September 1884 in a friendly match, with Blackburn winning 4–2. In the overall head-to-head record in major competitions, Burnley has won 44 games compared to Blackburn's 41 victories.
The teams last played one another in the Championship in April 2023, which Burnley won 1-0 due to a goal by Manuel Benson. The club won promotion to the Premier League after winning English football's second tier by 10 points in 2023, but they are currently struggling in England’s top division. They are languishing in 19th place. They are currently five points from safety after a 1-1 draw against Luton Town on January 12.
Their season gets tougher as three of Burnley's next four games are against the league’s top three teams - Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal. Eight months into his minority stake in Burnley, Watt has passion for the club has only continued to grow. On Thursday, he corrected a fan who did not realise he was wearing a hat with the club's logo.
He was a guest on the Pat McAfee show, and an X user took a screenshot of the ex-defensive end on the program and posted it to the social media platform. He captioned the post: “What's up with the all-seeing eye on your hat? I've always liked you but this is concerning.”
Unfamiliar with the Premier League team, the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Watt put the fan straight in an emphatic manner. "It’s a Burnley logo mate. Not an eye in sight,” the former Houston Texans player wrote.
“Established 1882. We worship at the church of Turf Moor. Jimmy McIlroy is our savior. Our cloaks are Claret & Blue. Bene & Hot is our elixir. We won the league at Ewood. Your concern is concerning."