Former Rover Treacy eager for opportunity to face his old club

Treacy, 25, spent five years with derby rivals Blackburn Rovers as a youngster, making 12 appearances.

Current Rovers boss Gary Bowyer was something of a mentor for the Republic of Ireland international, but Treacy would like nothing else than to score at Ewood Park.

Treacy, with two goals to his name this season, said: “I’d love to.

“It would be great just to get on the pitch and win.

“Obviously scoring the winner would be brilliant.

“I’m actually quite good friends with Gary Bowyer as well because he was my reserve team manager as I came through at Blackburn.

“I actually owe quite a lot to him as well. But that’s not to say I wouldn’t celebrate if we won or if I scored.

“We’re not that close!”

The Dubliner signed his first professional contract at Blackburn in 2005, but struggled to break into the side under Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and Sam Allardyce, enjoying loan spells at Stockport County and Sheffield United before joining Preston North End at the end of the January transfer window in 2010.

His performances at Deepdale, including a starring role in a 4-3 defeat at Turf Moor, led to Eddie Howe snapping up the wideman, after North End’s relegation.

He has since endured a difficult time at Burnley under Eddie Howe, before Sean Dyche reignited his love affair with the game.

Treacy made five successive starts in January, before a neck strain forced him out of the side.

He has made two substitute appearances since, earning a point with an equaliser against Howe’s Bournemouth three weeks ago, and would love the chance to feature on Sunday after missing all three meetings with Rovers in his time with Burnley: “Last season I started the game against Hull and the next game was Blackburn at Ewood and I wasn’t even in the squad.

“I was devastated, especially at Ewood.

“I was on the bench against them this season and never came on, so hopefully I can play against them this time.”

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