Mum of Burnley FC ace Jay Rodriguez opens sandwich shop

Carol Rodriguez, the proud mother of Burnley’s England Under 21 star “Jay Rod”, has opened CJ’s Sandwich Shop in Briercliffe Road Shopping Centre.

Burnley’s young hotshot opened the shop with former manager Stan Ternent and former player Willie Irvine, before letting slip his favourite butty is his mum’s bacon and sausage.

He said: “Mum will probably have me making sandwiches in the shop if she gets too busy. When I’m not playing she always makes me a full on bacon and sausage which is brilliant, but I have to have a ham salad during the season!”

Carol, who is married to Kiko, said she was looking forward to running her own business.

She added: “I’ve done all sorts of jobs but I was last helping a friend at a sandwich shop in Nelson and really enjoyed it. I like chatting to the customers and it can be good fun. I’m really grateful to Stan and Willie for coming to the opening.”

He may not have inherited his mum’s sandwich-making skills but Jay certainly picked up his dad’s love of football.

It has been a memorable season for the former Barden High School pupil, establishing himself in the Clarets first team, making 48 appearances and scoring 15 goals. Indeed, his good form prompted Stuart Pearce to call him up for his first England Under 21 cap against Italy. Kiko played briefly for Spanish side Deportivo de La Coruna.