Scott Parker on building connection with Burnley fans, Turf Moor debut and Cardiff City test

We witnessed a small glimpse of that connection beginning to return on Monday night during the season opener against Luton Town, where the Clarets triumphed 4-1.

Parker received a healthy reaction from the 1,300 travelling fans before, during and after the game while the celebrations for all four goals were noticeably jubilant, with goalkeeper James Trafford even sprinting the length of the pitch at one point to join in.

When asked how important that connection will be this season, Parker said: “It’s one of the most important things. There’s a cliché out there that the fans can be your 12th man, but there’s no truer saying.

“I’ve been here for four weeks and you’re always working things out and you hear a lot of things.

“I’ve been in the stadium before so I have a rough understanding, but I don’t really know. It was the first time on Monday night where it really hit home to me because there was a real positive energy.

“Of course we’ve won the game and scored four goals, but generally the support and the togetherness I felt, even from the goal celebrations, was a real pleasing factor for me.

“It’s going to be vitally important, I can’t express it enough how important it’s going to be this year for us.

“There’s a group of 11 men that run over a line and there’s 17,000 fans screaming and supporting them that can only bring energy.

“I’ve been in the arena many a time as a player and I know how important it was for me playing and even more now as a coach, so that energy is going to be vitally important.

“I have absolutely no doubt our fanbase will be pushing and driving us on and giving us all the support we need to be successful.”

Parker’s comments come ahead of his debut in the Turf Moor dugout for this afternoon’s fixture against Cardiff City.

“I’m really excited,” Parker added.

“It’s a first home game so there’s plenty to look forward to, especially coming off a good week, a good result and a good all round performance.

“I’m pleased to finally get in front of our home supporters. In pre-season, we didn’t have the opportunity to do that as much, so I’m really looking forward to seeing our home fans and for them to see us.”

The Clarets face a Cardiff side that will be looking to pick up their first points of the season after losing 2-0 at home to Sunderland last week.

The Bluebirds then followed that up with a 2-0 win against League One outfit Bristol Rovers in the first round of the Carabao Cup.

“They’re a good side,” Parker said. “They will bring us different problems to the ones Luton brought us on Monday night.

“There’s some experience in their team, a new coach and they’ve obviously lost their first game so they’re going to come with a reaction for sure.

“We need to put our foot on the pedal from where we’ve come from on Monday night, hopefully put in a strong performance and hopefully come away with three points.”