Players from Burnley Football Club visited a mosque earlier this season. But little was made of this fascinating trip.

The chief executive of the club Lee Hoos spoke to Asian Image Sport this month about how the club continues to take part in community projects to make a difference – not to simply ‘tick a box’.

A move quite rare in an industry where links with a town's football club and community are often distanced these days in the lower leagues.

Burnley are only a few games away from cementing their place in the Premier League again. They sit second in the Championship ten points clear of the play-offs.

It has really has been a record-breaking season where the team has punched above its weight at so many levels. They have already a strike-force many Championship clubs will envy and the victory over rivals Blackburn Rovers was a long time coming.

They have deserved the success though. This is a club still run on a shoe-string budget and with that community feel that is beginning to disappear in football.

Burnley has some of the longest established Asian supporters who arrived and settled in this other cotton town back in the 1950s and who go unnoticed.

Chief executive Lee Hoos realises just how much the club means to the town of Burnley.

“When you walk around the town you tend not to see anyone wearing anything else but a Burnley shirt. The fans and the community are proud of the club in so many ways.

“People tend to forget about the ordinary fans and what an integral part of the club they are.

“The depth of support is fantastic.”

The club though has attempted to break down some barriers that still might remain within the Asian population.

In a recent visit to a local mosque, organised by Afrasiab Anwar, players had a great little question and answer session with worshippers.

Lee said: “The visit went down really well and was organised in association with a small community group.

“We spoke to members of the mosque and the young people were overjoyed to have the players there.

“It was great to hear young people at the mosque mentioning Burnley players by name. It is initiatives like this at a local level that help the most.

“I have found that football is a common no matter where you go in the world. It is a unifying force.”

Although the number of Asians attending stadiums has increased, the level remains low.

For smaller clubs like Burnley. who have a significant Asian population on their doorstep. this remains an untapped market.

Lee said: “The stadium should be more representative of the wider community.

“We at Burnley are continuing to make important links and encouraging diversity at all levels.

“We have a zero tolerance to racism and all forms of abuse at the club. We want to make sure everyone is welcome here.”