Burnley offer Mellis lifeline

Jacob Mellis, sacked by Chelsea after setting a smoke grenade off at the club’s training ground, has been invited to train with Burnley.

The 21-year-old midfielder played for Burnley’s reserves in mid-week against Morecambe, in an attempt to win a permanent move to Turf Moor.

The former England Under-19 international, who has had loan spells at Southampton and Barnsley, only made one appearance for Chelsea, as a last-minute substitute in their Champions League clash with Zilina in November 2010.

The prank, which involved fellow Chelsea player Billy Clifford, took place on March 2, and caused a full-scale evacuation of the club’s Cobham training ground, with the pair subsequently suspended.