▁son ▁and ▁two ▁daughters . ▁Burn ham ▁was ▁brought ▁up ▁as ▁a ▁Roman ▁Catholic . ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁leadership ▁contest ▁he ▁pra ised ▁Pope ▁Francis , ▁but ▁ur ged ▁the ▁Pont iff ▁to ▁promote ▁a ▁progress ive ▁st ance ▁on ▁gay ▁rights . ▁In ▁a ▁newspaper ▁interview ▁during ▁the ▁contest ▁he ▁stated ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁repeatedly ▁at ▁odd s ▁with ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁all ▁the ▁time ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁an ▁MP ▁and ▁that ▁this ▁had ▁resulted ▁in ▁stra ined ▁personal ▁relationships . ▁ ▁Burn ham ▁was ▁the ▁honor ary ▁chairman ▁of ▁Le igh ▁Cent ur ions ▁for ▁a ▁short ▁time ▁and ▁is ▁now ▁an ▁honor ary ▁vice - pres ident . ▁Burn ham ▁was ▁a ▁tal ented ▁junior ▁cr ick eter ▁( play ing ▁for ▁Lanc ash ire ▁C CC ▁Juni ors ) ▁and ▁keen ▁footballer , ▁and ▁competed ▁at ▁both ▁sports ▁for ▁his ▁college . ▁He ▁has ▁played ▁for ▁Labour ' s ▁" D emon ▁E yes " ▁football ▁team ▁and ▁is ▁a ▁lif el ong ▁fan ▁of ▁Premier ▁League ▁football ▁club ▁Ever ton . ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁Burn ham ▁played ▁for ▁Conference ▁club ▁Le igh ▁R MI ▁in ▁a ▁pre - season ▁friendly ▁against ▁Ever ton . ▁He ▁came ▁on ▁as ▁an ▁ 8 8 th ▁minute ▁substitute ▁for ▁Neil ▁Robinson ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 – 1 ▁draw ▁at ▁Hil ton ▁Park . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁Burn ham ▁would ▁succeed ▁Dean