BOBBY Burns will spend five days in isolation, living in a room above the garage at his family home in north Belfast, hoping that his time at the Newcastle Jets hasn't been cut short permanently.
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But the 20-year-old fullback felt it was imperative that he be with family after the A-League was shut down on Tuesday due to the COVID-19 crisis.
After frantically booking a flight and saying goodbye to teammates for now, Burns left on Wednesday night on the long haul home via Sydney, Kuala Lumpur and London.
He had a test for COVID-19 before departing, plans to get tested again on arrival and will spend at least five days in isolation awaiting the results.
"I have to be careful when I get home," Burns said.
"My mum has a heart condition and suffers from asthma. I had the Coronavirus test in Newcastle but I am going through four airports on the way home.
"I'm not taking any chances and will get tested again. We have a room upstairs in our garage and I will self isolate in it.
"Once I get the result, it's negative god willing and I'll move into the house. Hopefully I get back home and enjoy some family time and the virus settles down and I can see all my friends."
Former Welsh international Joe Ledley has also returned home to reunite with his wife and three young children.
Burns, who is on loan at the Jets from Scottish Premier League club Hearts, is prepared to return to Newcastle if the A-League resumes after a review by Football Federation Australia on April 22 - a situation looking more remote by the day.
"I have absolutely loved Newcastle," he said. "Hopefully we get to finish the season. It will be annoying if we don't. I felt we could have kept the results coming. I was playing well and we were making a great challenge for the finals. It would have been some story."
If the virus, as expected, continues to spread and the A-League doesn't resume, Burns will take satisfaction - and plenty of wonderful memories - from his journey Down Under.
"It has been an unbelievable year," he said. "I have achieved most of the things I wanted to achieve. From Christmas on, I played every game. I got more confident and improved parts of my game. It has been a success in that way. I'm so glad I came out and gave it my best. I have a huge thanks to say to the fans too. They have always been very supportive to me and kind. Hopefully I can come back one day and play in front of them.
"Looking to next season, I don't know what the future will hold. I would definitely like to come back at some point in my career. Whether that is next year, in five years or ten years, who knows?
"A lot of it will depend on Hearts and if they want me back. If they want me back, what league might they be in and financially what state they are in. There are all these things that need to be considered. If that doesn't work out, I definitely wouldn't say no to coming back."
"In some ways I would like to go back to Hearts. I have unfinished business there and want to try my best to play at the highest level I can in the UK. "
The SPL, like the A-League, is in hiatus. Hearts sit in last spot on 23 points and are looking down the barrel of relegation. They are four points behind Hamilton and six adrift of Ross County.
"With Hearts, they have no idea what is happening with the league," Burns said. "There is talk they will finish it out. I might be able to finish with them. That would be exciting. They have eight games to go and are in the middle of a relegation battle. There is also talk they might scrap the league."