Nick Pope’s rise to the top is quite a story.
After his £10m move to Newcastle was confirmed on Thursday night – making him the most expensive goalkeeper in the club’s history – I spent some time looking at his career so far and was so impressed by what I found.
At the age of 16, he was released by Ipswich, suffering that first major rejection and crushing blow as a young footballer looking to make it.
In response, he made 150 non-league appearances in the 11th tier of English football – often playing in front of “10 blokes and a dog” – and balanced that alongside 4am shifts as a milk-man, three years at University and a student job at NEXT, highlighting his hard-working nature and drive to succeed; even when times get tough.
Pope joined non-league Bury after being released by Ipswich as a 16-year-old, starting out in their reserves. Even after joining Charlton Athletic in 2011, he then had spells outside the Football League at Harrow Borough, Welling United and Aldershot Town.
At Burnley – who he joined in 2016 – Pope only made his Premier League debut when the Clarets’ first-choice goalkeeper Tom Heaton suffered an injury. Since then, he hasn’t half seized his opportunity, not only becoming a proven Premier League goalkeeper and England international, but being named in the PFA Team of the Year for 2019/20.
Here’s what he told The Guardian in a brilliant interview on all of the above back in 2018:
“It’s been a hard ride,”
“Obviously, when you get released at 16 you think making it is a far possibility.
“I did two years of business marketing and one of sports science at college and had a couple of jobs alongside: I worked on a milk round, on an electric float, a 4am-er in a village round the corner from Soham; and in Next.
“But it allowed me to play 150 non-league games in three years, something which, in academy football, would have been impossible. It also got me into the men’s game, which helped me grow as a player.
“The lowest level I played in senior football was the Ryman Premier League, with Bury Town and Harrow Borough.
“Before Bury I was at their reserves [in the 11th tier of the game], and we’d play at some rough grounds, like Brightlingsea and Little Oakley, places that might not even be on a map, in front of 10 men and a dog.
“I think I won the reserve version of the Suffolk Senior Cup. The club have the trophy. I might have a medal somewhere.”
“You have to prove yourself at every level to get to the next one.”
“I feel like I’ve put in some hard yards and proven myself at those levels. I don’t think it’s a fluke to get called up to the England squad.
“It’s obviously a day I never thought I’d see come and, now it has, it’s massive elation for me and everyone close to me.”
Not only have we signed a rock solid goalkeeper who has ambitions to keep on improving, it feels like we’ve got ourselves a great character who is humble, hungry to succeed and extremely hard working.
From a milk-man who felt a million miles away from Premier League football to the most expensive goalkeeper (£10m) Newcastle United have ever signed.
Welcome to the Toon, Nick!
