Pope’s England dreams fuelled by early trials

Burnley keeper hopes for international debut against the Netherlands

Nick Pope has embraced the challenge of establishing himself within the England set-up after completing a remarkable rise from part-time work as a milkman and games in the seventh tier of non-league football to the senior national squad within eight years.

The Burnley goalkeeper had been released by Ipswich Town at 16 and, having taken on a milk round to provide an income, turned out for Bury Town’s reserves in the Essex and Suffolk Border Football League while studying at West Suffolk College. Pope was subsequently signed by Charlton Athletic but was still playing only at Conference level, on loan at Aldershot, a little more than four years ago. He hopes to make his international debut tomorrow against the Netherlands in Amsterdam.

“Obviously, when you get released at 16 you think making it is a far possibility,” he said. “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 loanee from Charlton would go on to concede nine goals in a difficult five-match spell at Aldershot in late 2013. “For me, it was something you had to get through. You have to prove yourself at every level to get to the next one,” Pope recalls.

“Now being here is a big opportunity and one of the best moments of my life. But I want to prove myself among my peers. My journey will help me have no fear. This Premier League season has taught me to go and enjoy it. You don’t get into the England squad as a fluke, so don’t be scared of the challenge, embrace it and show what you are all about.”