Pope delivered Sunday service
SPORTING MEMORY: May 2004 – Teenage Tom Pope scores four times in PDSL cup final
IT’S May 2004 and Port Vale’s record post-war goalscorer Tom Pope is pictured celebrating four goals – in a Potteries and District Sunday League cup final. Pope was still 15 months away from starting his professional career with Crewe Alexandra when he fired Sneyd to victory against Forsbrook Butchers Arms in the League Cup final.
Pope had already had two unsuccessful trials with his boyhood club Vale at this point and had found work as a window fitter.
He was playing Sunday football for Sneyd and had also been turning out for clubs such as Hanford in the Staffs County League and Biddulph Victoria in the Midland Alliance.
In this game, Pope completed a hat-trick in 65 minutes, and added a fourth six minutes later to steer Sneyd to victory.
The Butchers side included Matt Rhead – who would also end up playing in the Football League with Lincoln City.
Pope was acclaimed as ‘the best prospect around’ at the time.
The then 18-year-old’s potential had been noted by Hanford manager Dave Eaton in 2003.
He told The Sentinel: “I know of other strikers who have been at Vale and Tom is better than them.
“I think he will be earning decent money from football in the not-toodistant
future. Tom is the best prospect around.
“He is tall, good in the air and has two great feet.
“He has vision and his general game and finishing are second to none. I gather Vale let him go on account of his lack of pace, but he is no slouch.”
Tom was indeed eventually signed by a professional club, Crewe Alexandra, in 2005.
Crewe manager Dario Gradi said at the time: “Tom’s got something we feel we can work on, although we are taking a bit of a gamble.
“He looks like he will score goals. He’s a good size and he’s not been fazed by all of this. While he’s not the finished article, we knew there were other local clubs prepared to take him on. We didn’t want to miss out, so we thought we might as well take him on.”
Pope went on to score 17 goals in 64 appearances for Crewe. He also played for Rotherham and Bury but
he is best known for his time with Port Vale, scoring 115 goals in 343 league and cup appearances for the Valiants.
Did you play with or against Tom Pope on the grassroots football scene? Email memories to waywewere@thesentinel.co.uk