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After a slow start, Ethan is on his way to the big time
ETHAN PINNOCK is on the brink of the big time after battling from the depths of nonleague football.
The Brentford defender faces Middlesbrough today as part of the meanest back-line in the Championship.
But it has been no easy journey for the 26-year old, who was released by Millwall as a youngster.
Stints followed at Dulwich Hamlet and Forest Green Rovers, whom he helped win promotion to the Football League.
But after being poached by Barnsley and winning promotion from League One with them last season, he could now make the biggest step of all.. up to the Premier League. Even so, the Londoner admits his time in the football backwaters has kept him grounded.
He said: “I was really young when I was at Dulwich, and playing firstteam football and a lot of games, you do have to grow up quickly. The management team were really good with me. They were really professional.
“There were times where it was really difficult for me to focus on football, having things like university and work to concentrate on.
“But I’ll always have that belief that I could do it, the people around me, family-wise, helped me.”
Pinnock remains grateful to his parents and siblings for their support, and that of cousin Nyron Nosworthy (above).
The former Sunderland centre-back was at the Stadium of Light at the same time he was at Champion Hill.
And Pinnock, 26, has drawn inspiration from a picture of his cousin tackling Fernando Torres of Liverpool and fancies following in Nosworthy’s footsteps by playing for Jamaica.
“He’s had a great career,” said Pinnock. “There’s this picture of him against Torres. I’ve spoken to him about his experience. It does make you want to make that final step into the Premier League.
“My dad would be buzzing with me playing for Jamaica, he was born there and loves football. It’s something I could be looking at in future.”