HENDO’S GRATEFUL TO LEARN TRADE AS A HATTER
MANCHESTER United and England goalkeeper Dean Henderson reckons his first loan spell at Stockport County has helped make him the goalkeeper he is today.
Promoting Non-League Day, the 25-year-old stopper told how important his stint at Edgeley Park was for his education and why he recommends it as a path for other ‘keepers to take in order to make it to the top.
Henderson made nine appearances for the Hatters in 2016 before establishing himself as a top Premier League keeper for Sheffield United.
He’s now back at parent club United competing for the number one jersey with David De Gea, but Henderson insists it was his time at Stockport, under Jim Gannon, which woke him up to the realities of senior football and gave him the pathway to success.
“I remember going there when I was a young kid,” he told MUTV. “To be fair, I absolutely loved it. It was tough, really hard, as a young boy. Going into that division was an eye-opener for me. I’m thankful for the opportunity given to me by the manager at the time, Jim Gannon, for sticking by me because I didn’t play too well.
“I really enjoyed it, getting battered around as a goalkeeper in that league really sort of made me who I am today. I was getting smashed on crosses, kicking the ball 80 yards on to the striker’s head and, if I didn’t do so, the manager was screaming at me. It stood me in good stead and I really appreciate the opportunity they gave me.
“Playing at that level is probably harder than playing in the Premier League as a goalkeeper – it’s a completely different game. It’s tough, rough and ready and you’ve got to take it on the chin.
“Certain elements that I’ve learnt at that level, have been brought forward into the Premier League.”