Jordan Pickford was the toast of England fans this weekend, as his save from Manuel Akanji proved to be vital in the Three Lions’ penalty shootout victory over Switzerland in their Euro 2024 quarter-final.
Pickford - aided by a trusty water bottle crib sheet - denied the Manchester City defender in the first spot-kick of the shootout before all five England players hit the back of the net to secure a semi-final date against the Netherlands on Wednesday evening.
Everton supporters will no doubt welcome the 30-year-old back to Goodison Park with pride when the new season gets underway next month, whatever happens over the next week, but one of Pickford’s former sides is also honouring the ‘keeper.
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Pickford’s early years as a professional at Sunderland saw him make a number of loan moves in order to gain first-team experience, including a season-long loan at then-League One Bradford City for the 2014/15 campaign. He would quickly establish himself as the number one at Valley Parade, turning out 33 times before Sunderland recalled him in March 2015.
And it would appear that this stint has left a lasting impression on the Bantams, as Pickford is one of several of the club’s former stoppers that are being honoured on the club’s new goalkeeper kit.
Introducing their new kit for the upcoming 2024/25 season, the club revealed: “The black kit, accompanied by claret and amber trim, features a graffiti effect across the front of the jersey, with the names of iconic former goalkeepers to have represented the club written into the fabric.
“Twenty-one ‘keepers feature, including the likes of Gary Walsh, Matt Clarke, Paul Tomlinson, Peter Downsborough, Pat Liney, Eric McManus, Mark Schwarzer, Donovan Ricketts, Jon McLaughlin, Matt Duke, Ben Williams, Colin Doyle and Jordan Pickford.”
Following his stint at Bradford, Pickford would join Championship side Preston on loan for the 2015/16 season but was recalled in January and would soon cement his place in the first-team squad, before joining Everton in a £25million move in June 2017.
Pickford, who was on the winning side in an England penalty shootout for the third time in four attempts on Saturday, will be looking to win his 67th Three Lions cap in Dortmund against the Dutch on Wednesday evening.
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