Goalkeeper recalls abuse from non-league crowds and says those times were ‘not that much different’ to England

In many ways, Alfreton Town seems a world away from Russia for Jordan Pickford but the abuse he faced from crowds while on a whirlwind tour of football’s lower echelons is helping him thrive at the World Cup.

Against Sweden, Pickford became the youngest English goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet at a World Cup, making three vital saves in the process. At a smidgen over 6ft he is relatively short for the position, a truth seized upon by the Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. But Pickford responded with man-of-the-match performances against Sweden, denying Marcus Berg twice and Viktor Claesson, and in the previous round against Colombia.

England beat Sweden to reach first World Cup semi-final in 28 years Read more

Before this tournament Pickford had only three caps and had played only two full seasons at the top level. Before that he was on loan at a shopping list of non-league and lower league clubs including Darlington, Alfreton, Burton, Carlisle and Bradford before spending the 2015-16 season at Preston, in the Championship.

But the fact he does not have the top-flight experience as Courtois and France’s Hugo Lloris does not equal inexperience in the mind of the supremely confident 24-year-old.

“A lot of people think I am only young and it is only my second season in the Premier League but I do not feel as if I am far away from guys like that,” he said. “I got a lot of games under my belt in the lower leagues and I don’t feel the Premier League or England is that much different. In some ways non-league and League Two is the hard challenge.”

Pickford faced an intimidating atmosphere in the last-16 game at Moscow’s Spartak Stadium which was dominated by 30,000 boisterous Colombia fans. He played the pivotal role in England winning a World Cup penalty shootout for the first time with his save of Carlos Bacca’s effort. But Pickford insists even the most partisan crowds in Russia could not compare to the vicious insults he was subjected to early in his career.

“Places like Wrexham and Southport away when there are not that many people there, you are a young lad and you’re having abuse hurled at you,” he said. “That is what teaches you and that’s what you laugh about now. And when you get that stick, that’s when you become better.

“When there are just 500 fans inside a ground, you can hear everything they say, every little word that is getting said. So that is what turns you from a kid into a man.”

Pickford recently recalled a game for Alfreton at Southport in April 2013 at Haig Avenue where he was targeted by fans.

“I remember going for a drink of water and one old bloke shouts: ‘Hey you, young lad! Your grandad is under that grass!’ I just turned around to him, gave him the thumbs up and said: ‘Nae problem!’”

After receiving his man-of-the-match trophy on Saturday night, Pickford exited the room humming the supporters’ tune “We’re going all the way”. He had not been born the last time England reached a World Cup semi‑final, at Italia 90, but believes this team can go at least one step further.

“I’m a fan myself,” he said, “so I was singing on the pitch at the end of the match. I’m passionate and the fans are going mental at home. If we keep performing the fans are going to carry on enjoying it.”