President’s View: Pope’s visit to Melford

When you watch football at Long Melford you never know who might turn up in the opposition ranks.

In recent times Ollie Murs turned up on the bench for Coggeshall (now promoted) and playing for Wroxham at Stoneylands two seasons ago were both Grant Holt and Simon Lappin both international standard players who had long careers at Norwich City.

In circa 2010, a young keeper turned up with the opposition Team Bury, the offshoot of Bury Town FC (Suffolk) and West Suffolk Football Academy. You may recognise his name these days, Nick Pope, now no1 keeper at Burnley who kept Liverpool at bay the other night.

The young keeper was born at Soham in Cambs, and in recent times has been capped by England 4 times. It proves that if you work hard enough on your game it is possible to make it at the highest level.

RICHARD KEMP