On this day in 2017, we sold a brilliant club protégé to Everton for the then very handsome sum of £25 million, including £5 million in add-ons. Although Jordan didn’t officially sign until two days later, the agreement had already been made. Potentially, only the recent sale of Jude Bellingham has surpassed that fee for an academy product – depending on the actual value of the additional clauses. Back in 2017, the move made Pickford the most expensive British goalkeeper of all time.
Jordan Lee Pickford
(née Logan) was born in Washington, Tyne and Wear, on 7th March 1994. He joined our Academy at the age of eight and progressed through the age groups before signing a two-year scholarship in 2010. The following year, he was promoted from the Academy to the reserve team. In 2011, he signed his first professional contract with his boyhood club, which was quickly followed the next season by a contract extension.
The potential that the club saw in him is very evident in the way they handled his development. He was systematically loaned out to various clubs, at increasingly higher levels and standards, to gain experience and knowledge whilst constantly playing football. His pathway was carefully planned to nurture his career.
His loan spells were as follows:
2012 – Darlington (Conference Premier) – 17 appearances
2013 – Alfreton Town (Conference Premier) – 12 appearances
2013 – Burton Albion (League Two) – 12 appearances
2014 – Carlisle United (League One) – 18 appearances
2014 – Bradford City (League One) – 33 appearances
2015 – Preston North End (Championship) – 24 appearances
At every step, the parent club extended his contract when necessary and, on a couple of occasions, recalled him for emergency reasons, where he sat on the bench for SAFC.
During his loan spell at Bradford, experienced keeper Chris Kirkland stated: “Jordan comes out to take crosses and has an authority for someone still very young – and as for his kicking, that is brilliant! I’ve never seen anyone kick a ball like he does.”
He had also picked up his first red card, which highlighted the fiery personality and exuberance that remain traits of the Jordan we know and love.
In January 2016, Pickford was recalled by Sunderland, with the side struggling in 19th place in the Premier League. He made his first-team debut on 9th January in a 3-1 loss to Arsenal in the FA Cup. He made his league debut the following Saturday, 16th January 2016, away to Spurs at White Hart Lane in a 4-1 defeat.
This meant that Jordan had played in all five levels of the top tiers of the English football pyramid by the age of 21. Once again, his contract was extended, this time until 2020.
He began the 2016/17 season as understudy to Vito Mannone. However, after Vito suffered a serious arm injury in training, Jordan got his chance in the third league game of the season away at Southampton. By the end of that campaign, he was one of six players named on the shortlist for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
During the close season that year, on 13th June, arrangements were made to sell Pickford to Everton. He signed the paperwork on 15th June. Whilst still under a healthy contract, and although I’m sure Jordan would have loved to continue playing for his beloved Sunderland, we had sadly been relegated from the Premier League under David Moyes.
At the time, it probably made a great deal of sense to cash in on one of our brightest talents and most valuable assets. And so it has proved.
He has made more than 330 appearances for the Toffees, has earned 84 England caps, and is, of course, still England’s number one at the FIFA World Cup currently taking place across Canada, Mexico and the USA.
On 3rd November this year, Jordan walked out onto the Stadium of Light pitch to play against his hometown team for the first time. He had his son Arlo with him – dressed in a half-and-half Sunderland and Everton kit. It was a very special moment for Jordan, and a special moment for many supporters, finally seeing one of our own return to the SoL in the Premier League.
What might have been if we hadn’t been relegated at that time? Who knows.
What is particularly interesting now, however, is the next chapter that may be unfolding. The way the club are currently handling another potential number one talent – Matty Young – bears more than a passing resemblance to Pickford’s development.
Matty is also being carefully loaned out to clubs at increasingly higher levels to develop his talents and help him mature as a goalkeeper.
Watch this space.
