It’s the 18th October, 2009; derby-day in East Lancashire – the first time Blackburn and Burnley have met in the top-flight for 43 years. Rovers supporters are gathered in Uncle Jacks pub, mulling over a pint and a bacon sandwich. Nervous, confident, excited – it’s a mixed bag. Amongst them sits an unfamiliar face, blending in with his fellow supporters, holding the same hopes and fears, chatting casually amongst friends and family, an ordinary young lad, a fan – one of the boys.
Three years previously, that same unfamiliar face was clutching the match-ball at Bury’s Gigg Lane, single-handedly picking off high-flying FC United of the North West Counties League, with all three of Atherton Colleries’ goals. It was a key-moment in a fledgling, yet frustrated football career, unperturbed by schoolboy releases by his hometown team and Manchester United.
He could have been the bloke in the pub harking back to the rose-tinted memories of his misspent youth, the one who ‘could have made it’, embellishing tales of how he was ‘once on the books’; he could also be forgiven for casting envious eyes on his old schoolmates’ pay-packets, seduced to the local builder’s yard or an apprenticeship at the University of Life.
Last Saturday night that same unfamiliar face was illuminated by the floodlights at Anfield, beamed around the world in glorious Technicolor canary yellow, delivering a delicious assist for Norwich City’s equaliser, almost creating a famous winner - a constant thorn in Liverpool’s side. From Gigg Lane to Wembley, Anthony Pilkington has always been a man for the big occasion. It’s a face that’s unfamiliar no more.
It’s a journey of ‘Roy of the Rovers’ proportions, real comic-book stuff - a defiant determination and will to succeed - an inspiration to all. Thrown onto football’s scrapheap, Pilkington’s hat-trick against FC United would bring him to the attention of Stockport County manager, Jim Gannon – an aspiring manager with one eye on football’s car-boot sale.
Pilkington would be an instant hit at Edgeley Park, making the seamless transition to league-football with an ease and humility that has allowed him to progress through the divisions relatively unnoticed. There isn’t a Bentley parked on his driveway or a Rolex on his wrist – everything Pilkington does on a football pitch has the mark of a kid that simply loves playing football, albeit a very good one.
At just nineteen, Anthony had achieved the dream of scoring at Wembley – his man-of-the-match display earning Stockport promotion to League One. A move to Huddersfield Town would follow and while a broken-leg would eventually rob the forward of another shot at promotion, his performances had pricked the ears of the Premier League.
He could have been the bloke in the pub harking back to the rose-tinted memories of his misspent youth, the one who ‘could have made it’, embellishing tales of how he was ‘once on the books’; he could also be forgiven for casting envious eyes on his old schoolmates’ pay-packets, seduced to the local builder’s yard or an apprenticeship at the University of Life.
Last Saturday night that same unfamiliar face was illuminated by the floodlights at Anfield, beamed around the world in glorious Technicolor canary yellow, delivering a delicious assist for Norwich City’s equaliser, almost creating a famous winner - a constant thorn in Liverpool’s side. From Gigg Lane to Wembley, Anthony Pilkington has always been a man for the big occasion. It’s a face that’s unfamiliar no more.
It’s a journey of ‘Roy of the Rovers’ proportions, real comic-book stuff - a defiant determination and will to succeed - an inspiration to all. Thrown onto football’s scrapheap, Pilkington’s hat-trick against FC United would bring him to the attention of Stockport County manager, Jim Gannon – an aspiring manager with one eye on football’s car-boot sale.
Pilkington would be an instant hit at Edgeley Park, making the seamless transition to league-football with an ease and humility that has allowed him to progress through the divisions relatively unnoticed. There isn’t a Bentley parked on his driveway or a Rolex on his wrist – everything Pilkington does on a football pitch has the mark of a kid that simply loves playing football, albeit a very good one.
At just nineteen, Anthony had achieved the dream of scoring at Wembley – his man-of-the-match display earning Stockport promotion to League One. A move to Huddersfield Town would follow and while a broken-leg would eventually rob the forward of another shot at promotion, his performances had pricked the ears of the Premier League.
Norwich manager, Paul Lambert, had no hesitation in making Pilkington a key summer-signing for £2m, bucking the trend of signing establishing top-flight players and cheap imports. It’s a policy that is serving Norwich well – they currently sit 8th in the Premier League and Pilkington is their top-scorer, chipping in with three goals from his wide-position.
Lambert’s young side are deservedly enjoying the same plaudits as Blackpool last season, although they appear to possess a resilience and depth that suggests that they could avoid the predictable post-autumn freefall that habitually encloses newly-promoted teams.
This weekend, they prepare to face the team that is propping up the rest of the table, welcoming Blackburn Rovers to Carrow Road. The added significance is that Pilkington is set to face one of several clubs that discarded him as a teenager, the very team that his friends and family fanatically support. There is a very real possibility that he could be set to heap more misery on the town of his birth, the team he supported as a boy. When it comes to crossing that white-line, there will no room for such sentiment. As Rovers continue to struggle amidst protests and supporter unrest, they could well do to have one of their own playing for them, and not against.
Lambert’s young side are deservedly enjoying the same plaudits as Blackpool last season, although they appear to possess a resilience and depth that suggests that they could avoid the predictable post-autumn freefall that habitually encloses newly-promoted teams.
This weekend, they prepare to face the team that is propping up the rest of the table, welcoming Blackburn Rovers to Carrow Road. The added significance is that Pilkington is set to face one of several clubs that discarded him as a teenager, the very team that his friends and family fanatically support. There is a very real possibility that he could be set to heap more misery on the town of his birth, the team he supported as a boy. When it comes to crossing that white-line, there will no room for such sentiment. As Rovers continue to struggle amidst protests and supporter unrest, they could well do to have one of their own playing for them, and not against.
Anthony Pilkington
Age: 23
Born: Blackburn
Position: Winger / Striker
Senior Career:
2006: Atherton Colleries (Apps 35; Gls 19)
2006-09: Stockport County (Apps 80; Gls 17)
2009-11: Huddersfield Town (Apps 92; Gls 19)
2011-: Norwich City (Apps 8; Gls 3)
Age: 23
Born: Blackburn
Position: Winger / Striker
Senior Career:
2006: Atherton Colleries (Apps 35; Gls 19)
2006-09: Stockport County (Apps 80; Gls 17)
2009-11: Huddersfield Town (Apps 92; Gls 19)
2011-: Norwich City (Apps 8; Gls 3)
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