George Pickford helped to keep Southport FC in their game against Hereford United, laying the foundation for a valuable win
Teenage goalkeeper George Pickford was hailed as “outstanding” after helping Southport secure an important win on his debut.
The 19-year-old’s loan spell was confirmed on Friday, the Everton academy shotstopper moving to Haig Avenue for his first taste of senior football after an impressive campaign with the club’s Under-21s.
He was thrown straight into the starting XI as the Sandgrounders hosted Hereford United and excelled as his new side earned a win that moved them away from the National League North relegation zone.
Southport triumphed 5-1 and Pickford only lost his clean sheet due to a late consolation from the penalty spot. But a solid display from the Blues youngster in the first half kept Southport in the game - with the club’s own website conceding that “but for a string of first class saves by debutant George Pickford in the Southport goal in the first half… the scoreline could easily have been 0-4”.
After the match, Southport boss Neil Danns backed up that viewpoint as he lavished praise on Pickford. He said: “I thought he was outstanding… We weren’t at the races in the first half and he had to get us out of a couple of sticky situations. It is testament to the work Everton have been doing with him and I feel really fortunate that we have now got him until, hopefully, the end of the season.”
Pickford, who joined Everton at the age of 11, signed a two year extension before the move - a deal Danns described as “massive”.
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It is a stint that means the goalkeeper is following in the footsteps of Arsenal's number one, David Raya, who once had a spell with Southport. Danns believes the move will be valuable for Pickford and said: “There are some really good people at Everton who I have the privilege of knowing. They have helped us out with this one and we are really thankful to them and hopefully we can be part of young George’s development.
“It is a fantastic league, especially for young keepers to learn in, because it is relentless - you have got balls coming in the box all the time, shots - that sort of experience is invaluable so he will learn a lot from that.”
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