Tag: sheffield united

I’ve never really wondered about the size of footballers’ feet. I’ve always just assumed that they bought (or are sponsored, more likely) a suitably sized pair of boots and then they’ve just got on with the job in hand.

I think that I am probably correct in this assumption.

One of the many key components of Sheffield United’s fantastic achievements over the last couple of seasons was our goalkeeper, Dean Henderson. He has, for the last 2 years, been nothing short of incredible.

(Note: I’m aware that much of this montage doesn’t make our defence look ever so pretty. But hey, it’s a team game, and Hendo was the last line of that defence. Did the ball go in the goal? No? Then it’s all good.)

The problem is, he wasn’t ever actually ours. We were only just borrowing him: he was on loan from some other smaller club over the mountain on the A57 Snake Pass.

Now, the time has come for Dean to return to that other club, signing off with this IG post yesterday:

Once again, thank you for everything! Once a blade, always a blade!

That would have left a worrying hole between the posts for us. And this is going to be a difficult enough season to get through as it is.

Fortunately, having checked the FA rules, the club discovered that they were allowed to replace him, and they’ve done just that, bringing in £18.5 million worth of Aaron Ramsdale.

I’m not sure what size the relative keepers’ feet are, nor who sponsors them their footwear, but those are some seriously big boots he has to fill.

Still, having watched him for Bournemouth this season, I have no doubts that he’ll be able to do just that.

Welcome back to Beautiful Downtown Bramall Lane, Aaron Rambo*.

* I don’t make the rules