Is James Trafford the one Newcastle United need next season?
In simpler times, when the phrase “he’s a keeper” had only one meaning, the top tier of English football was packed with home-grown elite custodians.
Springett (Ron), Banks, Jennings, Bonetti, Shilton, Clements, Corrigan, Parkes, Southall and Seaman were the shot stoppers whose heroics I admired.
Today, of course, the Premier League is overloaded with overseas keepers and managers. The (German) England manager looking to select a World Cup squad isn’t exactly spoilt for choice.
Thus he awarded a first cap last week to James Harrington Trafford, aged 23, who has played a not-so-grand total of 31 EPL matches. The second-choice keeper at Manchester City has been seen as Newcastle United’s next No1 for a couple of years and, because of what has happened this season, the rumours are gathering strength.
Last summer Eddie Howe allegedly wanted to sign James Trafford. The Cumbrian would have been following in the footsteps of Nick Pope, who moved from Turf Moor to St James’ Park for a bargain £10m in June 2022.
Instead, Trafford made the much shorter trip to the Etihad for a reported fee of £27m on July 29. He started only three games before losing his place to Gianluigi Donnarumma, who allegedly cost Man City £26m on September 1 when joining from PSG. Next time our fans complain that Pep Guardiola has got the better of Howe again, they might like to consider we didn’t spend £53m in five weeks on two goalies.
Trafford was on his current club’s books as a teenager, going to Accrington and Bolton on loan before Burnley signed him for £19m nearly three seasons ago.
He returned to Man City presumably expecting to win umpteen honours. The thought of being replaced almost instantly would never have crossed his mind.
To his credit, he has knuckled down and distinguished himself in cup matches. James Trafford helped to eliminate Newcastle United from both domestic tournaments, while his superb triple save in the League Cup final thwarted Arsenal and ensured Man City would add another trophy to their collection.
We will find out on Saturday whether Guardiola continues to choose James Trafford for the FA Cup, when Man City host Liverpool in the quarter-final.
The question our fans are asking is whether he would be a worthwhile upgrade on Pope or Aaron Ramsdale. I’m undecided, which was why I turned to somebody who has seen Trafford play many more games than any Newcastle United supporter.
My friend Alan is a lifelong Claret. His first game was Burnley v Chelsea in 1965, a 6-2 home win. He was aged seven. Like so many of us, he keeps going back for more, despite everything that is wrong with the game now.
“The speculation that James Trafford might be interested in a move from Manchester City is not surprising. I’m not sure what was in Guardiola’s mind when he signed Trafford last summer, only then to sign Donnarumma. It’s somewhat surprising that he’s been picked for England given his lack of top-level football. The England set-up must really rate him.
“Looking back at his time at Burnley, he arrived as a 21-year-old and went straight into the Premier League with great reviews from a season or so on loan with Bolton and from the England U21 side. He was certainly good at keeping clean sheets.
“At Burnley, Vincent Kompany threw him in at the deep end and he lasted for about two-thirds of the season [28 games] before being dropped. Kompany kept faith for too long and the strain showed.
“The question was whether Trafford was found out or whether he had very little protection from his defence. Away at Brighton he made 10 good saves and we won a point. However, there were times when he came for crosses and didn’t impose himself . . . it felt as though he shrank from 6ft 6in to 5ft 6in.”
In fairness, the given (pun intended) height of a keeper is notoriously suspect. I once stood alongside Shay Given at the M&S Simply Food shop in Kingston Park. I am, or was, half an inch over 5ft 10. The Newcastle legend was no taller, no matter what was claimed. Trafford is billed as 6ft 6in on one football site, 6ft 3in on another. Conversely, Pope is listed as 6ft 2in on one site, 6ft 7in on another.
Back to Alan’s verdict on Trafford. “His other foible was the belief that players would welcome short balls to their feet (such is the modern game) and we got caught out many times. Ironically his longer balls were pretty good, on the whole.
“Despite the difficult Premier League season I still felt confident, at that stage, he would improve and become a great player.
“It was disappointing that he wanted out at the end of the relegation season and Newcastle United seemed likely to sign him. He’d come to Burnley for Kompany and, on Kompany’s (sideways!) move to Bayern Munich, it was time for Trafford to join the mass exodus as Burnley looked to improve cashflow.
“For whatever reason, he ended up staying and then had a spectacular season [2024/25] with a mass of clean sheets; in one game he saved two penalties against Sunderland.
“Clearly the defence had a lot to do with the clean sheets. What was different was a settled back five and opposition that played safe with low-press tactics. Burnley’s defence mainly became a third line of attack and was a lot less under pressure. Trafford had far less to do but what he did do, he did with efficiency, calm and greater confidence.
“I felt he left Burnley too early and I’m sure he would have got a good season of Premier League experience under his belt. The irony is that we then signed Martin Dubravka and, for the most part, he’s done a great job, heading the tally of player-of-the-match awards. We’ll never know if Trafford could have done even better than the former Magpie.”
Will James Trafford leave the Etihad? Would he want to join United? Only time will tell, though there is no doubt that, as an England international and heir apparent to the ex-Mackem, he will not come cheap.