Jordan Pickford has thanked Sunderland fans for their support after his 14-year stay at the club came to an end this summer.
The England international joined the Black Cats at the age of eight, and quickly set about rising through the ranks at the Academy of Light all the way to the first team.
Various loan spells across the league system at Bradford City, Burton Albion and Preston North End provided a major learning curve before Sam Allardyce decided to hand the youngster with his Sunderland debut in January 2016.
Pickford had to wait the following season to cement his place between the posts but flourished under in the spotlight, making a number of speculative saves and displaying his iconic pinpoint distribution time after time.
The stopper’s rise has been mesmeric and that prompted Everton to make him the world’s third most expensive goalkeeper behind Gianluigi Buffon and Ederson Moraes.
Speaking to safc.com in a farewell interview, Pickford addressed the fans to say thank you for their support throughout his journey.
“I’ve not put anything on my social media accounts,” he said.
“No tweets and paragraphs on Instagram because I just thought it would be better to speak to you on camera and give the fans something to listen to.
“Funnily enough my home debut came against Everton. The result didn’t go our way that day but stepping over the white line at the Stadium of Light for the first time, after growing up a Sunderland fan, was a dream.
“I kicked on and played the rest of the season. The results weren’t ideal. We got relegated but I hope I did the fans proud.
“The fans have been top drawer with me. I’m still a fan myself and hopefully I’ll come back and watch the games still when I can - I might get myself in the south stand.”
A major breakthrough in Pickford’s career came when he joined Sky Bet Championship club Preston North End on loan were managed by Simon Grayson.
And the 23-year-old has paid homage to the expertise of the Ripon-born boss and revealed he was delighted to see him named as the new Black Cats manager.
"I went to Preston to cross those bridges, to become the best keeper I can be.
"I got the opportunity to go to work with Simon and his staff there and it was a massive help for me.
"When I saw the appointment, I was over the moon for the club. He was a man-manager and the fans really liked him as well.
"He plays a good style of football as well, and it's what I think Sunderland needed, really.
"I think he will be great for the club."
