That is why he insists that scenes of him scuffling outside a pub in his native Sunderland after their Check-A-Trade Trophy success in April with the rest of his mates are now a thing of the past. Pickford was only a minor participant in an exchange which was over quickly, but question marks were raised about whether it was appropriate behaviour for an England international. Since then, Pickford insists, he has matured greatly – not least as he has come more to terms with fatherhood following the birth of his first child in February – and now he is a much more responsible person. “I just want to be a normal lad – but then sometimes you have got to realise you are not a normal lad, you are an England footballer,” he explained.

Source: Express June 10, 2019 21:22 UTC