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Tom Pope
Thomas John Pope (born 27 August 1985) is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a centre forward for Northern Premier League Division One West club Kidsgrove Athletic where he holds the role of joint player-manager.
A Crewe Alexandra Academy graduate, he turned professional with the club in 2005 after impressing at non-League side Biddulph Victoria in 2004–05. He was loaned out to Conference North sides Lancaster City and Stafford Rangers in 2005–06, before he spent 2006–07 on loan at Barrow, also of the Conference North. He established himself in the Crewe first-team picture in 2007–08 before becoming the club's top scorer in 2008–09 with ten League One goals. He became Rotherham United's joint-record signing when he made a £150,000 move to the Yorkshire club in June 2009. He scored five goals in the 2009–10 campaign before he was loaned out to Port Vale in January 2011.
The loan was made permanent in time for the start of the 2011–12 season. He scored 33 goals and was voted League Two Player of the Year as he helped the club to secure promotion out of League Two in 2012–13. He was voted Port Vale's Player of the Year in 2013 and 2014. He signed with Bury in June 2015 and remained with the club for two seasons before rejoining Port Vale. He claimed the club's Player of the Year award for a record third time in 2018, and the following year, he became the second-highest goalscorer in the club's history. He scored 115 goals in 343 league and cup appearances before leaving the club in May 2021. He was released at the end of the 2020–21 season and went on to play for Congleton Town. He captained Congleton to a Cheshire Senior Cup and NWCL Challenge Cup double in 2023. He moved on to Witton Albion in July 2023 and won the Mid Cheshire District FA Senior with the club in his first season. He rejoined Hanley Town in May 2024 and moved on to Kidsgrove Athletic five months later.
Pope was a part of Crewe Alexandra Youth Academy, but was not offered a professional contract with the club. He instead was forced to make his name in the Midland Football Alliance with Biddulph Victoria after coming through the Hanley Town under-18 side to find first-team football. He also played Sunday league football for Sneyd. He scored four goals for the club as they beat the Butcher's Arms 6–4 in the 2004 final of the Potteries and District Sunday League Cup final. During this time the teenager found work as a window-fitter. He scored 15 goals in his first season with Biddulph, and added a further twelve to his tally before returning to Crewe as a professional in October 2005 — manager Dario Gradi now convinced of Pope's potential. Pope chose to head to Crewe after two unsuccessful trials with boyhood club Port Vale.
Pope spent much of the 2005–06 season in the Conference North, playing on loan for Lancaster City and then Stafford Rangers. He returned to the Conference North in 2006–07 with Barrow, again on loan, after Lancaster manager Phil Wilson moved on to Holker Street. On 10 March 2007, Pope made his debut for Crewe in a 1–0 defeat to Gillingham at the Priestfield Stadium, replacing Gary Roberts on 86 minutes. He made three further appearances from the bench during the rest of the season, all three games ending in defeat.
He scored his first goal for the club against Bristol Rovers on 18 August 2007, in a 1–1 draw at the Memorial Stadium. He established himself in the Alex first-team in 2007–08, and his seven goals put him as the club's second-highest scorer after Nicky Maynard.
He signed a two-year contract extension in November 2008, keeping him at the "Alex" until summer 2011. He believed the players could win round disgruntled Crewe fans, and blamed the players for Steve Holland's sacking. He bettered his goal tally in 2008–09 and became the club's top scorer with ten goals. However, this was not enough to prevent Crewe from suffering relegation out of League One. His ten league goals reflected good value for his 17 league starts and an additional nine appearances from the bench. This achievement came despite criticism from assistant manager Neil Baker that Pope lacked consistency on the pitch and professionalism off the pitch. In all he scored 17 goals in 64 games for the Crewe, and he remained thankful to the club, the fans and former manager Dario Gradi for rescuing his career, despite his falling out with then-manager Guðjón Þórðarson.
"No one at Crewe ever told me if I was doing a decent job. They told me the things I did wrong, but they never gave me any chance to build my confidence or give me any encouragement. It started to get me down towards the end, it was frustrating but that's football. I wanted a new challenge and I've got one at Rotherham."
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Tom Pope
Thomas John Pope (born 27 August 1985) is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a centre forward for Northern Premier League Division One West club Kidsgrove Athletic where he holds the role of joint player-manager.
A Crewe Alexandra Academy graduate, he turned professional with the club in 2005 after impressing at non-League side Biddulph Victoria in 2004–05. He was loaned out to Conference North sides Lancaster City and Stafford Rangers in 2005–06, before he spent 2006–07 on loan at Barrow, also of the Conference North. He established himself in the Crewe first-team picture in 2007–08 before becoming the club's top scorer in 2008–09 with ten League One goals. He became Rotherham United's joint-record signing when he made a £150,000 move to the Yorkshire club in June 2009. He scored five goals in the 2009–10 campaign before he was loaned out to Port Vale in January 2011.
The loan was made permanent in time for the start of the 2011–12 season. He scored 33 goals and was voted League Two Player of the Year as he helped the club to secure promotion out of League Two in 2012–13. He was voted Port Vale's Player of the Year in 2013 and 2014. He signed with Bury in June 2015 and remained with the club for two seasons before rejoining Port Vale. He claimed the club's Player of the Year award for a record third time in 2018, and the following year, he became the second-highest goalscorer in the club's history. He scored 115 goals in 343 league and cup appearances before leaving the club in May 2021. He was released at the end of the 2020–21 season and went on to play for Congleton Town. He captained Congleton to a Cheshire Senior Cup and NWCL Challenge Cup double in 2023. He moved on to Witton Albion in July 2023 and won the Mid Cheshire District FA Senior with the club in his first season. He rejoined Hanley Town in May 2024 and moved on to Kidsgrove Athletic five months later.
Pope was a part of Crewe Alexandra Youth Academy, but was not offered a professional contract with the club. He instead was forced to make his name in the Midland Football Alliance with Biddulph Victoria after coming through the Hanley Town under-18 side to find first-team football. He also played Sunday league football for Sneyd. He scored four goals for the club as they beat the Butcher's Arms 6–4 in the 2004 final of the Potteries and District Sunday League Cup final. During this time the teenager found work as a window-fitter. He scored 15 goals in his first season with Biddulph, and added a further twelve to his tally before returning to Crewe as a professional in October 2005 — manager Dario Gradi now convinced of Pope's potential. Pope chose to head to Crewe after two unsuccessful trials with boyhood club Port Vale.
Pope spent much of the 2005–06 season in the Conference North, playing on loan for Lancaster City and then Stafford Rangers. He returned to the Conference North in 2006–07 with Barrow, again on loan, after Lancaster manager Phil Wilson moved on to Holker Street. On 10 March 2007, Pope made his debut for Crewe in a 1–0 defeat to Gillingham at the Priestfield Stadium, replacing Gary Roberts on 86 minutes. He made three further appearances from the bench during the rest of the season, all three games ending in defeat.
He scored his first goal for the club against Bristol Rovers on 18 August 2007, in a 1–1 draw at the Memorial Stadium. He established himself in the Alex first-team in 2007–08, and his seven goals put him as the club's second-highest scorer after Nicky Maynard.
He signed a two-year contract extension in November 2008, keeping him at the "Alex" until summer 2011. He believed the players could win round disgruntled Crewe fans, and blamed the players for Steve Holland's sacking. He bettered his goal tally in 2008–09 and became the club's top scorer with ten goals. However, this was not enough to prevent Crewe from suffering relegation out of League One. His ten league goals reflected good value for his 17 league starts and an additional nine appearances from the bench. This achievement came despite criticism from assistant manager Neil Baker that Pope lacked consistency on the pitch and professionalism off the pitch. In all he scored 17 goals in 64 games for the Crewe, and he remained thankful to the club, the fans and former manager Dario Gradi for rescuing his career, despite his falling out with then-manager Guðjón Þórðarson.
"No one at Crewe ever told me if I was doing a decent job. They told me the things I did wrong, but they never gave me any chance to build my confidence or give me any encouragement. It started to get me down towards the end, it was frustrating but that's football. I wanted a new challenge and I've got one at Rotherham."
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