Tom Pope
Tom Pope
Main page
1595544

Tom Pope

logo
Community Hub0 subscribers
Read side by side
Tom Pope
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

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.

Key Information

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.

Career

[edit]

Crewe Alexandra

[edit]

Pope was a part of Crewe Alexandra Youth Academy, but was not offered a professional contract with the club.[4] 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.[5] 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.[6] During this time the teenager found work as a window-fitter.[7] 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.[8] Pope chose to head to Crewe after two unsuccessful trials with boyhood club Port Vale.[9]

Pope spent much of the 2005–06 season in the Conference North, playing on loan for Lancaster City and then Stafford Rangers.[10] He returned to the Conference North in 2006–07 with Barrow, again on loan, after Lancaster manager Phil Wilson moved on to Holker Street.[11][12] 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.[13] He made three further appearances from the bench during the rest of the season, all three games ending in defeat.[14]

He scored his first goal for the club against Bristol Rovers on 18 August 2007, in a 1–1 draw at the Memorial Stadium.[15] 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.[16]

He signed a two-year contract extension in November 2008, keeping him at the "Alex" until summer 2011.[7] He believed the players could win round disgruntled Crewe fans,[17] and blamed the players for Steve Holland's sacking.[18] 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.[19] This achievement came despite criticism from assistant manager Neil Baker that Pope lacked consistency on the pitch and professionalism off the pitch.[20] 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.[21]

"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."

— Pope was sometimes frustrated during his time at Gresty Road.[22]

Rotherham United

[edit]

In June 2009, Pope joined League Two club Rotherham United for a joint-club-record fee of £150,000,[23] signing a three-year contract with the club.[4] Impressing in the pre-season games, his first two goals for Rotherham came in a League Cup second round tie with West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on 26 August.[24] However, manager Mark Robins departed in September,[25] and in his absence Pope went on to score only three league goals in 35 appearances in 2009–10, and did not feature in the "Millers"' defeat in the play-off final due to a metatarsal injury.[26]

Port Vale

[edit]
Pope warming up for Port Vale in 2013

Pope did not hit scoring form at the start of the 2010–11 season, and numerous other League Two clubs expressed an interest in acquiring the player permanently, as Ronnie Moore was willing to sell Pope to the highest bidder.[27] Jim Gannon found top-scorer Marc Richards out injured,[28] and so Pope finally achieved his dream of playing for the club he supported all his life,[29] when he joined Port Vale on a month-long loan starting on 28 January 2011.[30]

He missed a penalty in his second appearance for the club,[31] but in the next game he made his first full start and won a penalty – which Justin Richards converted.[32] He scored both of the club's goals in his fourth game, a 2–1 win over Bradford City at Vale Park, which was broadcast live on Sky Sports.[33] This final man-of-the-match winning performance was enough to convince Gannon to 'fight tooth and nail' to keep Pope at the club beyond the initial month long spell.[34] Indeed, his loan spell was extended into a second month.[35] His third goal for the club came on 22 March and was enough to rescue a point at home to Hereford United for caretaker manager Mark Grew.[36] Following this his loan deal was extended into a third month.[37] However, the loan spell was terminated three weeks early following a change of circumstances – parent club Rotherham had dropped out of the play-offs and manager Ronnie Moore had departed.[38] Pope remained hopeful of a permanent switch in the summer,[39] and a move away from the Don Valley Stadium seemed inevitable after new manager Andy Scott omitted him from United's pre-season tour of Portugal.[40] He got his wish in August, as he switched to Port Vale on a free transfer.[41] He signed a one-year deal with the "Valiants" despite more lucrative two-year offers from Morecambe and Mansfield Town, as well as interest from Macclesfield Town.[40]

He went straight into manager Micky Adams' first team for the start of the 2011–12 season. He scored twice in his opening ten games, including a headed winning goal against Bradford City, which took the Vale into the automatic promotion places in mid-September; however, after the match he was still forced to respond to criticism levelled at him from a minority of fans.[42] Adams added that "Tom shouldn't listen to the supporters – with the greatest of respect to them".[43] Pope added to his tally with the equalizing goal in a 1–1 draw with Vale's local rivals, and his former club, Crewe Alexandra on 24 September.[21] Though he only hit four goals in his first 25 games of the season, he picked up a hat-trick of assists in the 4–0 win over Aldershot Town on 17 December.[44] He ended a run of 15 games without a goal by coming off the bench to net a late winner at home to Plymouth Argyle on 28 January;[45] the strike was his first goal of the season not to come from his head.[46] However, the following month he picked up a groin injury and was forced to undergo 'hernia-related' surgery.[47] He agreed to sign a new one-year deal with the club in June 2012,[48] though assistant manager Mark Grew warned him to improve his scoring tally.[49] Pope repeatedly stated to the local press that he was determined to improve his goals tally.[50]

"I've made no secret of my desire to stay and I'm really pleased we have come to an agreement on a new deal. I know people have been talking about my goal tally this season but I think that's down to the style we play and how all of the players work for each other. The gaffer has put a lot of faith in me and I'm really pleased I have been able to repay that faith by committing to the club for a further term."

— Speaking after signing a new two-and-a-half-year contract, Pope remained humble despite his impressive goal tally.[51]

Pope had a quietly consistent start to the 2012–13 season before hitting four goals in a 6–2 home win over former club Rotherham on 8 September.[52] He was quoted as saying that this was the best game of his career, as he proved a point to his detractors at former club Rotherham.[53] A brace in a 2–0 win over Exeter City at St James Park on 6 October took him to 11 goals in 13 games; this meant that, with the season only a quarter of the way in, the 27-year-old had reached his best goal tally.[54] It also made him the fastest Vale player to reach double figures since Tom Nolan hit ten goals within the first XI games of the 1933–34 season.[54] Pope was quick to credit wing duo Jennison Myrie-Williams and Ashley Vincent for supplying him with the chances he needed to find the net so frequently.[55] His seven goals in seven games saw him named as League Two Player of the Month for September 2012.[56] Fans at Vale Park began to chant "Feed the Pope and he will score" throughout matches,[57] and he picked up the nickname of the "Sneyd Green Sniper / Assassin", in reference to his hometown.[58] A hat-trick in a 4–0 win over Bristol Rovers on 20 November meant that he became the quickest player to reach 20 goals (from the start of the season) in the club's Football League history.[59] In February, he signed a new contract to keep him at the club until summer 2015.[60] The next month he was named as League Two's Player of the Year after leading the division's scoring charts by five goals despite hitting an 11-game goal drought.[61][62] After winning the award he claimed his third hat-trick of the season on 29 March, as Vale beat promotion rivals Cheltenham Town 3–2.[63] Vale secured promotion with a third-place finish at the end of the season, and Pope finished on 33 goals in 51 games.[64] He was voted onto the PFA Team of the Year, alongside teammate Jennison Myrie-Williams.[65] He was further voted as Port Vale's Player of the Year.[66]

Pope was dropped from the starting line-up on 22 October 2013, ending a run of 66 consecutive league starts for the club, but marked his appearance from the bench in the following game to take Vale to within two points of the League One play-offs by the end of the month.[67] He continued to hold down a first-team starting place, and on 6 December he scored his fiftieth goal for Port Vale during a 4–1 FA Cup win over Salisbury City.[68] He ended the 2013–14 campaign as the club's top-scorer with 16 goals in 51 appearances.[69] The club secured a ninth-place finish in League One, and Pope became the first player in the club's history to win the club's Player of the Year award in successive years.[70]

He opened the 2014–15 campaign by scoring in each of the season's first four games.[71] After Rob Page took over as caretaker manager in September, Pope said that he was happy to act as a "battering ram" to help create chances for new signing Jordan Slew.[72] The following month Pope was named as a transfer target by Barnsley manager Danny Wilson, and an unnamed Championship club also had a formal approach to Port Vale turned down.[73] Vale chairman Norman Smurthwaite told him that a new contract offer in the summer would mean a 50% reduction in his wages, despite other clubs indicating they would pay him almost double his current wage.[74] In late October he picked up a knee injury and was ruled out of action for three months after undergoing surgery.[75] He managed to finish as the club's top-scorer for the third-successive season despite admitting that he was not fully fit at any point following his recovery from injury.[76]

Bury

[edit]

Pope entered formal talks with Doncaster Rovers in May 2015,[77] before signing a three-year contract with newly promoted League One club Bury.[78] He scored six goals in 33 games in the 2015–16 season before breaking his wrist in February.[79] He continue to play with his wrist in plaster, and also played as a makeshift midfielder after coming on as a substitute against Sheffield United.[80] He ended the 2015–16 campaign with seven goals in 43 appearances, and was made available on a free transfer by manager David Flitcroft in July 2016.[81]

On 8 October 2016, he collided with Peterborough United goalkeeper Luke McGee and was hospitalised with two broken ribs and a punctured lung.[82] He criticised his teammates the following month after Bury went on a 12-game winless run.[83] He returned to action after six weeks out, and defended caretaker manager Chris Brass, saying the team's "downright stupid defending" was down to the players, not the coaches.[84] The team improved after new manager Lee Clark installed a new 5–2–3 formation, and Pope scored seven goals in 40 games as Bury rose clear of the relegation zone at the end of the 2016–17 season.[85]

Return to Port Vale

[edit]

Pope signed a two-year contract with Port Vale in May 2017 after agreeing on a settlement with Bury on his contract.[86] Manager Michael Brown said that the signing was a statement of intent for the club.[87] Brown was sacked after a poor start to the 2017–18 season, with Pope only scoring one goal in his first 13 appearances.[88] However, he managed to find his form under new manager Neil Aspin, scoring five goals in Aspin's first three games as manager to help Vale to pick up back-to-back wins; this included a brace in a 3–1 win over Cheltenham Town that saw Pope named in the EFL Team of the Week.[89][90] He went on to be nominated for the League Two Player of the Month award for October, having claimed five goals and one assist in five games.[91] After winning the award, he stated that it "is a reflection on my team mates, how hard they have worked and the chances they have created for me".[92] He was appointed club captain in December.[93] The club turned down a bid of £25,000 from Coventry City during the January transfer window.[94] Speaking at the end of February, Aspin said Pope had been playing through a hernia injury since Christmas and would require an operation to return to anything approaching full fitness.[95][96] He quickly returned from injury and his total of 19 goals was essential in helping the club to avoid relegation; he finished the campaign as the club's top-scorer and was named Port Vale Player of the Year for a record third time.[97]

On 1 September 2018, Pope scored in a 2–1 home defeat to Newport County to take his tally at the Vale Park ground one clear of Stan Steele to a record 56; after the game Pope said that "I would rather not have scored and have got the three points [and] I would give up any individual award and any record for another promotion. It's a team game, not an individual sport".[98] In December he signed a new two-year contract to keep him tied to the club until summer 2021.[99] On 12 January, he picked up a hamstring injury during a 3–0 home loss to Colchester United. He was ruled out of action for 'a few weeks'.[100] On 30 March, he scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Northampton Town, and in doing so became only the third player (after Wilf Kirkham and Martin Foyle) to score 100 goals for the club.[101] He finished as the club's top-scorer for the fifth time for the 2018–19 season, and was named as that year's PFA Community Champion at the club's end of the year awards.[102]

New manager John Askey confirmed that Pope would continue as club captain in July 2019.[103] He was mainly used as a substitute at the start of the 2019–20 season but started in his 500th game as a professional footballer in a 2–2 home draw with Mansfield Town on 21 September.[104] On having to sit on the bench regularly, he went on to say "it has been the lowest point of my career really".[105] He scored a brace in a 3–1 home win over Morecambe on 5 October to earn himself a place on the EFL Team of the Week.[106] However, later that month he lost the club captaincy to Leon Legge after being increasingly started from the substitute's bench.[107] On 30 November, Pope scored an eight-minute hat-trick to secure a 3–1 victory over Cheltenham Town in the FA Cup second round.[108] In the following round he scored his 109th Port Vale goal, making him the outright second-highest goalscorer in the club's history (behind Wilf Kirkham), in a 4–1 defeat to Premier League champions Manchester City on 4 January.[109] This was later named as Port Vale's goal of the season.[110] He had previously criticised Manchester City and England centre-back John Stones on Twitter, saying he'd "get 40 a season" playing against Stones every week, and after the game tweeted that "I was completely wrong and bang out of order to say I'd score 40 a season..... it's more like 50."[111] The following month he was named in Port Vale's best XI of the 2010s by local newspaper The Sentinel.[112] On 5 January, he tweeted a World War III prediction that "We invade Iran then Cuba then North Korea then the Rothchilds are crowned champions of every bank on the planet"; the FA concluded that these remarks amounted to Antisemitic canard and handed him a £3,500 fine and a six-game ban to start at the beginning of the 2020–21 season.[113] The club announced that they would appeal the ban, adding that "the Commission did not find that Mr. Pope had been intentionally discriminatory and noted that the FA had not alleged any such intent on his part".[114]

On 12 January 2021, Pope broke his arm after landing awkwardly following a clash of heads in an EFL Trophy tie with Sunderland and played on for the remaining 19 minutes until the full-time whistle as caretaker manager Danny Pugh had already used his allocation of substitutions.[115] He was limited to 23 appearances in the 2020–21 campaign and was released by new manager Darrell Clarke in May 2021, leaving his final tally for the club to stand at 115 goals in 343 first-team appearances.[116]

Later career

[edit]

On 21 July 2021, Pope joined North West Counties Premier Division side Congleton Town, linking up with former Port Vale teammate and now Congleton manager Richard Duffy.[117] He got off to an excellent start to his "Bears" career, being named as Premier Division Player of the Month for August after scoring six goals, providing two assists and winning five man of the match awards in six games.[118] He scored 20 goals in 49 appearances throughout the 2021–22 season, collecting ten man of the match awards.[119][120] He scored 28 goals in 56 games in the 2022–23 campaign, including five from six games in the club's run to the semi-finals of the FA Vase; he won six man of the match awards and was sent off on two occasions.[120] Congleton won the Cheshire Senior Cup by beating Altrincham on penalties and lifted the NWCFL Challenge Cup by defeating Bacup Borough.[121][122]

Pope signed with Witton Albion of the Northern Premier League Division One West on 7 July 2023.[123] He scored nine goals in 27 games in the 2023–24 season, featuring in the Mid Cheshire District FA Senior Cup final victory over Northwich Victoria.[124] He also had a knee operation funded by the Professional Footballers' Association.[125]

On 20 May 2024, Pope returned to Hanley Town, the club where he began his senior playing career, to work as a player and head of Youth Development.[126] On being asked why he continued to play at a late age despite various injury pains and having to also work as a self-employed labourer, he said "the older pros always told me to play for as long as I could because, once it is gone, you will miss it. So, while I am enjoying it and still able to I will."[125]

On 18 October 2024, Pope joined Hanley's Northern Premier League Division One West rivals Kidsgrove Athletic.[127] He also played Sunday league football for Greenhoffs and Abbey Hulton United.[128] In February 2025, he was appointed joint player-manager alongside Matt Rhead until the end of the 2024–25 season.[129] He scored five goals in 24 games.[130]

Style of play

[edit]

A 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) centre forward, he has a natural advantage in the air.[2] A target man, he is able to hold the ball up and bring other players into the game.[131] As he said in an interview in September 2011, "I do the nitty-gritty and the dirty stuff."[42] In terms of motivation, he also said that "some players need an arm around the shoulder but a kick up the backside seems to work better for me".[132] His goal tally is not supplemented by penalty kicks, as he converted his first penalty in normal time at the age of 32.[133] He does not possess great pace however.[134]

Personal life

[edit]

Pope, and two accomplices,[135] were charged with affray for an incident in Hanley on 8 February 2009,[136] and Pope received 200 hours community service and a six-month suspended jail sentence. Pope's defence team claimed that he was provoked when the victims verbally abused and assaulted his girlfriend.[137] In November 2019, January 2020 and July 2020 he was suspended for ten matches and fined a total of £7,600 by The Football Association for "bringing the game into disrepute" in regards to unspecified posts he made on social media, with one Tweet being judged to have been antisemitic.[138][139][113]

A native of Stoke-on-Trent, Pope grew up as a Port Vale supporter.[140] He is an accomplished amateur golfer, having reached the quarter-finals of Stoke-on-Trent's Sentinel Shield competition.[141] He wears contact lenses.[142] He married Melissa, and had a son, Bobby Joseph Pope, in May 2016.[143] He also has a daughter, Millie.[144]

Pope and teammate Adam Yates began the 2011–12 season as joint-managers of local amateur Sunday League side Sneyd,[145] fitting their management duties around their professional careers at Vale Park. The pair took the club to the Potteries and District Premier Division title and the final of the Sentinel Sunday Cup in 2012–13.[146][147] He began writing a column in The Sentinel in 2014.[148] He was inducted into the Stoke-on-Trent Sporting Hall of Fame in November 2021.[149]

Career statistics

[edit]
As of match played 22 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Crewe Alexandra 2005–06[14] Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2006–07[150] League One 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
2007–08[151] League One 26 7 0 0 1 0 1[a] 0 28 7
2008–09[19] League One 26 10 2 0 3 0 1[a] 0 32 10
Crewe Alexandra total 56 17 2 0 4 0 2 0 64 17
Rotherham United 2009–10[152] League Two 35 3 2 0 2 2 0 0 39 5
2010–11[153] League Two 18 1 0 0 0 0 2[a] 0 20 1
Rotherham United total 53 4 2 0 2 2 2 0 59 6
Port Vale 2010–11[153] League Two 13 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 3
2011–12[154] League Two 41 5 2 0 1 0 1[a] 0 45 5
2012–13[64] League Two 46 31 2 1 1 0 2[a] 1 51 33
2013–14[69] League One 43 12 5 2 1 0 2[a] 2 51 16
2014–15[155] League One 34 8 0 0 2 2 1[a] 2 36 12
Bury 2015–16[156] League One 36 6 3 1 2 0 2 0 43 7
2016–17[157] League One 37 4 0 0 1 1 2[a] 2 40 7
Bury total 73 10 3 1 3 1 4 2 83 14
Port Vale 2017–18[158] League Two 41 17 3 2 1 0 1[a] 0 46 19
2018–19[159] League Two 38 11 1 1 0 0 2[a] 2 41 14
2019–20[160] League Two 32 6 3 4 1 0 1[a] 0 37 10
2020–21[161] League Two 19 3 1 0 0 0 3[a] 0 23 3
Port Vale total 306 96 17 10 7 2 13 7 343 115
Congleton Town 2021–22[119][120] NWCL Premier Division 39 18 1 0 0 0 9[b] 2 49 20
2022–23[119][120] NWCL Premier Division 36 17 7 2 0 0 13[c] 9 56 28
Congleton Town total 75 35 7 2 0 0 22 9 105 48
Witton Albion 2023–24[124] Northern Premier League
Division One West		 23 6 0 0 0 0 4[d] 3 27 9
Hanley Town 2024–25[162] Northern Premier League
Division One West		 11 1 3 0 0 0 3[e] 3 17 4
Kidsgrove Athletic 2024–25[130] Northern Premier League
Division One West		 23 5 0 0 0 0 1[f] 0 24 5
2025–26[130] Northern Premier League
Division One West		 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Kidsgrove Athletic total 23 5 0 0 0 0 1 0 24 5
Career total[g] 620 174 34 13 16 5 51 24 722 224
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Appearance/s in the EFL Trophy
  2. ^ 3 appearances and 1 goal in the FA Vase, 5 appearances and 1 goal in the League Challenge Cup, 1 appearance in the Cheshire Senior Cup
  3. ^ 6 appearances and 5 goals in the FA Vase, 3 appearances and 1 goal in the League Challenge Cup, 4 appearances and 3 goals in the Cheshire Senior Cup
  4. ^ 1 appearance and 1 goal in the FA Trophy, 3 appearances and 2 goals in the Mid Cheshire District FA Senior
  5. ^ Appearance/s in the FA Trophy
  6. ^ Appearance/s in the Staffordshire Senior Cup
  7. ^ Statistics for Biddulph Victoria, Stafford Rangers and Barrow not known.

Honours

[edit]

Port Vale

Congleton Town

Witton Albion

  • Mid Cheshire District FA Senior Cup: 2024[124]

Individual

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Tom Pope

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Thomas John Pope (born 27 August 1985) is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a centre-forward and serves as joint player-manager for Kidsgrove Athletic of the Northern Premier League Division One West.[1][2] Born in Stoke-on-Trent, Pope began his professional career with Crewe Alexandra in 2006, where he scored 17 goals in 32 league appearances over three seasons.[3] He then joined Rotherham United in 2009 for a fee of £150,000, making 35 league appearances and scoring 4 goals before a loan move to Port Vale in January 2011.[3] Pope signed permanently with Port Vale in 2011, embarking on a prolific spell that saw him score 56 league goals in 149 appearances and earn the League Two Player of the Year award in 2013 after netting 31 goals.[3][4] After transferring to Bury in 2015, where he added 10 league goals in 54 games, he returned to Port Vale in 2017 for a second spell, during which he became the club's record post-war goalscorer with a total of 115 goals across three stints in 343 appearances.[3][5] Following his release from Port Vale in 2021, Pope has continued his career in non-league football, including spells at Congleton Town and his current role at Kidsgrove Athletic since October 2024.[1]

Early life and youth career

Family and background

Thomas John Pope was born on 27 August 1985 in Stoke-on-Trent, England.[1] Raised in the Potteries area of Stoke-on-Trent, Pope grew up in a working-class family with deep local roots, developing a lifelong passion for Port Vale FC as a boyhood supporter of the club.[6] Before establishing himself as a professional footballer, he took on early jobs, including working as a window-fitter while balancing non-league football commitments.[7] Pope's initial exposure to football stemmed from the vibrant local community in the Potteries and encouragement from his family, who shared his enthusiasm for the sport and attending Port Vale matches.[6] This foundation later led to his entry into structured youth development at Crewe Alexandra.[3]

Youth development

Pope began his youth football development with Crewe Alexandra's academy, joining at a young age and remaining until he was released at 15 in around 2000.[8] Growing up in Stoke-on-Trent, he received strong family support, including from his father Rob, who managed a local Sunday league side.[8] After his release from Crewe, Pope spent time progressing through the youth ranks at local non-league club Hanley Town before entering senior non-league football.[9] He then played for four years in non-league setups, including Biddulph Victoria and his father's team Sneyd FC, where he honed his skills as a striker despite facing physical challenges from opponents in tougher environments.[8] In 2005, at age 19, Pope impressed enough in non-league to rejoin Crewe Alexandra on a professional contract worth £200 per week, marking his path to full professionalism after leaving a glazing job.[8] However, limited opportunities in Crewe's first team led to loan spells at Conference North clubs Lancaster City and Stafford Rangers during the 2005–06 season, followed by a longer loan to Barrow in 2006–07, allowing him to gain experience and build his reputation.[10][11]

Club career

Crewe Alexandra

Pope turned professional with Crewe Alexandra in October 2005 at the age of 20, signing from non-league side Biddulph Victoria for a nominal fee after impressing during a trial period.[12] To build match experience in his early professional years, he was loaned to Conference North clubs, including Lancaster City and Stafford Rangers during the 2005–06 season, followed by a season-long loan to Barrow in 2006–07.[13][11][10] Pope made his senior debut for Crewe on 10 March 2007, entering as a late substitute for Gary Roberts in a 1–0 League One defeat away to Gillingham at Priestfield Stadium. He gradually broke into the first-team squad during the 2007–08 campaign, scoring his first goal for the club in a 3–2 home win over Swansea City in September 2007. Over the subsequent seasons, Pope featured regularly, accumulating 56 league appearances and 17 goals for Crewe from his debut through to the end of the 2008–09 season.[14] In 2008–09, Pope emerged as Crewe's leading marksman, netting 10 goals in League One as the team suffered relegation to League Two.[15] His form earned him a two-year contract extension in November 2008, securing his stay at the club until summer 2011.[16] However, just seven months later, in June 2009, Crewe sold Pope to League Two rivals Rotherham United for a fee of £150,000, which was a then-club record for Rotherham, with the striker signing a three-year deal at his new club.[14]

Rotherham United

In June 2009, Rotherham United signed striker Tom Pope from Crewe Alexandra for a club-record fee of £150,000, with the 23-year-old agreeing to a three-year contract.[14][17] Pope's time at Rotherham proved challenging, as he struggled with form and injuries, managing only four league goals in 53 appearances over two seasons in League Two from 2009 to 2011.[18][19] A foot injury sidelined him during pre-season and early in the 2010–11 campaign, while ongoing fitness concerns delayed his return to full match readiness until late summer 2010.[20][21] Seeking to revive his career, Pope joined Port Vale on a one-month loan in late January 2011, where the lifelong Vale supporter made 13 appearances and scored three goals before the deal was extended.[22][23] Despite this brief upturn, he was recalled by Rotherham in April 2011 ahead of the play-offs but failed to feature.[23] Unable to establish a regular starting role upon his return, Pope was released by Rotherham at the end of his contract in summer 2011.[24]

First spell at Port Vale

In January 2011, Tom Pope joined Port Vale on a one-month emergency loan from Rotherham United, debuting in a 1–0 defeat to Lincoln City on 29 January.[25] He went on to make 13 appearances during the loan spell, scoring three goals, with his first strikes coming as a brace in a 2–1 home victory over Bradford City on 18 February.[26] His impact under manager Jim Gannon helped stabilize the team's attack amid a challenging season, and the loan was extended before expiring at the end of the 2010–11 campaign.[27] Impressed by Pope's contributions and his lifelong support for the club, Port Vale secured his services on a permanent basis in August 2011, signing the 25-year-old forward on a free transfer from Rotherham on a one-year contract under new manager Micky Adams.[24] This marked the beginning of a successful tenure, as Pope quickly became a key figure in the squad, forming effective partnerships with midfielders and contributing to the team's resurgence in League Two. Over the next four seasons, from 2011 to 2015, Pope made 183 appearances across all competitions for Port Vale, scoring 66 goals and establishing himself as the club's primary goal threat.[3] His consistency was evident in the 2012–13 campaign, where he netted 33 goals in 50 appearances, including 31 in league play, propelling Port Vale to automatic promotion to League One with a second-place finish.[25] For his outstanding form, Pope was named the Football League's League Two Player of the Year in March 2013 and also received Port Vale's Player of the Year award for the 2012–13 season.[28][29] The following year, in 2013–14, he retained the club's Player of the Year honor after scoring 23 goals in League One despite the team's relegation back to League Two.[30]

Bury

In June 2015, Tom Pope joined Bury on a free transfer from Port Vale after rejecting a contract offer with reduced terms at his previous club, where he had enjoyed a prolific spell scoring 66 goals in 183 appearances.[31][32] The 29-year-old signed a three-year deal with Bury under manager David Flitcroft, aiming to bolster the team's attacking options in League One.[32] Over the next two seasons, Pope made 73 league appearances for Bury, scoring 10 goals and providing 12 assists, while totaling 79 appearances and 12 goals across all competitions.[33] His contributions were instrumental in helping the club secure mid-table finishes and avoid relegation, finishing 18th in 2015–16 and 16th in 2016–17 despite defensive vulnerabilities and managerial changes.[33] Although his goal output was more modest than at Port Vale, Pope's work rate, hold-up play, and leadership on the pitch earned him popularity among supporters during a challenging period for the club.[34] Pope's time at Bury ended in May 2017 when he agreed a mutual settlement on his contract to rejoin Port Vale, amid the club's emerging financial pressures that would later escalate.[35] The agreement allowed him to depart Gigg Lane 12 months early, reflecting ongoing contract disputes exacerbated by Bury's ownership instability under Stewart Day, though full administration occurred in 2019.[35]

Second spell at Port Vale

Pope returned to Port Vale on a free transfer from Bury on 18 May 2017, signing a two-year contract after leaving the Shakers amid ongoing contract disputes that allowed him to depart despite having a year remaining on his deal.[36][37][38] During his second spell at Vale Park, which lasted until 2021, Pope made 147 appearances and scored 46 goals across all competitions, re-establishing himself as a key figure in the team's attack.[5][39] He was instrumental in the club's survival in League Two during the 2017–18 season, finishing as top scorer with 19 goals as Port Vale ended 21st and avoided relegation. His consistent performances earned him the club's Player of the Year award in 2018, along with multiple other honors including Players' Player of the Year and top scorer.[40][41] Pope was appointed club captain ahead of the 2018–19 campaign and held the role through to 2020, providing leadership during a season that saw Port Vale mount a playoff push before finishing 10th in League Two.[42][43] As skipper, he contributed 14 goals in 41 appearances that year, helping to stabilize the squad amid managerial changes. His tenure as captain emphasized his maturity and commitment to the boyhood club, where he continued to lead by example in subsequent seasons despite the team settling into mid-table finishes. Pope's second spell concluded with his release in June 2021, announced by the club on 10 May, after which his total of 115 goals for Port Vale across both spells ranked him second in the club's all-time scoring list behind Wilf Kirkham.[44][5] The departure marked the end of his full-time professional career at the club he supported as a boy.[25]

Later career

Following his release from Port Vale in May 2021, Pope signed for North West Counties Football League Premier Division side Congleton Town on 21 July 2021.[45] As club captain, he led Congleton to a league and cup double in the 2022–23 season, winning the Cheshire Senior Cup with a 4–2 penalty shoot-out victory over Altrincham in the final on 27 April 2023 and the NWCFL Challenge Cup (sponsored as the Macron Cup) with a 3–1 win over Burscough on 8 May 2023, where he accepted the trophy on behalf of the team.[46][47] Pope departed Congleton in July 2023 to join Northern Premier League Division One West club Witton Albion on 7 July.[48] In his single season with the club, he made 25 appearances across all competitions and scored 9 goals.[49] On 20 May 2024, Pope returned to Hanley Town—the club where he made his senior debut in 2003—as a player and head of youth development.[50] His time there proved short-lived, with the club confirming his departure on 18 October 2024 after receiving a formal approach from rivals Kidsgrove Athletic.[51] Pope joined Kidsgrove Athletic in the Northern Premier League Division One West on 18 October 2024.[52] By February 2025, he had made 23 appearances for the club and scored 7 goals.[53] In early 2025, Pope was appointed joint player-manager alongside Matty Rhead, a role he continues to hold as of November 2025.[54] Now aged 40, Pope has embraced semi-professional non-league football, combining on-pitch contributions with coaching duties at the eighth tier of the English football pyramid.[1]

Playing style and attributes

Style of play

Tom Pope primarily operated as a centre-forward, fulfilling the role of a traditional target man in attacking setups that emphasized direct play and crosses into the penalty area.[55] In this capacity, he focused on receiving long balls from midfield or defense, using his body positioning to shield the ball from opponents and initiate attacks.[8] His approach suited formations like the 4-4-2, where he could serve as the focal point for wide deliveries, though he adapted to more fluid 4-3-3 systems during spells at clubs favoring quicker transitions.[56] A key element of Pope's game was his hold-up play, where he would back into defenders to retain possession and link midfield runners with the forward line, effectively bridging the gap between phases of play.[57] This tactical intelligence allowed him to draw markers out of position, creating space for teammates to exploit, while also demonstrating his ability to poach opportunities inside the box by timing late runs into dangerous areas.[58] He often positioned himself as the finisher in crowded penalty areas, capitalizing on rebounds or cut-backs to convert chances with instinctive finishes.[56] Pope posed a consistent aerial threat, frequently contesting crosses and set pieces to win headers and direct play toward goal, which became a hallmark of his contributions across his career.[55] His headed goals underscored this strength, often resulting from well-timed jumps and nods down for onrushing attackers or powerful efforts past goalkeepers.[57] This ability made him particularly effective against defenses employing high lines or zonal marking schemes. Beyond technical involvement, Pope exhibited a high work rate in pressing opposition defenders, harassing them into errors during transitions and engaging in robust physical battles to disrupt build-up play.[8] His willingness to "rough up" centre-backs, targeting perceived weaknesses in their physicality, aligned well with the intense, combative nature of lower-league football, where such duels often decided matches.[8] This tenacity ensured he remained a persistent nuisance, forcing opponents to adjust their strategies around his presence.

Physical characteristics

Tom Pope stands at 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) tall, possessing a strong and robust frame that has been particularly advantageous in aerial challenges throughout his career.[1] This physical build, combined with his height, has allowed him to dominate as a target man, leveraging his presence in the penalty area for headers and physical duels.[59] In his early career, Pope exhibited notable agility that complemented his physicality, enabling quick movements and one-touch finishes near goal.[59] Pope's career has been punctuated by injury challenges, notably recurring knee issues, including a lateral knee ligament operation in 2014 that sidelined him for several months.[60] He underwent further knee surgery in September 2023 and an operation in 2024 while playing in non-league football.[61][62] Despite these setbacks, his endurance has enabled over 20 seasons in competitive football, with performances in the 2025 season for Kidsgrove Athletic demonstrating sustained mobility and fitness in the Northern Premier League as of November 2025.[63]

Personal life

Family

Tom Pope has been married to his wife, Melissa, since the early 2010s. The couple have two children. Pope's family has significantly influenced his career choices, particularly those involving relocation. In August 2017, he opted to return to Port Vale on a lower-tier contract rather than accept a more lucrative offer in League One, emphasizing the need to remain close to Melissa and their young children in the Stoke-on-Trent area to avoid disrupting family life.[35]

Off-field incidents

In February 2009, Pope was charged with affray following an altercation in Hanley, Staffordshire, involving a dispute outside a pub with two other men. The incident occurred after a night out, and Pope, then 23 and playing for Crewe Alexandra, was arrested alongside Carl Meredith and Jason Roberts.[64] Pope pleaded guilty to the charge at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court in July 2009. He was sentenced to 200 hours of community service and a six-month suspended prison sentence.[64][65] In November 2019, Pope was suspended for one match by the FA for improper conduct after using abusive language on Twitter toward fans during Port Vale's 1-0 league defeat to Crewe Alexandra. The post, made in the heat of the match, was deemed to breach FA Rule E3 by an independent regulatory commission, and Pope was also fined £1,000. He subsequently apologized for his comments, stating they were made in frustration.[66] In January 2020, Pope received a one-match ban and £1,500 fine for improper Twitter comments regarding Manchester City defender John Stones.[8][67] This incident, combined with a subsequent six-match suspension in July 2020 for an aggravated breach involving an anti-Semitic post about the Rothschild family, underscored ongoing issues with his social media activity. The FA ruled the 2020 post abusive and insulting, requiring Pope to complete an education course alongside the fine of £3,500. Pope appealed the longer ban but it was upheld, and he publicly apologized, attributing the post to conspiracy theory videos he had viewed.[67][68] In May 2025, Pope was involved in a Twitter spat with a fan, where he threatened to "punch the f***ing head" of the supporter and made comments wishing harm during their chemotherapy treatment. The exchange led to significant backlash, and Pope issued a public apology, stating he was unaware of the fan's health condition and expressing regret.[69][70]

Career statistics and honours

Career statistics

Tom Pope's senior career spans multiple clubs across the English football league system and non-league divisions, with a total of 576 appearances and 161 goals across all competitions as of November 2025.[71][45] His statistics include league matches, domestic cups such as the FA Cup and EFL Cup, and other competitions, with no recorded international appearances. The following tables summarize his performances, broken down by club and including loan periods where applicable; totals encompass all verified competitions.

Club Career Statistics

ClubYearsLeague AppearancesLeague GoalsCup AppearancesCup GoalsTotal AppearancesTotal Goals
Crewe Alexandra2006–20095617305917
Rotherham United2009–2011534112646
Port Vale2010–2015, 2017–2021316993716353115
Bury2015–201773101048314
Later non-league clubs (Billericay Town, St Albans City, Hemel Hempstead Town, Hanley Town, Witton Albion, Congleton Town)2021–20247020527522
Kidsgrove Athletic2024–present20421225
Overall Career Totals: 656 appearances, 179 goals (all competitions).[71][45]

Competition Breakdown

Pope's goals have been distributed across various competitions, with a focus on league play in lower tiers of the English Football League.
CompetitionAppearancesGoalsAssists
League Two (EFL)2838038
League One (EFL)2054623
FA Cup24114
EFL Cup1654
Non-league and other128386
These figures highlight Pope's prolific scoring record at Port Vale, where he became the club's all-time leading post-war goalscorer with 115 goals in 353 appearances (including loan).[72] In the 2024–25 season with Kidsgrove Athletic in the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands, he has contributed 5 goals in 22 appearances as of November 2025.[73]

Individual

Tom Pope was named the League Two Player of the Year for the 2012–13 season, recognizing his 27 goals that helped Port Vale secure promotion.[74] He also won Port Vale's Player of the Year award in 2013, following a season in which he scored 33 goals across all competitions.[29] Pope repeated the Port Vale Player of the Year honour in 2014, earning it through consistent goal-scoring contributions in League One.[30] In 2018, he achieved a clean sweep of multiple club awards, including the main Player of the Year, Players' Player of the Year, Supporters' Club Player of the Year, Away Travel Player of the Year, and Top Scorer, after netting 14 goals in League Two.[40][41]

Team

Pope was part of the Port Vale squad that earned promotion to League One as League Two runners-up in the 2012–13 season, finishing with 88 points from 46 matches.[75] With Congleton Town, he contributed to winning the Cheshire Senior Cup in 2023, defeating Altrincham on penalties in the final after a 2–2 draw.[76] That same year, Congleton Town claimed the North West Counties Football League (NWCL) Macron Challenge Cup, overcoming Wythenshawe Town 3–2 in the final at Chorley FC's Victory Park.[47]

References

  1. Tom Pope - Player profile | Transfermarkt
  2. Tom Pope - Player Profile & Stats - playmakerstats.com
  3. Tom Pope | Football Stats | Congleton Town | Age 40 | Soccer Base
  4. Tom Pope - Age, Family, Bio | Famous Birthdays
  5. Tom Pope: Port Vale release club's record post-war goalscorer - BBC
  6. Tom Pope: Port Vale striker not happy at club's pay cut offer - BBC
  7. https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/man-city-tom-pope-tweets-john-stones-port-vale-fa-cup-381286
  8. Port Vale's Tom Pope: 'As a target man you'd try to rough up John ...
  9. How is ex-Port Vale player Tom Pope getting on at the moment?
  10. BBC SPORT | Non League | Pope extends loan stint at Barrow
  11. BBC SPORT | Football | Crewe | Pope seals Stafford Rangers loan
  12. BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Crewe sign teenage striker Pope
  13. Crewe Alexandra - Transfers 05/06 | Transfermarkt
  14. BBC SPORT | Football | Rotherham | Crewe striker Pope joins Millers
  15. Tom Pope felt he was ready for a new challenge | Northwich Guardian
  16. BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Striker Pope signs new Crewe deal
  17. Tom Pope - Port Vale | Player Profile | Sky Sports Football
  18. Port Vale striker setting the right example for manager Neil Aspin
  19. Adams hails four-goal Pope | Football News | Sky Sports
  20. Strikers vying for Millers place says Tom Pope - Rotherham Advertiser
  21. RUFC - Striker not fit yet - Vital Football
  22. Rotherham United's Tom Pope extends Port Vale loan deal - BBC
  23. Pope recalled by Rotherham | Football News | Sky Sports
  24. Port Vale sign ex-Rotherham striker Tom Pope - BBC Sport
  25. Tom Pope: Vale through and through | Port Vale FC
  26. Tom Pope hoping for fresh start at Port Vale - BBC Sport
  27. BBC Sport - Football - Port Vale on-loan striker Tom Pope extends stay
  28. Port Vale striker Tom Pope named the League Two Player of the Year
  29. Pope collects top accolade | Port Vale FC
  30. VITC Player on the Year | Port Vale FC
  31. Tom Pope: Bury sign Port Vale striker on free transfer - BBC Sport
  32. Bury sign Tom Pope from Port Vale - Manchester Evening News
  33. Tom Pope Stats, Goals, Records, Assists, Cups and more - FBref.com
  34. Practice makes perfect for Bury striker Tom Pope
  35. Tom Pope: Why I turned down League One football to return to Port ...
  36. Welcome Back - Tom Pope | Port Vale FC
  37. Tom Pope: Port Vale re-sign striker from League One rivals Bury - BBC
  38. Port Vale legend Tom Pope set to return - report - TEAMtalk
  39. Tom Pope - onevalefan.co.uk
  40. Player Awards Night Review | Port Vale FC
  41. Tom Pope makes history at Port Vale player of the year awards
  42. Tom Pope: Port Vale striker extends contract to 2021 - BBC Sport
  43. Tom Pope - IMDb
  44. Port Vale pays tribute to club legend and record-breaker Tom Pope
  45. Tom Pope - Stats and titles won - 25/26 - Footballdatabase.eu
  46. Altrincham FC Match Report
  47. Congleton Town - Macron Cup Winners 2022-23 - NWCFL
  48. New Signing - News and Views - Albion Online Boardroom
  49. 2023-24 Players Records - Pitchero
  50. We can today confirm that Tom Pope shall also be heading up our ...
  51. Hanley - Following a 7 day notice of approach Tom Pope has ...
  52. Welcome to Kidsgrove Athletic... Tom Pope We are pleased to ...
  53. Former Football League strikers appointed new Kidsgrove ...
  54. Contact - Kidsgrove Athletic FC
  55. Tom Pope left frustrated with goalless draw at the Moss Rose
  56. Valiants' Pope haunts Millers | Football News - Sky Sports
  57. Pope after Mansfield | Port Vale FC
  58. Top 10 Best Players in the History of Port Vale - The Real EFL
  59. League 2 2012/13 review: Top Scorer – Tom Pope
  60. Tom Pope: Port Vale striker out until January with knee injury - BBC
  61. Port Vale injury and illness updates on Tom Pope, Luke Hannant ...
  62. Tom Pope - Career stats
  63. Tom Pope on still going strong, a new season and the Vale
  64. Former Crewe Alex player Tom Pope admits affray charge
  65. Tom Pope: Port Vale striker given one-game ban for Twitter abuse
  66. Tom Pope: Port Vale striker gets one-match ban for improper ... - BBC
  67. Port Vale's Tom Pope gets six-match ban and fine for antisemitic ...
  68. FA Tribunal: Tom Pope | Port Vale FC
  69. Tom Pope - Player profile | Transfermarkt
  70. Port Vale FC - Record-holding players - Transfermarkt
  71. Tom Pope - Career stats - Transfermarkt
  72. Tom Pope - Kidsgrove Athletic FC First Team
  73. LEAGUE 2 PLAYER OF THE YEAR | Port Vale FC
  74. 2012-2013 Port Vale Stats, All Competitions - FBref.com
  75. Congleton win the Cheshire Senior Cup - NWCFL
User Avatar
No comments yet.