Rejection, non-league and pushing trolleys: Burn's rise to England

Dan Burn has had to do things the hard way.

From being rejected by his boyhood club Newcastle United as a youngster to pushing supermarket trolleys, he could easily have given up on his football career before it had really begun.

The 32-year-old, who was initially a goalkeeper, also lost his ring finger on his right hand aged just 13 in a childhood accident.

Now the 6ft 7in defender has the Three Lions - albeit so far only the training kit - on his chest as he reflects on the journey that has got him to the week of his dreams.

Just days after receiving his first England cap, Burn helped his beloved Magpies end a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy at Wembley with the opening goal against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

His attention now turns to a potential debut for his country - after being included in Thomas Tuchel's first England squad - when he would become the oldest player to make a first appearance since former Bolton Wanderers striker Kevin Davies 15 years ago.

"It was strange, as soon as I left the stadium [Wembley], it switched to this," he said. "We got the bus back at 12 o'clock. It was getting rowdy and I was ready to go back to bed.

"I've waited a long time for this opportunity and I didn't want to spoil it. He [Thomas Tuchel] said I've been playing well for a long time. I'm not just coming in to be a cheerleader - I want to play.

"Every little kid's dream is to play in a World Cup. To know I have got that opportunity if I take it is special.

"I feel like I'm a leader on and off the pitch. I fit into that role. That's how I feel I can best help the team."

Aged 11, Burn was released from the Newcastle academy and by 16 he was pushing trollies at a supermarket in his hometown of Blyth once a week.

He played for non-league club Blyth Spartans before joining League Two Darlington on a youth contract in 2009.

The lush green turf of St George's Park must have felt like a world away as he was washing his own kit and bringing in packed lunches to training.

When he passed his driving test, he would commute with three team-mates to County Durham from Blyth in a Peugeot 206, charging them petrol money because the journey cost him more than he earned from his Saturday job.

Crippling financial issues at Darlington accelerated his promotion to the first team and he impressed sufficiently to secure a move to Premier League side Fulham in 2011, aged 18.

Five years at Craven Cottage brought 61 league appearances but very little stability.

He was sent on loan to Yeovil Town and Birmingham City before a switch to Championship club Wigan Athletic.

He earned a return to the Premier League in 2018 when he signed for Brighton & Hove Albion and, after an initial loan return to Wigan, he finally settled into a rhythm in the top flight at the second attempt.

Burn made his return to Newcastle in January 2022, signing for £13m, and has since made 114 Premier League appearances for Eddie Howe's side.

"It made me resilient," he said. "I have not had a straight-line trajectory in my career.

"It has been up and down, from making my Premier League debut at 21 - three years later I was released by Fulham. I don't care about peoples opinions - I know what I'm good at.

"I feel like I have been doubted a lot over my career. Not many people at Darlington would have said I'd be sat here doing a press conference for England. I feel I deserve to be here."

Burn was part of Howe's line-up that lost 2-0 to Manchester United in the 2023 Carabao Cup final.

Before the Magpies' loss that day, his dad David - with whom he used to have a Newcastle season ticket - wrote a touching letter for his son., external

In the message, Burn's dad described the pride he felt, explaining how he had gone from getting rejected and 'pushing trollies at Asda' to playing with the very best 'on the world stage'.

On Saturday, David and family were among the thousands who partied in London's Covent Garden the night before the win over Liverpool.

Beneath Burn's slightly self-deprecating personality, there is a steely belief in his own quality and desire to get the best from his career.

He said: "I just had little goals at the time that I wanted to hit. I wanted to play in League Two - did that. Play in League One - did that. I've always felt I had the ability to play at international level but you don't get the experience unless you do it.

"I think I have been overlooked, but I understood it. In my opinion Gareth [Southgate] treated it more like a club, which worked well for them.

"It was about the togetherness, but that worked against me a little bit. So, when the new manager come in, it was kind of a new slate.

"Luckily the new manager has taken a chance on me and I want to grasp the opportunity. I did think it had passed me by at 32."

Burn's dream moment came via a Facetime call from Tuchel - but even that wasn't straightforward, having already received a call from the German telling him he was in the running.

"Six o'clock Thursday night I had not heard anything then I got a text at 10pm," Burn added. "I then got a Facetime call and I did struggle to sleep.

"He said first of all 'not professional not being in bed for 10pm'. So, I apologised for that.

"Then he said he has been ringing everyone that had not made the squad. He said he needed to end the day on a good note."

News of his international involvement quickly spread around Blyth and Burn has been fielding messages of congratulations for days.

"My phone has been going off; I've had the same number since I was 16 so you wouldn't believe the amount of messages. I'm only getting round to answering them now," he said.

"The north east of England is a bit overlooked in football. There's not as many teams up there for the pools of players to come through. I am very proud to come from Newcastle - I love telling people where I am from."

The need for Burn to tell people where he is from is increasingly rarely required these days, with one of football's feel-good stories is poised to reach the international stage.