Popey's 3rd time lucky boots....

Tom Pope, he's got big feet!!!! And he's had some trouble in finding the boots he wants in size 12.... Uttis! Can you help??

"I wanted to get some Adidas Predators but there were none in my size. Then I went for some Adidas World Cups and there were no 12s in them either. The only one they had in size 12 in was a make called Puma Kings." he told the Advertiser today.

"The lads had been ripping into me all week about them, pulling my leg. The boots have big tongues so I cut them out so I didn't have any big, wide tongues hanging off and I just played in them. When I scored, I was going to rip them off in celebration but I thought the better of it."

"I'll definitely be wearing them on Saturday now!"

Tuesday nights goal was Popes first after getting injured in August and the joint record signing admits that the pressure on him to perform and his lack of recent form has being on his mind.

"It does play on your mind when you're not scoring and anyone who says it doesn't is lying," he said. "It can play on your mind after even one or two games, and even a striker like Alfie would tell you the same."

"The club paid money for me in the summer. I started slowly and then hit a bit of form and scored a couple at West Brom in the Carling Cup. I was playing alright and doing OK for the team but then it all went downhill for me."

"I scored at Macclesfield but got injured there and was out for a few weeks. My confidence had gone and I struggled to get fit again. All the parts of my game were going wrong."

"To be honest, the transfer fee didn't play on my mind. The biggest leap for me was going from non-league (Biddulph Victoria) to Crewe; from playing in front of one man and his dog to 4,000 to 5,000 fans every week. That was the most nervous and challenged I'd been."

"But with the price tag, people expected big things from me and I hadn't delivered so hopefully now I can show my worth. The goal has put a smile back on my face and hopefully I can get more goals now." he added.

Tom looked back at his bare chested goal celebration which earned him a booking on Tuesday; "I just imagined I was scoring at Vale Park in front of the Stoke fans. Derbies mean a lot to people and it obviously means a lot to the Rotherham fans. To score a winner in a derby is massive for my confidence and I want to take that into Saturday now."

"Tomorrow could come and I might not get a shot and we might get done 4-0, football can be like that. But if we play like we did on Tuesday and move the ball and get forward and create chances like we did then I don't see why I can't get a couple of goals."

Boss Ronnie Moore was full of praise for Popey; "He worked his socks off on Tuesday and looked like he was tiring but I thought I'd keep him on. It was a great finish and what a time to get it. Hopefully now it will be like the buses and a couple more will come along and then they'll keep on coming."

"Little parts of his game need improving. He needs to polish up his touch but that will come." he added.

Welcome to MillersMad Here's our LATEST Messageboard topics
MillersMAD are proud sponsors of Dale Tonges home kit.