But he wasn`t good enough for you for donkeys years so I regard him more of a Cheshire lad than a gobby Stoke one.
"
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, and 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 fifteen 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 division in
2006–07 with
Barrow, again on loan.
[11] 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.
[12] He made three further appearances from the bench during the rest of the season, all three games ending in defeat."