Dan Burn's Extraordinary Journey: From Supermarket Trolleys to England's Call-Up
Newcastle defender Dan Burn has taken the road less traveled to international football. At 32, he stands on the brink of becoming England's oldest debutant in 15 years, a testament to resilience and determination that has defined his remarkable career.
Burn's journey began with heartbreak, being rejected by his boyhood club Newcastle United as a youngster. By age 16, he was pushing trolleys at a supermarket in his hometown of Blyth once a week to make ends meet. The towering 6ft 7in defender, who was initially a goalkeeper, even lost his ring finger on his right hand in a childhood accident at age 13.
"It made me resilient," Burn reflects. "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."
His football journey began in earnest at non-league Blyth Spartans before joining League Two Darlington on a youth contract in 2009. Those early days were far from glamorous – washing his own kit, bringing packed lunches to training, and carpooling with teammates in a Peugeot 206 after passing his driving test, charging them for petrol because the journey cost more than his Saturday job paid.
Financial difficulties at Darlington pushed him into the first team earlier than expected, where his performances caught the eye of Premier League side Fulham, who signed him in 2011 when he was just 18. His five years at Craven Cottage included 61 league appearances but little stability, with loan spells at Yeovil Town and Birmingham City before moving to Championship club Wigan Athletic.
A return to the Premier League came in 2018 with Brighton & Hove Albion, and after an initial loan back to Wigan, Burn finally established himself in the top flight. His career came full circle in January 2022 when Newcastle brought him home in a £13m deal. Since then, he's made 114 Premier League appearances for Eddie Howe's side.
"I feel like I have been doubted a lot over my career," he says. "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's father David, with whom he once shared a Newcastle season ticket, wrote him a touching letter before the Magpies' Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester United in 2023. The message described his pride in seeing his son go from getting rejected and "pushing trollies at Asda" to playing "on the world stage" with the very best.
Just days after receiving his first England call-up, Burn experienced another dream moment, scoring the opening goal as Newcastle ended a 70-year trophy drought by defeating Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley. His father and family were among thousands of Newcastle supporters celebrating in London's Covent Garden the night before the momentous victory.
The call-up to Thomas Tuchel's first England squad came via a somewhat unconventional route. After being told he was in contention, Burn had to wait anxiously for confirmation.
"Six o'clock Thursday night I had not heard anything then I got a text at 10pm," Burn recalled. "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 selection quickly spread through his hometown of Blyth, with congratulatory messages flooding in. "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.
Burn is proud of his roots and sees his selection as important representation for his region. "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."
Despite his age, Burn harbored international ambitions throughout his career. "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."
With Tuchel's arrival, Burn sees a fresh opportunity. "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."
As he dons the Three Lions training kit, Burn is clear about his aspirations: "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."
One of football's most heartwarming stories now stands on the verge of reaching the international stage, proof that perseverance and self-belief can overcome even the longest odds.
