Newport County’s Tom King has become the 18th goalkeeper this century – and the first for almost five years – to score a goal in English professional football.
The 25-year-old put Newport ahead with a booming, wind-assisted 12th minute clearance that caught Cheltenham opposite number Josh Griffiths napping in a League Two fourth tier match in Cheltenham on Tuesday (Wednesday NZ time).
King launched a goalkick, which bounced in the ‘D’ arc just in front of the Cheltenham penalty area, looped over Newport’s attackers and Cheltenham’s defenders and left Griffiths – standing five metres off his line – clawing vainly at thin air.
Sky Sports’ statistician reported goalkeeper Tom King became the first ‘keeper to score an English League goal since Morecambe’s Barry Roche netted against Portsmouth in February 2021.
Cheltenham’s pitch at Jonny-Rocks Stadium is 101.5m long, meaning King’s kick travelled around 96m.
King also distinguished himself soon after his goal with a pointblank range save to deny Cheltenham’s Alfie May.
But he could not prevent Matty Blair equalising for Cheltenham in added time at the end of the first half.
It’s been a headline-making month for King. He saved a penalty from English Premier League star Neal Maupay when Newport lost to Brighton and Hove Albion in a shootout after holding them to a 1-1 draw after extra-time.
King joined Newport – a Welsh club playing in the English league – in 2019 from London club Millwall.
The 1.94m former England age-group international is eligible to play for Wales through his Cardiff-born mother. He was called up to Wales’ national squad in 2019, but is yet to make his debut.
King has helped Newport to second place in League Two, one point behind leaders Cambridge, and three ahead of sixth-placed Cheltenham.
