Up went the nine-year-old’s hand as a favour for that one match and he has never looked back. Manchester City came calling within two years and Trafford is now emerging as one of the stories of this Under-21 European Championship, with clubs in the top two divisions monitoring his progress.
Three clean sheets, a catalogue of eye-catching saves and real confidence with the ball at his feet under pressure is making observers sit up and take notice. By his own admission, Trafford would not have made it outfield but then again, his distribution – with some similarities to Ederson – does make you wonder.
‘Did you see the one-hander when it bounced up?’ England and City teammate Cole Palmer asked after England knocked Germany out in the group stage on Wednesday night, Trafford clawing away a late effort destined to go in. Palmer spent post-match just marvelling at his mate.
‘Wow. He is so good. I’ve always said to him – even when we were little – that he is going to be world-class. That’s what I think anyway.’
The two of them met when they were 11, growing up together and appear primed for careers at the very top. They won the 2020 Youth Cup, although Trafford missed the final after Pep Guardiola called him into the first team for a game at Sheffield United.
Some pedigree but Trafford, who grew up in Cockermouth – a short drive from the Cumbrian hometowns of Dean Henderson and Scott Carson – is not a household name in this England squad.
The attacking players have gone for more than £100million in transfer fees between them over the last year while he spent time on loan at Bolton Wanderers in League One.
Bolton came after a tough spell with Accrington Stanley and very few England fans will have seen the No 1 play, although have been remarking in the bars of Georgia at how impressive he looks. The spot wasn’t even his under Lee Carsley until March, when first-choice Joe Bursik found himself jettisoned completely from squads following an underwhelming move to Club Brugge.
Trafford has grasped the chance, his smart throw out to Harvey Elliott earning an assist the other night, and this bolder England can play a different way with City’s kid behind them. He later rushed out 40 yards to chest down a ball with snow on it, ignoring two strikers hurtling towards him, then playing around them with two touches.
