Nick Pope

[Tiotes Witch Doctor]

I'll always look back on him as an excellent keeper for us, some truly great performances including a great cup final performance.

 

But his decline is so bad and so fast that the longer it goes on that he keeps getting games and dropping clangers that's all people will remember, I think it's important for his legacy here that he moves on this summer.

[Teasy]

On 06/06/2026 at 04:00, OverThere said:

Tough crowd. He's in decline but has been very good for us. 

 

He's been a very good keeper for us yes.  But last season he was a disaster.  He's not just declining, he's already declined to the point where we cannot afford to rely on him.

[The College Dropout]

2 hours ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

On the flip side, if Given was born in 1995 he might have put more effort into kicking, knowing it was such a big part of the game now. His kicking was poor but wasn't much better or worse than most keepers of his day. Pope's is awful for his compared to his peers. 

 

 

 

I’m just comparing skill set.  Pope’s strengths in shot stopping, penalty saving and commanding his area translate well in any era.  At peak his sweeper keeper was great for this era but would have mattered less in Given. 
 

Given didn’t command his box in an era where that was huge. 
 

Given was a good shot stopper and made few clangers. Thats it.  
 

Pope was a massive reason we had that great defence.  His sweeper keeper meant we could maintain a high line with a defence compromising a 33 year old Trippier, Schar, Borman and Burn. Anything in behind had to be perfect otherwise Pope would get there first. Balls in the box - if it wasn’t perfect Pope is punching it.  
 

Likewise Given contributed to our weakness. Weak at crosses, no presence. We’ve seen what that’s like with Ramsdale’s - mayhem in the box. 
 

I give Given credit for his consistency and longevity. Both better than Pope. But If I had to have Given or Pope at peak swap for league cup finals, FA cup finals (and semis)  - I’m taking Pope in an instant. 

[The College Dropout]

1 hour ago, Tiotes Witch Doctor said:

I'll always look back on him as an excellent keeper for us, some truly great performances including a great cup final performance.

 

But his decline is so bad and so fast that the longer it goes on that he keeps getting games and dropping clangers that's all people will remember, I think it's important for his legacy here that he moves on this summer.

I agree with this.  
 

Unless he finds something - he looks to be done. Saying that Dubravka found something.  He was awful in that period Pope was out in Popes second season.  But when Pope was out in the league cup winning year Dubravka was a lot better.  Shot stopping was better. Tried to sweep more. He was good.  
 

Maybe Pope can find an extra gear and stop the clangers.  But I don’t want to take that risk - save the legacy and join Ipswich. 

[Rod]

2 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

I agree with this.  
 

Unless he finds something - he looks to be done. Saying that Dubravka found something.  He was awful in that period Pope was out in Popes second season.  But when Pope was out in the league cup winning year Dubravka was a lot better.  Shot stopping was better. Tried to sweep more. He was good.  
 

Maybe Pope can find an extra gear and stop the clangers.  But I don’t want to take that risk - save the legacy and join Ipswich. 

"He looks done". Total shite patter. He's still a very good goalkeeper. Pope is 10 times better than Dubravka and twice the keeper that Ramsdale is.

Bookmark this ......... Pope will be in goal for the beginning of the season. This attack on here regarding Pope is shocking! Fans my arse!

[The College Dropout]

7 minutes ago, Rod said:

"He looks done". Total shite patter. He's still a very good goalkeeper. Pope is 10 times better than Dubravka and twice the keeper that Ramsdale is.

Bookmark this ......... Pope will be in goal for the beginning of the season. This attack on here regarding Pope is shocking! Fans my arse!

Love Pope. Wanted him in goal all season.  But he kept making mistake after mistake. Not all resulting in goals but it’s at least one massive clanger every other game towards the end. 
 

I hope I’m wrong still. If we sign the young GK, I assume Pope will start.  

[Rod]

31 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Love Pope. Wanted him in goal all season.  But he kept making mistake after mistake. Not all resulting in goals but it’s at least one massive clanger every other game towards the end. 
 

I hope I’m wrong still. If we sign the young GK, I assume Pope will start.  

He has rushed out of his goal TWICE that resulted in him missing the ball completely. Some on here think that he does it in every game. Boils my piss!

[Rich]

48 minutes ago, Rod said:

"He looks done". Total shite patter. He's still a very good goalkeeper. Pope is 10 times better than Dubravka and twice the keeper that Ramsdale is.

Bookmark this ......... Pope will be in goal for the beginning of the season. This attack on here regarding Pope is shocking! Fans my arse!

Hope you’re as right as you were with your Sunderland prediction on this. We need to #moveon.

[The College Dropout]

1 hour ago, Rod said:

He has rushed out of his goal TWICE that resulted in him missing the ball completely. Some on here think that he does it in every game. Boils my piss!

It’s poor shot stopping, passing the ball to opponents in dangerous areas etc.  

[Fak]

2 hours ago, Rod said:

"He looks done". Total shite patter. He's still a very good goalkeeper. Pope is 10 times better than Dubravka and twice the keeper that Ramsdale is.

Bookmark this ......... Pope will be in goal for the beginning of the season. This attack on here regarding Pope is shocking! Fans my arse!

 

Im glad you're back Rod but I cant believe you're willing to die on this hill. We all love Pope and what hes done for the club but its in everyone's best interests if we move him on now fella

[Novocastrian]

3 hours ago, Rod said:

"He looks done". Total shite patter. He's still a very good goalkeeper. Pope is 10 times better than Dubravka and twice the keeper that Ramsdale is.

Bookmark this ......... Pope will be in goal for the beginning of the season. This attack on here regarding Pope is shocking! Fans my arse!

Pope will be between the posts for the first game of the season.

 

That’s a huge problem in my opinion.

[UpTheToon]

Pick Nope. 

[Rod]

1 hour ago, Novocastrian said:

Pope will be between the posts for the first game of the season.

 

That’s a huge problem in my opinion.

You couldn't be anymore wrong. The season just gone had very little if any blame on Pope. He saved us many many times as the opposition just strolled past the midfield and centre backs. Have a good look at our defensive lapses for the season gone, shocking. Nowt to do with Pope.

[Rod]

4 hours ago, Rich said:

Hope you’re as right as you were with your Sunderland prediction on this. We need to #moveon.

Fuck off!

[Pilko]

45 minutes ago, Rod said:

You couldn't be anymore wrong. The season just gone had very little if any blame on Pope. He saved us many many times as the opposition just strolled past the midfield and centre backs. Have a good look at our defensive lapses for the season gone, shocking. Nowt to do with Pope.

 

Rod, I'm delighted you're back on the forum and the passionate nature of this argument is to be genuinely admired. 

 

That out of the way, I couldn't disagree more vehemently with what you've said here particularly the parts in bold. Our defence was indeed rubbish and there were occasions he (and Ramsdale) got badly exposed, but a hell of a lot of occasions he made big errors.

 

Purely from memory, here's his "charge sheet" from 2025/26 of which I don't think you can argue with any of them as not being mistakes he made that cost us goals and often points:

 

Arsenal (h) - flew out to punch the ball on a late corner, missed the ball, Gabriel scores

 

Brighton (a) - shit kick under no pressure that lead directly to one of the goals, think it was the first one

 

West Ham (a) - elects to punch what looked a claimable ball, makes hash of it, beaten by resultant shot which looked saveable

 

West Ham (a) again - made arse of late shot allowing Soucek to score

 

Brentford (a) - goes to punch, clatters Botman who doesn't get enough on the header, ball headed into net by attacker

 

Marseille (a) - comes flying miles out for no good reason, Aubameyang scores

 

Liverpool (a) - dropped late corner, Konate taps in (admittedly game was over)

 

Qarabag (a) - beaten at near post (again game over already)

 

Everton (h) - made mess of a long shot and pushed it into danger area for Beto to tap in

 

There may well be others. He was brilliant for us for his first few seasons and he should rightly be remembered as one of our best two PL keepers alongside Given when you think of his peak, but his decline this season has been near on vertical. There's a reason an absolutely chod Ramsdale was brought in for him several times (and not talking cup rotation).

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by Pilko

[Danh1]

1 hour ago, Rod said:

You couldn't be anymore wrong. The season just gone had very little if any blame on Pope. He saved us many many times as the opposition just strolled past the midfield and centre backs. Have a good look at our defensive lapses for the season gone, shocking. Nowt to do with Pope.

Complete bollocks this like. Completely disingenuous. 
 

He finished the season well after coming in for the last couple of games (although his kicking was as dire as ever), but he was an absolute liability the rest of it. As bad, probably even worse than Dubravka 2023/24. Tragic.