Football
Luke Southwood Aims for Number One Spot at Bolton and Northern Ireland After Heroic Debut
Cool hand keeper Luke Southwood reckons the gloves are off in his bid to become number one for club and country.
Penalty Shootout Heroics
The Northern Ireland international produced a statement performance to earn new club Bolton a Carabao Cup penalty shootout win over League One rivals Mansfield on Tuesday night.
The 26-year-old saved two spot kicks, including a sudden death stop from Will Swan, to celebrate a memorable debut for the Trotters.
Competition for the Number One Shirt at Club and Country
Despite his heroics Southwood, who won his solitary senior cap in a 3-1 win over Luxembourg in 2022, is likely to be replaced by Nathan Baxter for Sunday’s show down against Wrexham.
But having tasted first team action, the one-time England Under 20’s shot stopper is eager for more, and his eye-catching display won’t have done him any harm as he looks to add his NI tally despite competition from: Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Conor Hazard and teenager, Pierce Charles.
Understanding the Assignment
“I don’t think I would go to any club with the mindset I am a number two,” the former Reading and Cheltenham goalie told SportsBoom.com.
“I came (to Bolton) knowing fully how good a goalie Nathan is. But I have also come here knowing how good a goalie I can be as well.”
My aim is to push Nathan but help each other prepare for games. Because goalkeeping is such a specialised position there is only one person who can play.
Southwood
“We understand that and have got that maturity of understanding. When it is you, you expect support and when it is someone else, you support them.”
“That’s also not letting go of the fact that from Monday to Friday you are pushing and trying to prove you are the best one there everyday. That’s the essence of the job.”
Roots in Northern Ireland and International Ambitions
Born in Oxford, Southwood was part of England’s 2017 Under 20’s World Cup winning squad. Teammates included new Spurs recruit Dominic Solanke, Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman and reported Manchester United target Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
But with an Irish gran on his mum side of the family, he happily swopped allegiances to further his international career.
“A lot of my side of the family all still live there,” he said of his Ulster roots. Doing well at Bolton goes hand in hand in what I am trying to do with Northern Ireland.”
“I am trying to push my way in, impress and get myself into that team. It is not anything specific. But if I am doing well here, training well here, playing well, it will help me with Northern Ireland naturally.”
Adapting to Life at Bolton
With fellow NI internationals Dion Charles, who scored his 50th goal for Wanderers at Leyton Orient last Saturday and defender Eoin Toal among his new clubmates, Southwood has quickly settled in his new environment.
I couldn’t have asked for a better start as someone coming in new, especially as a goalie, to get your foot in the door and make an impact,” he added of his penalty saving performance
Luke Southwood
“We have three good goalkeepers here (Baxter and Joel Coleman). So, how do you embrace the challenge, especially challenging Nathan for a first team place.”
“However, that was part of the reason I came here. I know what a good keeper he is and also, he’s a good guy. I am here to learn and to push myself up into the team at some point.”
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.