Dan Burn believes learning his trade in non-league football helped sculpt him into the player he is today. The Newcastle United centre-back - who has excelled since a £13million January move from Brighton - was released by the Magpies in 2004 as an 11-year-old.
The brutal setback saw the Blyth-born defender join the youth ranks at his local club, Blyth Spartans, before earning a move to Darlington at 16. Burn climbed the pyramid further when Fulham came calling in 2011 and, following impressive stints at Wigan and Brighton, he is back at his boyhood club and revelling in his new-found cult hero status.
However, on Non-League Day, the 6ft 7in defender insists it was the rigours of English football’s lower ranks where he learned most about himself. Speaking to the club website, Burn said: “Everything I've done throughout my career has led up to this point. From being a kid, going into the men's game, and realising people are playing for mortgages, bills and stuff - it's really important.
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“For fans who have been part of teams relegated, where people are losing jobs around the training ground, you don't realise how much of an effect you out there can have on the club, the city and the staff.”
Burn thinks Premier League policy caused England to lose a generation of talent due to the influx of foreign players. The top-flight did not introduce its homegrown quota until 2010 - when the 29-year-old was still at Darlington. Had he given up on his dreams back then, Newcastle would not be reaping the benefits of Burn’s brilliance today.
"I think if you look at the way we're going now, there's a big push for homegrown players,” he added. “Years ago, we were bringing players from other countries, which is great for the Premier League but took away opportunities for those lads. Loads of lads slipped through the net, especially from the North East.
"I have loads of mates who could have played professionally, but because it was easy and the infrastructure was there to go and take players from other countries, (clubs) did that. But we are seeing more lads come from non-league and make careers for themselves. I hope it gets better and better and we find more Jamie Vardys and people like that."
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