Dislocation, dislocation, dislocation

NEWCASTLE keeper Nick Pope had to battle through the pain of five finger dislocations last season – and was still Top of the Stops

- SIMON BIRD

Pope conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League as the Toon finished fourth, but he has revealed the agony he went through before an operation to cure the problem this summer.

A rocket penalty from team-mate Matt Targett in training did the initial damage and over five months, as the club qualified for the Champions League and conceded just 33 goals, it happened half a dozen times.

Thankfully Pope is now fully fit and ready to face Aston Villa tomorrow after surgery in May.

He said: “The finger that kept dislocating too easily, which is not ideal for a goalkeeper, I had to get it stabilised. I had a kind of anchor put in it and then got it taped up with some cotton wool.