Pete Jameson

from Harrogate Town vs Newport County

Simon Weaver

With clean sheets in both of his SkyBet League Two starts at The EnviroVent so far, Pete Jameson has already made a big impression since making the switch from York City in the Summer. INTERVIEW: Hal Boxhall-Dockree

This season is Jameson’s first experience of EFL football, with his background in non-league shaping his journey and dominant style of goalkeeping.

Born in the ‘football mad’ area of Sunderland, Jameson and his Dad, who worked in a local factory, were season ticket holders, following the Black Cats home and away.

It wasn’t until secondary school that Pete was first placed in goal though, with then Sunderland number one Thomas Sorenson a big source of inspiration, and it would be his performances between the sticks for his school team that first attracted the attention of Middlesbrough.

“I used to play outfield all the time, but I remember one game the school team needed a keeper and I thought I’ll give it a crack.

“After leaving school at 17 I joined Middlesbrough, there was an injury to one of the keepers and they needed another body in for training so brought me in. I ended up doing a scholarship there, it was a great experience training with some really great lads, including the first team keepers Brad Jones, Danny Coyne and Jason Steele, I was able to work with them every day and learn loads from them.

“They told me from the start I would only be coming in for training, I knew at the end of that season that would be the end of it really, but that made me determined to go into football, which is when I moved to Gateshead.”

JAMESON

Image: Anna Gowthorpe/Shutterstock

JAMESON

Again brought in as a training goalkeeper, Jameson would seek out his first taste of men’s football at Consett and Sunderland RCA, signing dual registration terms.

“I soon realised I had to mature as a goalkeeper and also physically get up to speed, that experience definitely shaped me as a keeper.”

“I’ve always been a big lad, but when you’re playing senior football you’ve got to make sure you’re hitting the gym and making sure you’re doing the right things away from football, so when you are playing on Saturday you can handle yourself.”

Jameson’s performances would catch the eye of Darlington Manager Martin Gray, who offered the young keeper a trial that would lead to him becoming number one at Blackwell Meadows.

When he joined, Darlington were playing in the Northern Premier League Division One North with the likes of Harrogate Railway and Salford, meaning Jameson would have to balance working multiple jobs in scaffolding, factory work and at Sunderland City council with his football commitments.

“I had success as a lad winning leagues, but Darlington was my first taste of winning proper men’s football and that was an amazing feeling.

“We did the double promotion, winning the playoffs the first year then winning the league the next year to get to the National League North.

“It’s a big club and they get a lot of fans, that was a new experience for me playing in front of a crowd, it’s definitely got more pressure to it but I really enjoyed it.

“Physically and mentally it was tough working alongside playing, if you’re playing away on Tuesday night you’re not getting back until daft o clock, then you’re up again early for work, training

I KNEW THERE WAS INTEREST FROM HARROGATE AND A LOT OF INTEREST FROM NATIONAL LEAGUE AND LEAGUE TWO CLUBS AT THIS POINT, BUT SPEAKING TO MARK BECK ALMOST EVERY DAY HELPED ME MAKE UP MY MIND.

on the evenings and you’ve got to make sure you’re going to the gym in the meantime.

“I would think back to my time at Middlesbrough and that taste of wanting to be a full time footballer, especially professionally, that kept me going, I kept working at it and its took me a few years, but I managed to get there in the end.”

It was at Darlington that Pete would first meet best mate Mark Beck, but his time at The Quakers would soon come to an end when Blyth Spartans, and Luke Armstrong’s Dad Alun, came calling.

“In football terms moving to Blyth was one of the best things I’ve done, it was just a good group of honest lads really, typical north east lads who loved their football.

“They had just been promoted when I signed so had a great team spirit and I enjoyed playing for Alun, he was such a lovely guy and a great Manager, I’ve got a lot of respect for him.

“My first season we missed out on the Playoffs by a couple of points then second season we got in the Playoffs, which was a big achievement for a team like Blyth, there’s full time teams in that division and it’s not an easy one to get out of.

“We did well as a team, I did well personally and that’s when Steve Watson gave me a ring to say he’s been watching me and wanted to take me to York to be their number one.”

An impressive first season at Bootham Crescent would end in heartbreak for Pete and his new teammates as Covid-19 hit, ending York’s chances of promotion in his first season at the North Yorkshire club.

“York was my first chance of full time football and playing professionally, so it was a no brainer to join because that’s what I had been working towards my whole career really, to get that opportunity was brilliant for me.

“I still look back in anger now at that first season because we should have been out of that league, we knew as a team we were going to go on and win it, I know Kings Lynn won it on the points per game but we were top of the league.

“Steve Watson had made some good signings, we were favorites to go up and personally I was playing really well, I had kept 16 clean sheets and got in the National North Team of the Year, then Covid hit and you just think ‘how’s your luck?’”

“After the second season of trying to win promotion was null and void, to get promoted via the Playoffs and all the emotion that goes with that was just amazing.

“I was so thankful we had managed to do it because it is such a tough division to get out of, a lot of teams who come down think they will go back up but it doesn’t work like that.

“It took a while for us to do it and we had been so unlucky, so I was just happy in my last year I could help them get promoted.

“The penalty save in the semi-final was a great moment for me, it was 1-0 just before half time and that could have shifted the momentum if they scored.

“Personally it was great, but at the end of the day there’s 11 players on the pitch and it comes down to the efforts of everyone.”

Earning promotion to the National League left Jameson with a difficult choice having reached new heights at York City, but knowing there was interest from teams in the EFL, Harrogate Town of course being one, left a decision to be made.

“I’d had the chance to move up to The National League before, but my objective at York was to help them get promoted and that’s what stopped me moving away the first time, even though it was to a higher level.

“I felt like I owed them that with what had happened before, after I got that I felt like it was the right time and right step to move forward.

“I knew there was interest from Harrogate and a lot of interest from National League and League Two clubs at this point, but speaking to Mark Beck almost every day helped me make up my mind.

“The positive wishes when leaving York meant a lot to me because I had an amazing time there, I think very highly of the club so for the people to wish me well meant a lot.

“If you haven’t got ambition in football something is wrong, people often go and chase whatever it may be, but my ambition was to go and play as high as I could.

“That ambition doesn’t stop now, the hard work keeps going, I just want to make sure I stay in the team, give my best and get as many clean sheets as possible to help the team rise up the league.