Blyth battler Burn his feet - and Toon in his heart

FROM Blyth to Brent with a few quirky stop-offs in between, it's safe to say that Dan Burn's road to the brink of the World Cup has been an unusual one.

- By LEE RYDER Chief Newcastle writer [e-mail] @lee_ryder

The 6ft 7in centre-back turned out for Blyth Spartans, Darlington, Fulham, Wigan, Birmingham, Yeovil and Brighton before winning his first England cap at the age of 33.

But he finds himself in the mind of Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel on merit ahead of the finals and as the proud owner of four England caps, he would be rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest stars in the game next summer at the greatest show on earth.

The former Asda trolley collector's journey is richly deserved, but after scoring a historic and crucial header at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final last March that rocked Liverpool, the freeman of Northumberland is more than capable of replicating that on the big stage in the US, Canada and Mexico next summer.

Rewind to a busy corridor in the bowels of Wembley's mixed zone last month and Burn has been an unused substitute against Wales.

It is easy for England players to opt against stopping to do interviews if they choose to do so, but Burn presents himself as a player who never has and never will forget his roots.