What a journey as local hero tops England call at 32 by helping Toon end trophy wait

IN an age when Premier League clubs have superstar footballers from every corner of the globe, Dan Burn is a welcome throwback to another time.

- David Anderson

The defender knows he will never have another weekend like the last one, which began on Friday when he received a shock first England call-up at the age of 32 and finished with him scoring the opener in Newcastle's Carabao Cup win against Liverpool.

That is not bad for a Geordie who grew up loving the Toon and Alan Shearer, right, and collected shopping trolleys as a teenager at Asda while he studied sports science at college and played for Darlington.

Burn and Newcastle have each followed a long and winding road to Wembley glory and the 6ft 7in centre-half from Blyth endured relegation from the Football League with Darlington as an 18-year-old.