Longtime Goalkeepers Part Ways at City…
In the sweltering summer of 2023, a duo of goalkeeping starlets departed Manchester City, seeking new adventures away from the bustling chaos of the Etihad. Much like a cat stuck in a revolving door, only one of them has spun back into City’s embrace, while the other is hustling at Barnet, dreaming of making a name in League Two. This epic tale of goalkeeping talent features James Trafford and Cieran Slicker, who once juggled for time between the sticks in a City academy that was like a clown car, packed full of promising keepers. From sharing the locker room with future talents Gavin Bazunu and Louie Moulden, it was like the Avengers of goalie squads, each carving their path in football’s grand saga.
Among the crew, Trafford emerged like the chosen one from a Harry Potter novel, elevated to City’s first team and making Premier League waves. Slicker, meanwhile, strolled into Barnet’s lineup, keeping a tidy clean sheet and channeling his inner superhero goalkeeper against Cheltenham. Learning from his idol Joe Hart and brushing elbows with Pepper-encrusted elites at City since he was seven, Slicker’s journey reads like a football fairy tale. With a foot in Ipswich and a dream in Barnet, this keeper’s quest is anything but ordinary—and hilariously riveting as he dances through the goalposts of his destiny.
