It is fair to say that Ethan Pinnock has had a considerable rise to the Premier League and, while his story isn’t quite as high profile as Jamie Vardy’s, it is still a considerable accomplishment.
Starting at Isthmian League side, Dulwich Hamlet in 2010 (after being released by Millwall due to concerns over his size) where he spent six seasons at the semi-professional club, Pinnock also balanced this with studying at the University of Greenwich for a Physical Education and Sport (for which he received a 2:1) while also working in football coaching.
Originally, he played as a full-back or midfielder, though a substantial growth spurt led to his club converting him into a towering centre back. Such was his rise, that he won the 2014/15 and 2015/16 Player’s Player of Season award before finding a new challenge.
Four League Rise In Three Years
In what was quite a remarkable achievement, Pinnock signed his first professional contract in June 2016 with Forest Green Rovers, in the fifth tier (National League), when he was 23 and had an immediate impact, steering the club to promotion in his first season.
Such was the consistency of his form, Pinnock earned a transfer to Championship side Barnsley after only one year at Forest Green, with the fee reported to be in the region of £1 million, which included a sell-on fee to Dulwich Hamlet.
Although he experienced relegation with Barnsley, he was a key figure in helping to guide the club back to the Championship and was awarded a place in the PFA and EFL League One Team of the Year. During this campaign, Pinnock played every single minute of the club’s 46-game season, being the anchor of a defence that only conceded 39 league goals (the second best defensive record in the league), as Barnsley secured automatic promotion.
Premier League Success
In July 2019, Pinnock moved to established Championship side Brentford and has been a key part of the Bees’ defensive setup. Indeed, manager Thomas Frank was quick to praise “top mentality and top character”, describing him as a “man mountain”, as Pinnock became a pivotal part of Brentford’s imposing three-man defence. His aerial dominance (standing at 6”4’) made him a key asset defending and attacking set-pieces, while he was also comfortable on the ball, possessing a great left-foot passing range.
His impact in West London was almost immediate, as he helped to guide the club to promotion in the 2020/21 season and lined up against Arsenal for their first Premier League game the following August.
Pinnock has been a key and steady part of Brentford’s Premier League squad, making over 100 top flight appearances, while also starting to represent the Jamaica national team in 2021. In 2023, meanwhile, Pinnock signed a contract extension to keep him at Brentford until 2027.
✍ We’re delighted to announce that @EthanPinnock5 has signed a new contract through to 2027
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) May 28, 2023
It really has been a meteoric rise for Pinnock and this is a story that proves, through hard work, determination and just a little bit of luck, a player can go from the very bottom to the top and develop late in their career.