Ethan Pinnock: From Isthmian League to Premier League in five seasons

Ethan Pinnock has played more of his career in non-league football than in the Football League. But he is now on his way to the Premier League in a fairy tale story.

The 28-year-old centre-back was playing at the heart of Dulwich Hamlet’s defence in 2016, and was still playing in the non-league game in 2017 having enjoyed a season in the National League with Forest Green Rovers.

Now it is on to the Premier League for the Jamaican international defender, after he helped Brentford return to the top-flight for the first time in 73 years.

Pinnock was an integral part of the Brentford side that defeated Swansea City 2-0 at Wembley and completed one of the most interesting journeys that football predictions could barely make up.

It has completed a remarkable rise through the ranks for Lambeth-born Pinnock, who spent six seasons with Dulwich Hamlet from 2010-2016 before making his way in the game.

Pinnock spent the first three seasons in and out of the Dulwich team in the Isthmian League Division One South, but made a place in the defence his own after promotion to the Premier Division.

In three seasons in the Isthmian League Premier Division, Pinnock was twice named Dulwich’s Player of the Year. His performances earned him a step up to National League level with Forest Green Rovers and the rest, as they say, is history.

Pinnock helped Forest Green into the Football League for the first time, playing 45 times as the club won the National League play-offs. Having signed a two-year contract, he left after just one.

That was because newly-promoted Barnsley splashed out £500,000 to buy him in 2017 and take him to the Championship.

The three-tier jump proved tough to crack at first with just 12 appearances in his first season at Oakwell, a campaign which ended with Barnsley relegated back to League One.

The following season was his breakout year in the Football League with Pinnock a near ever-present in the 2018-19 as Barnsley immediately bounced back and earned promotion again to the Championship.

Having been named in the League One team of the year for his performances, Brentford’s offer of £3 million was accepted and Pinnock was heading back to London on a three-year contract.

His first season in the red and white of the Bees ended in play-off heartache as Brentford, who threw away automatic promotion with a late season collapse, were beaten by Fulham in the Championship play-off.

Twelve months on, it was a completely different feeling for Pinnock at Wembley. The emptiness of 2020, when there were no fans present, was swapped for ecstasy of a 2-0 victory over Swansea.

Brentford had already realised the importance of Pinnock, who signed a new five-year contract in November last year to commit his future to the club.

That future now belongs in the Premier League. From Dulwich Hamlet to the top-flight in five years, it has been some journey for Pinnock.