Museum makes family tree offer to England goalkeeper

Dr Alex Rock preferred the traditional name of the museum, removing the addition by a roving reporter with football fever

Pickford's House museum in Derby has offered to trace the family tree of its England goalkeeper namesake in exchange for delivering Euro 2024 glory.

Dr Alex Rock, Derby Museums operations director, says he will gladly research the roots of Jordan Pickford's family - and uncover any link to Joseph Pickford, the esteemed Georgian architect whose name the site bears.

The pledge comes in the run-up to England's first knockout game of the tournament against Slovakia in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday at 17:00 BST.

But Dr Rock stopped short of letting BBC Radio Derby's roving reporter Jack Tymon rename Pickford's House as Jordan Pickford's House for good luck.

The Derby museum was built by Georgian architect Joseph Pickford

Of the venue, Dr Rock said: "It was once home to Joseph Pickford and his wife Mary. Joseph built this as his grand big show home - he'd bring his clients here and show them round to say 'look what I can do'.

"His name is in the history books and I think it's time Jordan Pickford puts his name in the history books too.

"If he keeps a clean sheet, saves a few penalties, this is my offer - Jordan Pickford, come to me, we'll go through your family tree.

"Pickford is quite a rare name and I think if we go back just a few generations we'll find you're probably distantly related to Joseph and Mary."

A Normanton retail park was given a patriotic makeover by BBC Radio Derby

Roving reporter Jack did manage to unofficially rename a number of other Derby locations temporarily, however.

With some non-permanent adhesive paper, and felt-tip pens, Luke Shaw Street, Kyle Walker Lane, Jude Bellingham Court, Gareth Southgate Retail Park and even the River Trent Alexander-Arnold were named across the city - at least for a few hours.

No signs were damaged in the bid to bring a smile to England fans in Derby.

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