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This Championship season is proving to be one of the most enthralling yet, with four teams chasing automatic promotion, and Burnley have been unfathomably efficient so far.
We have come to expect the likes of Burnley, Sheffield United, and Leeds United to be competing at the top of the Championship table now, and they haven’t disappointed this season.
With parachute payments and Premier League quality still permeating the squads of these sides, it’s not surprising that they are the three teams leading the way right now, though Sunderland are just behind as the surprise package in this four-horse race.
Scott Parker has got his Burnley team well-organised, with the Clarets grinding out wins largely based on strong defensive work. By the end of the season, there’s every chance Burnley will be celebrating promotion, and one player in particular should take a lot of the credit for that potential success.
James Trafford eyeing Championship clean sheets record
There’s no denying that James Trafford is a Premier League player masquerading in the second tier right now. The young goalkeeper has already proven himself in the top flight before, but has stuck to the task with Burnley this season rather than chasing a move back to the promised land.
And, his loyalty has paid dividends, with Trafford now on course to make Championship history thanks to his fine work between the sticks for Burnley.
He has been at the heart of that incredible defensive record Parker’s men have established this season; Burnley have conceded just nine goals all season, and there’s every chance they could steal the record which currently stands at 17 in a season (set by Sheffield United in 2008/09, and matched by QPR and Newcastle United since).
But, on a personal level, Trafford is in line for an astounding individual feat, as he closes in on the clean sheets record for a goalkeeper in the Championship.
He’s already kept 21 clean sheets in his 30 matches this term, and with 15 games to go, he needs just three more to match the record of 24 held by Dorus de Vries, Paddy Kenny and John Ruddy (for Swansea City, QPR, and Norwich City respectively), or four to end up top of the pile.
Trafford can also nab a new record as early as his next game. If he keeps a clean sheet against Hull City in Wednesday night’s Championship clash, the 22-year-old will secure the achievement of the most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal in the second tier.
Given Burnley’s current form and their resolute defending, it would take a disastrous drop-off for Trafford not to achieve that by the end of the season.
Championship golden glove table 2024/25
Interestingly, while Trafford leads the way in the division, he does have Leeds United’s Illan Meslier breathing down his neck, with 20 clean sheets for the Frenchman.
Meslier’s season has been plagued by high-profile errors, and yet he too may end up challenging for that Championship record if Leeds continue to plough through their opponents at the current rate.
The pair are way out in front when it comes to the Championship Golden Glove race, with Sheffield United’s Michael Cooper next in line on 16.
Beyond that, there is yet another gulf before you get to Alex Palmer of West Brom, Aynsley Pears at Blackburn, and Anthony Patterson for Sunderland (all of them being on 11 clean sheets), which says a lot about the different levels of quality in the league.
While Burnley and Leeds are looking likely to progress from the Championship come May, it’s looking even more likely that Trafford and Meslier will leave a lasting impact on the division, with the potential to set new records that may never be broken again.