Newcastle goalkeeper Karl Darlow enjoys his role as a villain and dreams of being called up for England

One of Karl Darlow’s most cherished football memories is taken to Leicester City by his grandfather.

The late Ken Leek was a central forward with a reputation for Leicester and was part of the celebrated Wales squad to reach the quarter-finals of the 1958 World Cup but lost to mighty Brazil.

“We always went to Leicester and the receipts he got were great,” recalls Newcastle goalkeeper Darlow. “The other former players said to me,” If you’re half as good as your grandpa, you’ll be fine. “

What is harrowing for Darlow is that his grandfather played briefly for Newcastle in the early 1960s and scored a hat-trick on his debut. Darlow, 30, has had a longer, more difficult journey to Steve Bruce’s first team, but is finally making his own mark.

“It’s special that he played here,” he nods. ‘I am very proud of it and it is nice that I follow this example.’

Darlow has turned down two approaches to play for Wales. His ambitions are to represent the country of his birth, England. As it stands, it does not seem an unrealistic idea.

“It’s the only thing you want to do as a kid,” Darlow tells Sportsmail.

There would be no greater achievement and I just want to leave the window open for it to happen. I know I have proficiency and if I can get a good set of games and get some good shape then there is the possibility that that will happen. I would not want anything else. ‘

Darlow’s own star has slowly risen since coming to Newcastle from Nottingham Forest in 2015. After playing 34 games of the 2016-17 championship promotion season, he fought for the number 1 spot with Rob Elliot before Martin Dubravka arrived from Sparta Prague to take the shirt.

As such, he has not played a single Premier League game in the past two seasons.

He admits he may have left with the right offer, but an injury to Dubravka in preparation has given Darlow a chance. He took that opportunity.

Especially the performances in the draw at Tottenham and the home defeat against Manchester United were eye-catching.

So far he has saved 34 times in seven Premier League games this season and his save percentage of 74.4 is the second best in Europe.

“It’s nice to feel the responsibility,” he says. ‘I was desperate to play. Being patient is part of goalkeeping, but I had to learn that. I was number 1 in Forest, so I had to adapt here – it’s no fun. ‘

Darlow once said that he likes to be the man who ‘ruins everyone’s day’. “Yes, I want to be the bad guy,” he laughs. ‘That is the goal of the goalkeeper. You should be proud of that, especially when the fans are inside.

“You get no better satisfaction than getting off the field knowing you’ve upset thousands of opponents. That’s what that quote was about. ‘

Released by Aston Villa as a teenager, it was former Manchester United coach Eric Steele who recommended him to Forest.

It was during his four years at the City Ground that he became friends with the English fast bowler – and Forest fan – Stuart Broad.

It’s a friendship that continues to this day, even though the conversation isn’t always the most cerebral.

Asked if the two shared insights on the pressures of elite sport, Darlow laughs: ‘No, we’ve never gone that deep – our chats are mainly about gaming! Football Manager of Call of Duty.

“It’s not the kind of intellectual conversation you might have hoped for! It is mainly Call of Duty at the moment.

‘We are on the same team and have worked reasonably well together. He likes to be the plotter and captain. He sets things up and I run them. I go ahead and straight for it! ‘

Darlow lives in rural Northumberland with girlfriend Lucy and has no interest in a glamorous life. The last international break was spent walking in the Lake District.

He’s an uber analyst of his own game and has had time to reflect on a goal recently admitted to Wolves’ Raul Jimenez that he may have saved.

“I wouldn’t call it a mistake, but I might have done better with it,” he says. ‘I don’t need the media to criticize me. I know anyway. I will have looked at every goal kick, cross and shot.

‘I analyze too much, but a lot of keepers are like that. We want to be perfectionists. ‘

Like others in his field, Darlow becomes frustrated that the mainstream television stations do not have keepers on their panel of analysts. Being criticized by right backs and central defenders can be irritating.

He explains, “There are things that happen in the run-up to a goal that can be explained to people in more detail than someone saying, ‘He should have made it.’ It could be analyzed a little better than it is today. ‘

Darlow, a student of other goalkeepers, believes Manchester City’s Ederson has set new standards with the use of his feet. Once a middle half, Darlow doesn’t want to imitate anyway. ‘I was more of a head and kick it player’, he laughs.

‘But I watch the others on the TV and see what bits and pieces I can pick up. Goalkeeping has skyrocketed in the last 10 or 15 years, so you have to keep learning if you don’t want to be left behind.

‘The way Ederson came in with his feet and almost changed the game with his passing, and the way he comes in for crosses and punches – that was something I thought I could add to my game.

‘Shot-stop wise, you watch (Tottenham’s) Hugo Lloris. These guys are the best in the world. Ederson’s kicking technique and driven balls – instead of just a big hoof – are brilliant. The way he does it is incredible. ‘

Darlow’s own priority is to make sure he remains Newcastle’s first choice when Dubravka eventually returns. He has signed a new contract and sees his future at Newcastle. Still, his long-term vision is clear.

‘This is an opportunity for me to show what I can do and then it is a decision taken off my hands,’ he says.

As long as I know I’ve done as much as I can, that’s okay. But I couldn’t resign myself to being number 2 again.

‘The ambition is in me and I have the confidence in my ability to be a number 1 somewhere and if the situation arises where I will be a number 2 for a long period then I would do my best to come back as No. 1. ‘