Mike Pollitt
A resilient English goalkeeper whose long professional journey was defined by late-career heroics in a famous FA Cup giant-killing.
Born 1972 (age 54)·English footballer·Birthday: February 29·Generation X
Biography
Mike Pollitt's football story is one of persistence and a late-blooming moment in the spotlight. Born in Farnworth, his career was a marathon of lower-league clubs, including spells at Lincoln City, Rotherham United, and Wigan Athletic. For years, he was a reliable, journeyman goalkeeper, known more for his steadiness than headlines. That changed dramatically in his mid-thirties. As Wigan's backup keeper, he was thrust into action for an FA Cup fourth-round tie against Premier League giants Manchester City in 2006. Pollitt delivered a series of crucial saves, helping second-tier Wigan secure a famous 2-0 victory. The performance became the defining chapter of his career, a testament to being ready when called upon. He later moved into coaching, serving as a goalkeeping coach for clubs like Wigan and Ipswich Town, passing on the lessons of a long and varied life between the posts.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Mike was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mike Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Mike's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played a pivotal role in Wigan Athletic's famous 2-0 FA Cup victory over Manchester City in 2006, making several key saves.
- Earned promotion to the Premier League with Wigan Athletic in the 2004-05 season as part of the squad.
- Made over 500 professional appearances across a 20-year career for numerous English clubs.
- Later transitioned to a successful career as a goalkeeping coach in the Football League.
Did You Know?
He made his professional debut for Chester City in 1991.
He played for 14 different clubs during his professional playing career.
His son, James Pollitt, is also a professional footballer.
He was 34 years old during his famous FA Cup performance for Wigan.
“I was a lower-league keeper for years before my one Premier League start at 34.”
