The goalkeeper who broke a world record with a single wind-assisted kick
In short: In January 2021, a routine goal kick transformed into a piece of sporting history. Newport County goalkeeper Tom King struck a ball that traveled over 96 metres, shattering a decade-old record and proving that even the most unexpected moments can become permanent fixtures in the footballing archives.
On 19 January 2021, during a 1–1 League Two draw against Cheltenham Town, Tom King achieved something few players ever do. A wind-assisted goal kick traveled 96.01 metres (315 feet), officially breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest football goal. The previous record, held by Asmir Begović since November 2013, was eclipsed by this extraordinary feat of distance.
King's career has been marked by both statistical brilliance and intense controversy. While he earned a PFA League Two Player of the Month nomination in September 2019 after five consecutive clean sheets, he was also at the center of a major non-league scandal. During an emergency loan at Braintree Town in February 2016, an incident occurred where Guiseley's Oliver Norburn ignored fair play protocols by lobbing the ball into an empty net after play had been stopped for an injury.
The fallout was significant. Guiseley manager Mark Bower accused King of being 'clever' by letting the ball in, while Braintree manager Danny Cowley described the event as 'disgraceful unsporting behaviour.' Despite the chaos, the goal stood. This period of his career, characterized by various loans to clubs like Welling United, Stevenage, and AFC Wimbledon, eventually led to his rise through the ranks to the Premier League with Wolverhampton Wanderers and later Everton.
Beyond the pitch, King's heritage is as varied as his career path. Having played in the youth ranks in Gibraltar, he was eligible to represent both Gibraltar and Wales—the latter through his mother's Cardiff roots. He eventually made his international debut for Wales on 6 June 2024, in a friendly against Gibraltar.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Tom King (footballer, born 1995)
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