‘Came as a young lad and left as a man’ – Dean Henderson’s former team-mate Simon Moore on pivotal loan spell for new Crystal Palace keeper

BY EDMUND BRACK
EXCLUSIVE
Edmund@slpmedia.co.uk

Simon Moore has revealed how Dean Henderson’s loan spell at Sheffield United was crucial in his development – with the new Crystal Palace keeper arriving at Bramall Lane as a boy and leaving as a man.

Palace splashed an initial £15million over the summer window to secure the services of Henderson on a a five-year deal from Manchester United.

The 26-year-old is set to get his first chance in an Eagles shirt tonight when Roy Hodgson’s side head to Old Trafford to take on United in the third round of the EFL Cup.

Although Henderson is a product of the Red Devils academy and made a handful of senior appearances in the first team, his real grounding came from his time out on loan, climbing through the English football pyramid.

After steady stints of progressing from the National League North with Stockport to reaching the League One play-off final with Shrewsbury, Henderson really caught the eye during his time at Sheffield United in the Championship.

The then 21-year-old joined the Blades on a season-long deal and picked up the club’s Youg Player of the Year award and the Championship’s Golden Glove, keeping 20 clean sheets as Chris Wilder’s side were promoted to the Premier League for the first time since 2007.

Pushing Henderson throughout the season as number two was now Coventry City keeper Simon Moore.

“Dean’s a great lad,” Moore, 33, told the South London Press.

“He came to Sheffield United as a young lad and left as a man.

“His confidence was infectious. He’s excellent to work with day in and day out. He is very competitive – he wanted to win in everything he did.

“He started the season really well and you would rarely look at a goal and think: ‘That was Dean’s fault.’

“That’s a good measure of a goalkeeper. He would make saves at key moments. 

“As that season went on and the pressure grew with Sheffield United trying to win promotion to the Premier League, Dean just grew in stature as well.

“He made the difficult things look easy. He would take crosses and he would make saves at really crucial times.

“That became more prominent as the season went on.

“The best thing about Dean is that he will say things, and people might not like it, but whatever he says, he backs it up.

“There aren’t many people who can do that.”

Henderson returned to Bramall Lane the following season and not only helped the club secure Premier League safety at the first time of asking but also broke into the England set-up and was tipped to be future Manchester United number one by then-boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

“Dean has a bit of everything,” explained Moore of the qualities Henderson will bring to Selhurst Park.

“He’s very good with the ball at his feet – I don’t think he’s had the opportunity to showcase that at the clubs he’s played for so far.

“I have worked with him in training, and in small-sided games, he’s very confident with his feet.

“His shot-stopping ability is fantastic. He makes saves that are match-winning saves.

“The biggest thing for him is his mentality. He’s a very confident individual and, as a goalkeeper, if you want to be one of the best, in my opinion, that is the biggest attribute you need.

“He has that real self-assured confidence in his own ability and he backs up what he says.

“He doesn’t have the most orthodox technique, but, in my opinion, it doesn’t matter how you keep the ball out of the net, as long as you keep it out. And that was Dean.

“He has a fantastic spring. His hands were excellent – really clean. He can play with the ball at his feet and he has a fantastic mentality.

“He came in really confident and he just grew and got better and better.

“He got into the Championship Team of the Year and won the Golden Glove.

“The following year, he wasn’t far off being the Premier League goalkeeper of the season.

“That just comes with playing regular football. If he can get that opportunity again, I don’t see why he won’t be right up there and competing for that England shirt. Which is where he deserves to be.”

He spent last season on loan with Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest and had a brilliant start to the season for Steve Cooper’s side, but a thigh injury cut his campaign short in January.

Henderson is now competing for the number one shirt in Roy Hodgson’s side alongside former Manchester United youngster Sam Johnstone.

The 30-year-old became the Palace starting keeper under the ex-Liverpool and England boss when he returned to replace Patrick Vieira for the final 10 games of the season.

Johnstone’s emergence forced Vicente Guaita to go on strike and refuse to play for the club, with the 36-year-old having his contract cancelled on deadline day so he could join Spanish side Celta Vigo.

“Sam is a fantastic goalkeeper and Dean will really enjoy that competition,” explained Moore.

“I know they’re good mates and they will be pushing each other firmly.

“They will both have eyes on the England set-up.

“I genuinely think they will bring the best out of each other and it’s only a good thing for Crystal Palace that they have two fantastic goalkeepers vying for the starting spot.

“It’s going to be a battle and Dean relishes competition. He will look at it as a really exciting challenge.”

Palace will pay add-ons to United should Henderson reach a certain number of appearances and the club kick on during his time at Selhurst Park, but for an initial £15m fee, it has been seen as a shrewd bit of business in the modern market by the South Londoners.

“Dean is good enough to be Man United’s number one,” added Moore, who has also been team-mates with Wojciech Szczesny and Aaron Ramsdale during his career.

“I know that all he wants to do is play football. It’s a fantastic opportunity for him.

“He went to Forest last year and did really well, but unfortunately picked up that injury.

“He just needs to go and play regular football. I honestly believe that if he does that, he will get himself back into the England set-up and give himself every chance of being the number one goalkeeper for England.

“They [Palace] have done fantastically well to get one of the best goalkeepers in the country.

“He’s still young for a goalkeeper. To get an English goalkeeper at that price – however they have managed to do that – is a fantastic bit of business.

“He can be their number one for years to come.

“He’s a fantastic signing. Not because he’s my friend, but because he’s one of the best goalkeepers I have ever worked with.”

HENDERSON PALACE PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD