A tattoo on his neck is a source of inspiration for John-Kymani Gordon as he seeks to build upon the promise that earned him England youth international honours.
After being brought up in Thornton Heath, Croydon, JK avoided ‘distractions’ outside football to earn an opportunity at a Premier League club and a chance to represent the Three Lions at Under-17 level.
Now aged 21, the attacking talent has been guided on the right path by current Crystal Palace Assistant Manager Paddy McCarthy, and he’s determined to be the ‘Chosen One’ for his family and everyone who has helped him in his career.
The inscription on his neck is far from proclaiming any touch of arrogance and simply reflects his single-mindedness to do the best for his those who supported him to become a professional footballer.
For those that missed it in our programme interview for the Salford game, JK revealed why he was named John-Kymani, his hobbies away from football, and why he had to curb a temper that threatened to derail his career.
You appear to have settled in really well since joining the Dons on loan from Crystal Palace – how have you found it so far?
It has gone very well because the players, staff and supporters have welcomed me. There is not long to go in the season and it’s a great feeling that we still have something to play for. I cannot ask for anymore at this stage of my career because I’m playing every week for a well supported club that’s aiming to make the play-offs. After the last home game I was talking with the players and the gaffer about the backing we receive from our fans and we want to repay them for their fantastic support.
It felt very good to score my first Wimbledon goal recently (at Crewe), particularly as it was right at the start of the game. It was a great feeling and I want to experience it more before the end of the season.
You managed to score a couple during your loan spell at Carlisle, but what was your most memorable moment there?
I didn’t score many goals at Carlisle, but I should have had a goal in the play-off semi-final versus Bradford City. It got given as an own goal, but I still celebrated it anyway! That was an incredible feeling as it came in such an important game. We were 1-0 down in the second leg, so that goal played a part in us reaching Wembley. It was a memorable moment to help Carlisle get to the play-off final. I’ll never forget helping Carlisle to promotion.
The tattoo on your neck says ‘Chosen One’. Why did you decide that this was the message for you?
I’ve had this from about the age of 18. I was brought up to be the person who was going to change things within my family – to change their lives for the better.
I’ve been playing football since I was very young and millions of kids grow up wanting to be a professional footballer, but I’ve been fortunate enough to achieve this. My family have supported me all the way and pushed me to succeed.
I got everything that I needed as a child, but I am not from the best area in Croydon – Thornton Heath – so there were a lot of distractions. It’s often said that you can go down one path or the other in life and it would have been easy to have followed the wrong path. My love for football meant that I moved in the right direction. My parents and siblings – three brothers and three sisters - all made sure that I went down the right road and I want to repay them for that.
My Dad used to pitch me into other sports for enjoyment, so I had a go at Athletics when I was younger. That helped my speed and endurance. I also went to a Mixed Martial Arts club in Croydon, which would be after school on Wednesdays. I would then go on to football training.
What’s the inspiration for your name?
My Dad’s name is also John and he wanted me to have the same name as him, but my Mum didn’t want that, so they disagreed! She wanted Kymani, after Bob Marley’s son (Ky-Mani). She was a big fan of Bob Marley, so they agreed to double-barrel my name.
What do you remember about being spotted by Crystal Palace at the age of eight?
It was a bit of an unusual situation and kind of by chance after I had played Sunday League. I remember that it was my birthday and I left some money in my football bag. After that match I was going to get a game for my PlayStation with the money, but because I forgot my bag Crystal Palace scouts had time to speak to my Dad and say that they wanted me to go on trial. I don’t think they were too sure at the end of the initial six week trial because it got extended by two weeks. I ended up signing for Palace and I’ve been there ever since.
Was it a good grounding for you to progress at Crystal Palace?
I’ve learned so much. The biggest influences on my career so far have been Rob Quinn and Paddy McCarthy. They helped me both on and off the pitch. When I was growing up I was a bit of a hot head, but they taught me to control my temper. I would get fouled a lot because of the type of player I am. I always saw red back then. I didn’t like it when people tried to play mind games with me and get in my head. I would take it the wrong way, but now I understand. I would also be too hard on myself, so if I missed a chance it would ruin my day - or even my week!
You were at Cambridge on loan earlier this season – how did that go?
It didn’t go as well as I wanted it to, but not everything is going to be plain sailing in football. I had experiences that I will learn from and met people who I’ll probably stay in touch with for the rest of my life. One of my coaches at Cambridge was Kevin Betsy and he previously worked with me when I was with England Under-15s. I had a good relationship with him. I also looked up to the senior players there and I still speak to some of them now and then.
You’re playing regular first-team football now in front of 8,000-plus crowds most weeks, so what do you think this loan can do for your career?
It’s about me getting used to playing in front of big crowds and if we can reach the play-offs the experiences from important matches will really help me to progress. Those games can make or break your career. If you do well in big games it can really push your career forward. I was part of a promotion-winning team last season with Carlisle, so I would love to do the same with Wimbledon.
What would you say has been the toughest spell of your career?
Three years ago I was in the Palace Under-21s, but I wasn’t really playing regularly. That was very frustrating for me because I knew the ability I had and I felt that I should have been playing, but I was not getting a game. My mental health was affected and I kind of fell out of love with football.
That’s when Paddy McCarthy and Darren Powell really helped me. They would pull me to one side and give me advice, so that benefited me a lot at the time. After that season when I was not playing I came back for pre-season determined to do well. I put in a lot of extra work, trying to do exactly what it takes to make it as a footballer. What followed was probably my best season in football, so it was well worth it.
You spent time away with England as a teenager – what was that experience like?
I went away with England Under-15s for training camps and I made my debut for England Under-17s against Croatia. That was over there and it was an incredible experience. It was just after the senior England team beat Croatia, so it was a great time to represent my country, but we had to have a police escort for our coach!
Wearing the England badge meant that I was one of the best players in the country for that age, so it gave me that inspiration and confidence to keep pushing to be a professional footballer.
What do you away from football to relax?
I like spending time on the Playstation – Call of Duty is my game at the moment. I like to go to the gym a lot, not to pump weights but to relax in the spa. I fit that into my daily routine, I go there to relax and meet with friends. If I’m not at the gym I’m probably at home playing Call of Duty, or reading and sleeping!
