Welcome back everyone – now the life of a non league footballer is complex and often not a straight forward affair. For many, football is a side hustle that doesn’t pay the bills but provides a platform to play the game you love for a small wage in front of a modest crowd.
Now what happens if you work a 9-5, you also play for a non-league club and then…you decide to launch your own business on top of that! Well, let’s find out shall we!
As this time we are sitting down with Joe Langford who is doing just that. Joe, the goalkeeper for Skelmersdale Utd, is also now the founder of PGK Gloves, a goalkeeping glove brand which is looking to make a name for itself by using Joes own expereince as a goalkeeper to ensure the gloves he sells are of the quality that he would be comfortable playing with himself (which he does). Lets dive in!
Name – Joe Langford
Age – 21
Favourite Team – Liverpool FC
Occupation – Assistant Manager at Firwood Timber
One thing I love about football is – The Stress release as soon as that first whistle is blown
Football pet hate – Arrogant players
Q) What is the thing you love the most about getting to play in non league football?
The thing I love most is that on any day, any team can beat anyone in the league. I know we’ve struggled this season at Skem but we can beat the teams in this league. I also love the passion from the fans at every game, whether that be away or home games. The constant passion and thrive for the team to do well motivates me as a player to play my best week in week out.
Q) Being a non league footballer must be a difficult challenge as so much of your time is devoted to both your work and then the game, how do you manage this?
Yes, some times it can be extremely difficult. Especially with midweek games, sometimes I’ll have to try deal shifts at work or leave work early to be able to get the train and get to the game on time.
Q) Then on top of this, you now have a business selling your own brand of goalkeeper gloves (PGK), tell us how this venture took off.
I’ve always wanted to do something to provide other keepers with quality. Whether that be coaching, or providing a professional standard goalkeeper glove but at a much more affordable price. One night I was sat with my fiancé and we both said to just go for it and see where it takes me.
Q) What were the initial hurdles you had to overcome when first tackling the business side of things?
The initial hurdles were obviously trying to find the right supplier and manufacturer to make the gloves for me. Also, trying to create a brand name that will stick with people when they’re talking about goalkeeper gloves with other people or when they’re in the process of wanting to buy a new pair.
Q) How did you go about product testing to ensure quality?
Product testing was relatively easy. I found a few manufacturers and ordered some sample pairs of each company to test out. Once I got the right feel, latex, comfort and design I knew which one I was going to go with.
Q) What are your prices and how have you reached out to the market in what is a highly competitive marketplace?
My prices are very straight forward Adults sizes £35 Youth sizes £28.99 Junior sizes £22.99 Any pairs bought, come with a £3 next day delivery charge I have used platforms such as Facebook, twitter, TikTok, Instagram and word of mouth to help get my name out there. Which all if then have helped me to get more and more sales to provide professional standard gloves out to customers
Q) Why should someone choose your gloves over any others?
I think anyone who wants to buy a professional standard goalkeeper glove for a much more affordable and reasonable price then they should definitely buy my PGK gloves. I try to be very involved with my customers, I like to help them choose which gloves to choose and explain to them why they are one if the best gloves you can get.
Q) What is the ultimate goal with the brand/business, would you like to stay independent or would you look to enter into retail stores?
The ultimate goal is to be able to supply and provide the best goalkeeper gloves to goalkeepers no matter what level they play at in the football pyramid. I just want to be able to help other keepers out as I myself am a goalkeeper and so I know and understand how difficult it is to find the right glove for the right price.
Q) Is there a person within the game that also runs a business that you look up to for motivation?
To be honest, not really. Obviously I look at the bigger brands for inspiration on designs and stuff like that but there isn’t anyone in particular I look up to within the game. I find I do my best at something when I’m doing things how I want to do them and I find my own way.
Q) Would you ever welcome a partner into your business?
Yes, I would potentially but I’d have to consider a few things like; are they going to help grow the business? Do they have the same or similar mind set to me? Do they have the same/similar goals towards the business? Will I be able to talk and get along with them?
Q) Now bit of a random one for you…If you could choose 3 celebritites dead or alive for a dinner party, who would you choose any why?
That’s a good question. My first choice would be a footballer, I’m not sure if you’d class them as a celebrity but Pepe Reina because he has been my favourite goalkeeper and hero since I started playing football so I’d have to have him there. My second choice would have to be Elvis Presley. I love his music and I’d be able to say I’ve met one of if not the greatest singer of all time. Then my final guest would be Cillian Murphy because I love the Peaky Blinder series and also because I’ve been today for years I look like him a little bit so I’d have to get a picture with him to compare haha.
Q) And finally back to the gloves, where can people ‘catch’ your products?
The best and easiest place to find me and my brand is by searching on:
Facebook– Professional Goalkeeping Gloves
TikTok-pgk_01
Instagram-pgk_gloves1
X (Twitter) -Lango251
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Huge thanks to Joe for taking the time to answer the questions posed to him, I find it fascinating that someone like Joe who is passionate about what he does wants to use that knowledge and understanding to create a product to help goalkeepers like himself.
The fact that he takes genuine care and a hands-on approach with his customers shows everything about Joe and everything about what he wants to create and provide. He wants people to get the best value for money for his product and in a world where that is a rareity, I really do wish him all the best with both his football career and his business career.
So – all you budding goalkeepers out there, go check out his gloves and support a small business who genuinely cares about the products you are buying.
Until next time!
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Through The Turnstile of Non-League Football 
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