Normal is boring (and that’s the point)
Every now and then you hear a story that makes you sit up and think: yeah… I needed that.
This is one of those.
When Marcus Rashford lines up for Barcelona after the winter break, he may not be the only Englishman on the pitch.
Because just five years ago, Tyrhys Dolan was playing for non‑league side Clitheroe.
Now he’s 23, living in Barcelona, and he’s become a key part of an Espanyol team sitting fifth in La Liga.
That’s not “normal.”
That’s the long route. The messy route. The route that looks like setbacks until it suddenly looks like a breakthrough.
And honestly? That’s exactly why it fits here.
At David’s Beans, we’re big on the idea that Normal is Boring — not because we’re trying to be edgy for the sake of it, but because the best stuff in life (and business, and creativity) usually comes from people who keep going when the path isn’t straightforward.
From rejection to reinvention
Dolan’s journey didn’t follow the clean academy-to-superstar storyline.
He had academy spells at Manchester City, Burnley and Preston. He earned a scholarship, but didn’t secure a professional contract. Then came the uncertainty: being released, being without a club, and having to rebuild from the bottom.
At one point, he was playing seven leagues below England’s top flight.
And if you’ve ever had to start again — new job, new city, new business, new you — you’ll get this part.
Because the “in-between” season is where most people quit.
“Blackburn were like family”… and he still left
After being released by Preston, Blackburn took Dolan in when he didn’t have a team. Over five years at Ewood Park, he built deep bonds with teammates, staff and supporters.
“They weren’t just colleagues,” he said. “They were family.”
So why leave?
Because growth usually costs something.
Dolan turned down a new contract and moved to Espanyol in July — a leap that few English players take. Joining Espanyol is even rarer. The last Briton to play for the club was former Everton midfielder Adrian Heath in 1988.
He didn’t go for comfort. He went for the challenge.
More than football: culture, language, and connection
One detail we love: by the time Dolan orders his coffee in Spanish, you can tell this move isn’t just about football.
“I don’t want to come here and my only takeaway being an improvement in my ability on the pitch,” he said.
He wants to connect with supporters as a person — to learn the culture and language, and to belong.
That mindset is bigger than sport.
It’s what happens when you stop asking “How do I fit in?” and start asking “How do I grow into this?”
If you’re reading this with a brew in hand, keep that energy. Small rituals build big momentum.
The heartbreak behind the resilience
There’s a deeper layer to this story.
Dolan grew up alongside his best friend and academy teammate, Jeremy Wisten. They did everything together. Football wasn’t just something Wisten did — it was part of who he was.
Wisten struggled with injuries, was released by Manchester City, and in 2020, at 18, he took his own life.
Dolan speaks about how brutal it can be when you’re young and people don’t even say your name — they label you as “the footballer.”
And when that label is stripped away, the question becomes:
If I’m not that… who am I?
In Wisten’s honour, Dolan wears the number 24 at Espanyol — the date his friend died. He’s also become an ambassador for the Go Again charity, which supports young footballers dealing with the emotional impact of being released.
It’s a reminder that the strongest people aren’t the ones who never get hit.
They’re the ones who get hit, keep going, and then turn their experience into something that helps others.
“A boy from Broadheath at the Bernabéu”
Life in Spain hasn’t been easy. Dolan talks about the tactical demands, the pressure of remembering set-piece routines, and how it makes you realise you’re not the finished article.
But he’s already lived moments that sound like film scenes.
Playing at the Bernabéu against Real Madrid.
“A boy from Broadheath at the Bernabéu,” he said.
And now he’s stepping into the Catalan derby — Espanyol vs Barcelona — one of the fiercest fixtures in Spanish football, with around 25 friends and family flying over.
Half the flight, he joked, will be people from Broadheath.
What this has to do with you (and your next step)
This isn’t just a football story.
It’s a story about:
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Resilience after rejection
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Backing yourself when staying comfortable would be easier
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Identity beyond a label
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Turning grief into purpose
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Taking the long route and still arriving
If you’re in your own “in-between” season right now — building something, starting again, feeling behind — let this be the reminder:
The long route doesn’t mean you’re losing.
It often means you’re becoming.
Normal is boring. Keep going.
That’s the whole thing.
Not every journey is tidy. Not every win is quick. Not every path makes sense while you’re walking it.
But if you keep showing up — one day, it does add up.