Have just read an article on the BBC site about Gordon Banks and Bert Williams- both former great English goalkeepers. Led me to thinking in the 60's 70's & 80's we had a conveyor belt of keepers and they were nearly all world class. Nowadays the cupboard is a bit bare Hart is the current #1 and not much else following is this systematic of the expansion worldwide or just not enough talent coming through. Also who was/is your favourite past and present- mine was Banks - I saw him play at the Lane towards the end of his career and he was class. Over to you lads.
You talking English keepers only PL? If so, then Ron Springett would be in the list. Plus Ray Clemence and Peter Shilton for sure.
Agree - if British, then Pat would be top of my list - above Banks actually. Southall was a top keeper as well. Alan Rough would not be in the list.....
The article is prelude to programme being shown this weekend indicated English, but if you want British then we could include Brown and Jennings and even Robbo.
Relayer- doubt if many Scottish of the modern era would make a great list! Oops! puts on tin hat and waits for the fury from North of the border.
There are a couple of keepers who were always overrated IMO: Bob Wilson and Peter Bonetti. Both were decent, but never as good as made out - and we all know what happened when Bonetti was given a chance at the highest level.....
Best 2 keepers I've seen are Pat Jennings and Brad Friedal. Only joking GH10!!! . Jennings and Shilton. Modern day, Shay Given of 5 years ago, amazing given his lack of (comparative) height.
Andy Goram was pretty good for a Jock (even though he was from Bury ). Capable of incredible reaction saves from point blank range. Schmeichel, of course, was brilliant. Chris Woods was a good England 'keeper. Got little chance because of Shilton but kept 26 clean sheets in 43 international games. Has anyone had a better clean sheets percentage than 60%?
Jennings because he stopped the ball in so many ways, a great improviser. English, Banks & Shilton, can't think beyond them really.
Now, I know these claims usually get squashed on internet forums but here goes... I'm a distant relative of Banks. He was my late Nan's cousin
It's difficult to like anybody that has connections to Banks these days. Seriously, it's hard to believe Banks is 75 years old. I doubt he would have stayed at Stoke if he was playing today he would have commanded quite a fee.
[video=youtube;ngE9RCAdWaE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ngE9RCAdWaE[/video]
On Spurf's Gordon Banks vid, one of the others flagged up is this one from Shay Given, which backs up my earlier point [video=youtube;IgKkRRom7vY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IgKkRRom7vY[/video]
