When I was a kid, my first replica kit wasn't an outfield one, it was a goalkeeping top. Flourescent yellow and navy blue, with Given on the back. I didn't want to be Shearer back then, I wanted to be Shaka Hislop, Pavel Srnicek or Shay, and I spent precisely too long diving around my bedroom infront of a fictional St James' park crowd winning us the league. Played in goal all the way through High School, let in some absolute ****ing howlers . We've been spoilt in terms of not only goalkeeping talent, but also great characters, and it was a sad day for me when Pavel left this world, as part of the inspiration that got me playing the game. Pavel is a geordie
Very fine words from Perdro today... Peter Beardsley on Pavel Srnicek: "He was an absolute diamond of a fella.I saw him less than two weeks ago and he looked a million dollars.I know he was still coaching at Sparta Prague but he looked like he could still be playing. It was such a shock." "A lot of people have said a lot of nice things about him being one of the good guys, but that is the reality.He is one of the best that I ever worked with in terms of a friend and a person. Alan Shearer said yesterday that we've lost a friend; we all have." "It's a sad loss to everybody that supported Newcastle. As the t-shirt said, 'Pavel is a Geordie' - and he very much was." "His accent was brilliant,Talking Geordie with his accent was just special.He was just so positive in his whole approach to life. He was a special man and a special goalkeeper." "It was very rare that there was ever a problem among the players but if ever there was, he was always the peacemaker, the one saying 'come on lads, there's not a problem'." "We'd do a shooting practise at the end of training and he'd just be doing flicks and tricks, saving shots and laughing 'is that the best you've got?" "He was so athletic. I used to watch him doing his warm-ups and he'd do a thing where he was up and down ten times in what seemed like ten seconds; he'd bounce up, down, up... it was incredible." "I played with Peter Shilton, Neville Southall, Bruce Grobbelaar - some of the very best. But in terms of fitness and sharpness, Pav was probably the best I've ever played with in that sense." "The thing about goalkeepers is they have to make saves at certain times. When you're under the cosh, you know you have to make them but when you're attacking most of the time, as we were in those days, he had to be very alert, very single-minded." "(David) Ginola, (Faustino) Asprilla, Al (Shearer), Sir Les (Ferdinand), Rob Lee - it must have been a pleasure to watch.But when you're watching that, can you keep your concentration?" "At half time, he used to come in and say 'I'm loving watching you today, lads.'But the amount of saves he made where you were standing in a wall, the ball went over your head and you were thinking 'that's in' - and then he'd come from nowhere." "He'd just leap across, right-handed around the post. He did it so many times. I can picture him doing it now.It would look as though it was beyond him. You were almost getting ready to walk back to the half way line to kick off. He just had that unbelievable knack of making special saves." "My thoughts are with his family. He really will be missed."
Scary looking back to realise he was a very underrated goalkeeper, was better than Wright, Hislop, Hooper and probably was better than Given and Harper the first couple of years they were in the squad.
Off facebook. Pavel Is A Geordie-By Davey Brown The Entertainers keeper, a star between the posts, Settled in and grasped the love shown by his Geordie hosts. Our longest serving foreigner, he never let us doon, A giant in the goalmouth, a legend in the Toon. He won the hearts of thousands, the crowd would chant his name, Pav was becoming one of us, growing every game. He loved the club, he loved the folks, he loved this special place, You could see it every time he played, passion etched upon his face. From the Czech Republic, but quickly planting Geordie roots, Landed here with goalie gloves and size ten football boots. He made his mark upon this team, took the plaudits in his stride, The Entertainers number one, wore the goalie's top with pride. On the day we won promotion, the players lapped the ground, Celebrations everywhere, Newcastle Premiership bound. Our goalie took his top off, for all the world to see, And showed a t - shirt saying "Pavel Is A Geordie". God bless you Pavel Srnicek. R.I.P.
Beresford and Howey went over for the funeral apparently chaps. There is also a service in NCL at a church next week. RIP please log in to view this image
