Newbie here But I have supporting the Saints for may many years yet I cannot remember any home grown goalkeepers. Yes we have had the Gurrs , Martins, Shilton, Niemi but never a home grown goal keeper Why ?
I appreciate never the Soton way but cannot believe we have never produced one Gerry Gurr is the only one I cn think of until he had his shoulder injury
But seriously why do we not produce goalkeepers something needs to be changed with the setup to allow up to cover all positions
I was actually joking. I thought it was obvious, so I didn't use a Smiley. We've produced a few. I just can't think of them. Bob Charles, there's one. StG will remember him.
Alan Blayney has played five times for Northern Ireland and was IFA player of the year. But producing young goalkeepers is a completely different game because it's an experience business. Joe Hart started at Shrewsbury but they didn't make him into the player he is now.
Must admit, even the ones I've managed to think of, after checking on Wiki, I find have been bought in. So you're probably right. Some clubs do and some clubs don't. For example, Leicester City produced the two best English keepers ever, in Banks and Shilton. We just don't have a reputation for producing keepers, so young potential keepers don't come to us. Besides, as the old adage has it - you put the nipper who can't play football in goal. He either can save or can't. If he can, he's a budding keeper.
Alan Blayney was one of the ones I thought we'd produced. I checked. He's Glentoran's. Michael Poke..? Is Bart one of ours..?
Memories of Bob Charles and how things have changed. I can remember a summer fete at Bitterne Sports Ground, Winter Road, maybe 1959. There was Bob, Saints first team goalie letting youngsters, I was 8, take penalties against him for charity.. threepenny piece a go.. got your money back if you scored.. won't say how I got on, but if SRL needs a lesson I'm the one to ask..
