Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Boyo

Past Keepers.

Recommended Posts

As Marshall hasn''t been playing very well at all recently I think we should talk about some of the great keepers we have had in the past.

My Grandad (85 years old) had a season ticket for 44 years and rates Nethercott, Kennon and Keelan as the best he has ever seen, and Keelan would just would top it for him.

My Dad (47 years old) says the best keeper he has ever seen is Kevin Keelan, with out a doubt.

Me (13) as I havn''t had the pleasure of seeing Nethercott, Kennon or Keelan I would say the best keeper I have seen at Carrow Road is Robert Green.

Wouldn''t you all love to see a keeper like one them back at Carrow Road again?

I think Roeder should try to buy a keeper with these qualities, and I think in years to come Lewis would of had these qualities and we should of kept him.

Your Thoughts Please!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 

 

I saw Ken Nethercott play just a couple of times and thought he was a fine Mr Safety - not spectacular but seemed to be mostly in the right place at the right time which is part of the art of keeping of course.

I saw Kevin Keelan a lot more and put him right up there in my list of great - and consistently great keepers - that I have seen in half a century of trudging to football grounds.  I had the privilege of watching some wonderful players including Bert Trautmann, Jack Kelsey, Pat Jennings (who else caught crosses one handed?), Lev Yashin (the most acrobatic player I have personally seen).

I was very lucky to meet Yashin once and had the opportunity for a brief talk.  He told me that originally he had wished to be a ballet dancer and did some training before switching to football!  During his career he kept up his ballet training as a keep fit routine with the Bolshoi troup.

Very friendly man who spoke excellent English.  He became personal friends with many of the English players he played against and kept in touch with many of them - there were 100,000 at his testimonial including Beckenbaeur, Pele.

I saw him save two penalties in one game and he told me he believed he had saved 150 or so in his career.

If I was pushed to name the two greatest keepers I have seen play I think it would be Yashin and Trautmann - so far as I know Bert is still alive in his 80s.   Yashin died aged only 60 in 1990.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Gunnys the best keeper i have seen in my time supporting the club....

 In his prime IMO he was the best goalkeeper in the country.

jas :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Its Kevin Keelen and its not even close.

I like Gunny, Chris Woods was very good also but Kevin was incredible over a huge number of games.

He played in an era of truely world class English goalkeepers. Something which is often overlooked.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Kennon for me, yes, Kevin ''the cat'' Keelan made spectacular saves, but he had a bad temper at times. Sandy was no nonsence, no frills, good goalkeeping...................and my favourite.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Bryan Gunn should go down as one of our greatest ever keepers and he played in what was surely our best ever side - but as for being the best keeper we ever had there is only one winner and he is a clear winner in my view, simply no-one else comes close....take a bow Kevin Keelan

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I''m (almost) lost for words. Marshall has played evey game this season, so Roeder obviously rates him, he''s second in the Actim index for keepers and he''s kept us in numerous games.Can I just remind you:Paul GallacherLee CampJamie AshdownTony Warner

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Kevin Keelan never did it for me.  That''s likely because my first season was the team''s first in the top division, and we didn''t fare so well. 

However, even taking into consideration his longevity and other more successful seasons, he never played for England, and as far as I know, was never really in the running to do so.  Chris Woods has to be considered to best because of his England duty. 

I have no opinion on Gunn because I was out of touch with English football during his time, but a lot of others think he is aces, so maybe he ranks higher than Keelan too.  Certainly Robert Green does, once again, if for no other reason than his England call ups.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Chris Woods.  I remember going to Kenilworth Road and Woodsy making a Banks-esque save from a point-blank David Moss header.  Even the Norwich fans behind the goal were saying ''goal'', before Woods pushed it round the post.  The best save I have ever seen (live, that is).

Keelan is alegend, as is Gunny and Rob Green served the club well.  Was England''s No.3 when here, now No.6?  lol

As a flip side, what about Norwich''s worst keepers?  Perhaps I can start the ball rolling with Clive Baker, the shortest keeper I have ever seen and Roger Hansbury.  Any more?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My 1 2 3 is as follows

Keelan, style grace and athleticisim. A wonderful keeper who could make unbelievable saves.

Nethercott, safer than the Bank of England.

Gunny, true legend.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="jas the barclay king"]

Gunnys the best keeper i have seen in my time supporting the club....

 In his prime IMO he was the best goalkeeper in the country.

jas :)

[/quote]

 

100% agree with that, and he loved the fans, always pretending to nut the crossbar and interacting with the crowd, something our goalkeeper now could learn.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

[quote user="1st Wizard"]Kennon for me, yes, Kevin ''the cat'' Keelan made spectacular saves, but he had a bad temper at times. Sandy was no nonsence, no frills, good goalkeeping...................and my favourite.[/quote]

Has to be Keelan for me Wiz.

His famed temper just lent some added colour that all true legends require.

He wasn''t perfect, but my goodness he  was great.

We wouldn''t have swapped him for anyone. Not Yashin, not Shilton, not.......nobody!

OTBC

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

In my 50 years or so of watching City I would plump for Keelan as the best, very agile, safe hands and fiery but likable personality.

But one keeper often overlooked when this subject is raised is Ken Oxford, he played over a hundred games for City in spite of being around at the same time as Nethercott.

 Whilst not the best looking player we have ever had he was stunning in his bravery/recklessness, he would dive headfirst at the feet of any rampaging centre forward and often got injured in the process but that never deterred him, his handling was sure and hardly ever spilled a shot with his large flypaper hands.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

IMO we''ve been extremely fortunate with keepers over the years, Gunny and Chris Woods both tremendous players but Keevin Keelan was in a class of his own - quite fantastic.

As for Marshall, the least said the better I would have thought.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I saw both of them live and my opinion is that Green is better than Keelan. He reached a good level but never kicked on. As Green is still playing he should improve even more, especially, as goalkeepers tend not to reach maturity until later in their career, so his best is probably yet to come.  I agree that Keelan played in an unbelievable era of goalkeepers but, from my memory, he wouldn''t be in the England squad of say, eight now.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

April fools days gone mate, Keelan was on a different planet than Green, Nethercot, Gunny and Woods are even in front of Green. Hows he improving, playing for mid table WestHam about 5th choice for England, yea i can see it now.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Three thoughts, Chris woods was my favourite goalkeeper,Joe lewis should never have been sold, and lay off Marshall he''s not as bad as some are saying, he''s kept us in more games than he''s got credit for.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="jas the barclay king"]

Gunnys the best keeper i have seen in my time supporting the club....

 In his prime IMO he was the best goalkeeper in the country.

jas :)

[/quote]

I''m with you Jas, Keelan, Woods and Greeno all very very good keepers, but Gunny was the best of them, 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Oh, and it''s Keelan, but mainly because I had a poster of him on my bedroom wall when I was first a City supporter...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
In my humble opinion it has to be Keelan followed by Chris Woods and Gunny in 3rd(close but 3rd!) I''m very surprised than only 2 oithers have mentioned Woods! He got his 1st England cap whilst playing for us and if i remember rightly when he got sold to Rangers he was Britains most expensive keeper!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Houston Canary"]

Kevin Keelan never did it for me.  That''s likely because my first season was the team''s first in the top division, and we didn''t fare so well. 

However, even taking into consideration his longevity and other more successful seasons, he never played for England, and as far as I know, was never really in the running to do so.  Chris Woods has to be considered to best because of his England duty. 

I have no opinion on Gunn because I was out of touch with English football during his time, but a lot of others think he is aces, so maybe he ranks higher than Keelan too.  Certainly Robert Green does, once again, if for no other reason than his England call ups.

[/quote]If Keelan was playing now he would walk into the England set up no doubt about that , he is heads and shoulders above Green IMO ,and a great showman too something sadly missing in todays footballers. While on the subject of great city keepers does anyone remember when Joe Corrigan played a few games for us while replacing the injured C.Woods, as it was a emergency loan the club did not have the time to get him a shirt that would fit him, so he must have borrowed C.Woods shirt and it was way to small for him it was hilarious i will never forget that day.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...