The Mercury, in its wisdom, is running this...
http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/is-kasper-schmeichel-leicester-city-s-greatest-ever-goalkeeper/story-30226331-detail/story.html
It asks is Kasper Leicester's greatest ever keeper? He is an outstanding keeper but have they forgotten Gordon Banks? Peter Shilton was his "apprentice"and was superb but Banks was the master.
I saw Banks and Shilton play many times ... about the only advantage of getting older. People bang on about the Pele save but that did not make him great. His positional sense was unbelievable as were his reflexes and he made difficult saves look easy and impossible ones were a bit of a stretch for Gordon. Other keepers would dive about all over the place (Peter Bonetti had that sorted to perfection) but Banks got himself into the right spot at the right split second. He made mistakes but not many.
A truly decent man, I was told by someone who knew him and an outstanding example to the children of the day. (Some of the modern Riff Raff please note). I read recently that Gordon was unwell. I for one wish him a full and speedy recovery. The players of Bank's era weren't perfect but most of them were real men who knew how to behave or at least be discrete.
They must be joking....
posted on 25/3/17
^ Colin Boulton wasn't it? Tommy Lawrence at Liverpool was rather on the short side too.
posted on 25/3/17
Moving away from off field scoring and back to scoring on the field, well stopping somebody scoring to be precise.......
In my time watching our club we have seen many keepers turn out for us such as
Shilton
Wallington
Keller
Flowers
Poole
Walker
Kasper
Then those prior to my time include Banks and John Anderson.
After having this sort of debate year in year out at some point through each season its quite apparent that a lot of it is based on the age of the person being asked. The younger supporters tend to go for those that they have seen play, and that rules out Banks, Shilton et al.
For me I would say
1) Shilton - As close to the perfect keeper as I have seen.
2) Banks - A close second but I think Shilton had a better all round skill set than Banks.
3) Tough one, part of me wants to go for McLaren. 256 appearances up until the outbreak of WWII and he was only 18 when he won his first International Cap, and even now is the youngest keeper to make his debut for the Scottish National Side. But I have to plump for Kasper. He has improved immeasurably over the last 2 years and is now the first name on the team sheet, a commanding presence, captain in waiting, shot stopper, penalty save guru. Yes he has areas that he needs to improve but so does every other player in the PL.
UTF
posted on 25/3/17
Special mention for Mark Wallington as well, playing a record 331 consecutive games for us from 1975 onwards.
But my abiding memory of him is him going off injured against Shrewsbury in the FACup 1/4 Final then having to put Lynex then Young then Lynex again ( if my memory serves me) in goal, and we ended up winning the game.
Great times.
UTF
posted on 25/3/17
I find it difficult to understand why people are ignoring the claims of Rab Douglas and Kevin Pressman.
posted on 25/3/17
Or Chris Kirkland Joby?
posted on 25/3/17
DDDD remember game with Shrewsbury.
Wellington injured by an awful challenge.
Then it was Young,Lynex, Young again.
Young was concussed after being sent up in the air by an appalling challenge whilst in goal.
Then returned back in goal.
Amazing match.
posted on 25/3/17
That's it Thorney, ridiculous match. Still cant comprehend why we put Lynex in goal when he was one of the shortest players on the pitch.
Shame we lost in the semi final after all that.
UTF
posted on 25/3/17
It's got to be Conrad Logan, no one has left such and impression at the club, albeit an impression of his ass on the bench!
posted on 25/3/17
comment by DDDDhasleftthebuilding (U13248)
posted 2 hours, 40 minutes ago
That's it Thorney, ridiculous match. Still cant comprehend why we put Lynex in goal when he was one of the shortest players on the pitch.
Shame we lost in the semi final after all that.
UTF
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Back then it was more about who wanted to go in goal and while Lynex was short he did a decent job and came out and collected balls from feet which isn't easy and you need to have a certain character.
I used to speak to Stevie pretty much everyday in a job I had about 15 years ago, I was working as a PM for a company who did store refits among other things and we were working on a store in Dudley and he was my contact. Sound bloke.
posted on 25/3/17
He was my idol as a kid because I started out as a winger, I loved his move where he'd put the ball one side and run around the other, I perfected it over the years and found all it needed was pace but it worked great.