How strange that 5 minutes before I checked this I had just been watching the highlights of the Final on MUTV once again.
I reckon VDS goes down in the annals as the fourth best ever United goalkeeper, after Schmeichel (of course), Stepney and Harry Gregg. He comes just ahead of Gary Bailey of ‘And Smith Must Score’ fame because he can catch the ball. Gary B wasn’t called Dracula for nothing - he didn’t like crosses. (Incidentally, it is not widely known that Gary Bailey’s father Roy played at OT in the Babes’ last game before Munich. He was the goalie for Ipswich Town in a 4th round FA Cup Tie which United won 2-0. I was there).
And it is not widely known that United have fielded goalies of at least 11 different nationalities since Schmeichel retired.
Nicholas Culkin - England
Tim Howard - America
Paul Rachuba - America
Lopez Felipe Ricardo - Spain
and of course Van Der Gouw - Holland, stayed on to 2002.
Yeah, he’s well known for it even if he doesn’t actually wear one (which I do, unless it’s over 22C when I might, just might, strip down to my diamond-pattern pullover). Fashion victim, moi?
On anorak-dom, I failed to point out in my last message that you had mis-spelt two of our goalies. And of course the goalies were not listed strictly in chronological order of first post-Schmeichel appearance. Standards, man, we have to maintain standards!
Without wishing to encourage the Grimace too much, perhaps we could tempt him to list our worst goalies, in descending order of worst-ness… Taibi might be top (or bottom) of the list, though Fergie was right to drop Jim Leighton when he did and we should never have signed Carroll.
How many minutes of first team footie did Culkin play?
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:05 pm
How strange that 5 minutes before I checked this I had just been watching the highlights of the Final on MUTV once again.
I reckon VDS goes down in the annals as the fourth best ever United goalkeeper, after Schmeichel (of course), Stepney and Harry Gregg. He comes just ahead of Gary Bailey of ‘And Smith Must Score’ fame because he can catch the ball. Gary B wasn’t called Dracula for nothing - he didn’t like crosses. (Incidentally, it is not widely known that Gary Bailey’s father Roy played at OT in the Babes’ last game before Munich. He was the goalie for Ipswich Town in a 4th round FA Cup Tie which United won 2-0. I was there).
And it is not widely known that United have fielded goalies of at least 11 different nationalities since Schmeichel retired.
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Mike, do not toy with the boy. Only we Crinkleys know all 11 of them (and counting). Over to The Devil In Him for the answers …
Nice to see Ballack’s face again after losing yet another final …
July 3rd, 2008 at 2:23 am
Taibi - Italy
Bosnich - Australia
Goram - Scotland
Barthez - France
VDS - Holland
Foster - England
Kusczak - Poland
Carroll - Ireland
It annoys me greatly when you do this.
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Lest we forget..
Nicholas Culkin - England
Tim Howard - America
Paul Rachuba - America
Lopez Felipe Ricardo - Spain
and of course Van Der Gouw - Holland, stayed on to 2002.
Who have I missed?
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Not bad. You only forgot Ireland’s No 1 (Carroll was Northern Irish) the only and only John O’Shea! Oh and Rio Ferdinand.
July 4th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Can we all just take another look at The Grimace’s last post. That is an absurd level of anorak-dom. You must respect this.
July 4th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Yeah, he’s well known for it even if he doesn’t actually wear one (which I do, unless it’s over 22C when I might, just might, strip down to my diamond-pattern pullover). Fashion victim, moi?
On anorak-dom, I failed to point out in my last message that you had mis-spelt two of our goalies. And of course the goalies were not listed strictly in chronological order of first post-Schmeichel appearance. Standards, man, we have to maintain standards!
July 4th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Without wishing to encourage the Grimace too much, perhaps we could tempt him to list our worst goalies, in descending order of worst-ness… Taibi might be top (or bottom) of the list, though Fergie was right to drop Jim Leighton when he did and we should never have signed Carroll.
How many minutes of first team footie did Culkin play?
July 4th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Jono, you are ridiculously committed, I love it. Please call the Grimace immediately and set him that challenge.
Carroll is a fine goalie (see last season’s battle with Cronaldo) but a deeply troubled man, he gets no insults from me, just good wishes.
Chronology!? You worked in finance too long.
Culkin? He was very good in Home Alone, so it must have been a match when Larry White was playing.