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Shilton or Flowers or Niemi or Davis?


georgeweahscousin

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Shilts - stayed half or possibly one season too long. Ended up with the moaners having a go at him (as they always do) but he was the best England Keeper and he still had it when we signed him.

 

Niemi - reliable, dependable if that ball had gone in at Fulham instead of hitting the bar would probably have beaten Shilts, and was guilty of having the thousand yard stare along with Claus in that game at Nottarf Krap

 

Flowers - great keeper but had wobbly flappy days especially early on in his career

 

Kelvin - can't fault him, plays to the absolute best of his ability every week, will hopefully become a Mr Southampton in the Franny mould (ie not the greatest but gave his all)

 

So yep, Shilts

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We are lucky to have produced such quality keepers to make such a choice.

 

Only saw Shilts a couple of times, I know he was world class and couldnt fault him, however for me its Niemi just ahead purely cause I saw him play more and can make a fairer judgement on what I seen, and also the fact I was at the Arsenal game 3-2 where he made the fantastic triple save, he had no right to save the last shot at all, and to see the smug Arsenal fans faces afterwards was pure class.

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the answer depends on the age of the person answering but for us people of a certain age Shilton was way above all others, with Niemi then being comfortabley in front of he rest

It doesn't really, Shilton is generally ackowledged to be one of the best keepers in the world of all time (along with Yashin, Banks, Schmeikel etc), Niemi may have been great for us but there is no way he was in the same class as the others.

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Over an entire career, you'd have to choose Shilton.

 

For their time with Saints its a far closer thing. In 40 years of following Saints I've never felt more more confident of a Saints gk than with Niemi there so he gets my vote.(with the exception of course of his abortion of a season 2004/5 with a 'comedy' defence in front of him).

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There can't be many clubs who've had so many quality keepers over the years. I struggle to remember a really bad one. Katalinic was a disappointment for some of the time he was here, particularly as the rest of that team was brilliant. Shilton was head and shoulders the best though - and I'm not sure he was that far past his best when he was with us either. I could have played centre-half in front of him - as he told you what to do! Niemi the next best. Flowers got an England cap while with us and was quality for a couple of seasons. Others - Beasant, Grobellaar, Paul Jones, Terry Gennoe for a while. Burridge was the most entertaining - I can still see him charging from his goal to poleaxe Nigel Clough on a bog of a Dell pitch, waving at the ref to acknowledge the booking and organising the wall! That would have been a three-game ban easily nowadays. Eric Martin was the most underrated. Davis deserves to be in the discussion - he's been a rock for us during some of the worst times the club has had

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.. Eric Martin was the most underrated.

 

"Eric for Scotland...." a frequent chant.Genuine belief at the time was that he had moved too far south for the SFA to remember him.

 

One name you forgot, Gerry Gurr. Good prospect, England U21, before injury.

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I think the memories of Niemi are tainted by his appalling display at Fratton, then to actually join them at the end of his career.

 

Davis has been loyal and consistent over the past 3 seasons, but never played for us in the top flight, so he's a NO

 

Flowers was a good goalkeeper, but lacked confidence sometimes with our back 4, he looked much more assured at Blackburn

 

I heard some great stories of Peter Shilton's love of betting shops.

I think we kept him 1 season too long, he was starting to lose his legs.

I have sad memories of Shilton, seeing him in the 1990 World Cup when he was so old he couldn't lift his feet off the ground anymore - 10 years earlier he would have saved Brehme's deflection and his efforts in the penalty shoot out were embarrassing

 

I vote for Shilts, but only just because Ivan Katalinic was my favourite

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I have sad memories of Shilton, seeing him in the 1990 World Cup when he was so old he couldn't lift his feet off the ground anymore - 10 years earlier he would have saved Brehme's deflection and his efforts in the penalty shoot out were embarrassing

 

Maybe true - but he was a Derby player then. For most of the time he was with us he was the best keeper in the world. Funnily enough he never had a good reputation for saving pens. What England should have done once that 1990 semi-final went to penalties was to bring on the sub keeper - Dave Beasant - who had a much better record

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There are very few clubs that can boast such a talent of goalkeepers in recent times. Actually it is a position we seemed to be blessed in.

 

Overall I'd have to go for Shilts, although Neimi and Flowers were both outstanding for us. For the poster that mocked Paul Jones, as unfasionable as he was, he was brilliant for Saints and not surprised someone added him to the mix.

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Can't believe nobody has mentioned Dexter Blackstock for his performance against Newcastle in the cup. Best goalkeeper we have ever had in my opinion...

 

worth a special mention

how long was he keeper for - 30 minutes?

did he conceed a goal?

can't remember the specifics but fair play for the lad for going in goal.

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Maybe true - but he was a Derby player then. For most of the time he was with us he was the best keeper in the world. Funnily enough he never had a good reputation for saving pens. What England should have done once that 1990 semi-final went to penalties was to bring on the sub keeper - Dave Beasant - who had a much better record

 

Someone suggested this to me at the time, that Beasant should have come on a minute before the end of extra time.The logic behind my friends view was that not only did Beasant have a better record of saving penalties, but psychologically it would really have thrown the Germans, seeing this giant character with a mop of hair taking to the field.

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On the subject of Dave Beasant, he was frequently critiscised after joining Saints, as a Branfoot signing to replace Flowers he was never going to be greatly appreciated, and he did drop some goolies from time to time. One thing in his favour though he did always seem to rally the 'dressing room' when we were up against it, even when sat on the subs bench.

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For me Shilton was miles ahead of everyone else. Flowers and Niemi were brilliant shot stoppers. Often producing unbelievable saves, but Shilton made saving shots that other goalkeepers would have let in look like routine saves and as someone else mentioned made the 18 yard box look like a postage stamp. He actually controlled the whole 1/2 of the pitch that Saints were defending. Also when the ball was at the other end, he was always stretching, jumping about running up and down, making sure he was properly warmed up if and when required in games we dominated, and yes we did dominate games in those days even against the likes of Liverpool and Man Utd.

 

Paul Jones I also though did well for us as did Dave Beasant. Apologies to anyone else but I haven't seen Maik Taylor mentioned anywhere yet. He also was an exceptional goalkeeper for us and later Birmingham, think he falls into the category of one that got away.

 

I thought the Katalinic was a good keeper to but I was about 12 at the time he was playing for us so perceptions perhaps not as reasoned then.

 

No disrespect to Kelvin, who I think is an excellent keeper, one of the best in the league but for me he would be undoubtedly number two to any of the goalkeepers mentioned above.

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What about Eric Nixon? I remember being impressed with both him and Phil Kite...ok not in the class of the above but if Dexter can get a mention then so should these two.

 

As already has been mentioned but the team in front of each keeper has a big bearing on their performances, Shilts would be having a quiet game and then save us (unlike the Poland game in '73) where as Flowers would be making save after save and his performance led to a record fee for a keeper (if I remember correctly) with his move to Blackburn. Even though he won the League and more England caps whilst there I don't think he ever regained the form he showed whilst with us but again with the team in front of him at BR the ball was in the oppositions half far more and he didn't get the constant workout he was getting at Saints.

 

For me....Shilts....Niemi....Flowers....Wells

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