Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: Deano's Mullet on July 12, 2008, 10:58:48 AM

Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Deano's Mullet on July 12, 2008, 10:58:48 AM
seeing as it looks like we are signing Guzan, who gets your vote as our greatest keeper ever?
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Desi on July 12, 2008, 11:08:35 AM
Nigel Sims, without a doubt.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: nuninho on July 12, 2008, 11:09:50 AM
Spink just for 1982 and the decade that followed.

And he's a nice bloke too!
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Deano's Mullet on July 12, 2008, 11:13:00 AM
i voted Bozzie
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: frank on July 12, 2008, 11:34:55 AM
Nigel Sims.
I think my father would have voted for Sam Hardy.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Exeter 77 on July 12, 2008, 01:00:40 PM
Jimmy Rimmer

Followed closely by Bosnich
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: fatron on July 12, 2008, 01:03:48 PM
Jimmy Rimmer! Without a doubt!
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: TaxDodger on July 12, 2008, 01:25:26 PM
Easily Boz in my time despite him turning into a fat, drug taking cheat.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: ATV on July 12, 2008, 02:02:05 PM
Since I've been going down the Villa (since 1994) I'd go with Bosnich.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: TheSandman on July 12, 2008, 02:52:15 PM
Bosnich for me too.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Tom Stewart on July 12, 2008, 06:17:33 PM
Definitely Bozzie in my era.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Beijing Villan on July 12, 2008, 06:55:09 PM
Bosnich - used to give away penalties just so he could save them.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: ATV on July 12, 2008, 06:59:31 PM
Kiraly any one?

:oops:
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Breezeblock on July 12, 2008, 07:07:24 PM
Jimmy Rimmer for me.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: hawkeye on July 12, 2008, 07:13:13 PM
the problem with this pole is that most people probably didnt see rimmer play, we won the league with him and i reckon he must have been worth at leat 10 points that season when it was only 2 points for a win
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: OldUser on July 12, 2008, 07:37:18 PM
Jimbo Rimbo, and we got rid too soon. Bozzie was great too. We've had some right cack goalies though over the years.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Jimsta on July 12, 2008, 07:48:03 PM
i voted for Bosnich, he was the best keeper i ever seen in my eyes, i can remember the 93/94 season he was just awesome, everybody was saying Schmeichel was the best keeper but at the end of the season one football magazine had a vote for the best keeper of the season and Bosnich won it.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: ricmbut82 on July 12, 2008, 08:20:10 PM
For me it was Bozzie, I remember the yellow squared asics shirt with muller on it, my all time favourite goalie jersey. Also his antics at Spurs, quite amusing!!
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Coopers Injury on July 12, 2008, 09:56:42 PM
Jimmy Rimmer no debate
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: peter w on July 13, 2008, 12:43:59 PM
Jimmy  Rimmer by a country mile. All those voting for Bosnich have clearly wiped his dreadful kicking from their memory banks.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Tom Stewart on July 13, 2008, 02:43:54 PM
...or are too young to remember anything pre-Spink, like me.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Tom Stewart on July 13, 2008, 02:45:02 PM
And seriously - who voted for Enckelman?
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: dave.woodhall on July 13, 2008, 02:58:37 PM
Rimmer for consistency, Bosnich a close second for one-offs. Some of his displays were amazing.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: TaxDodger on July 13, 2008, 07:21:38 PM
Who voted for Enckelman?
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: cdbearsfan on July 13, 2008, 07:38:37 PM
Where's Sam Hardy on the list? Our most venerated goalkeeper, he is the only proper Villa goalie in the league's 100 legends list.

What the Hell is Schmeichel doing on the list? He dropped a clanger every week when he played for us!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Hardy
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Oscar Arce on July 14, 2008, 12:07:26 PM
1. Rimmer
2.Spink
3. Bosnich
4. James
5. Withers
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: astonparkb6 on July 14, 2008, 12:53:00 PM
1, Mark Bosnich.

2, Jimmy Rimmer.

3, Colin Withers.

4, Nigel Spink.

5, Nigel Sims.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Willie Anderson on July 14, 2008, 01:10:52 PM
Wot? No Colin Withers, he was better than Yashin :-

Johnny Dunne should be there as well.

Jake Findlay wasn't bad either. =;
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: astonparkb6 on July 14, 2008, 01:24:11 PM
Quote from: "Willie Anderson"
Wot? No Colin Withers, he was better than Yashin :-

Johnny Dunne should be there as well.

Jake Findlay wasn't bad either. =;



" We all agree, Withers is better than Yashin.

  Anderson is better than Eusebio, and City are in for a thrashing "

Anyone old enough to remember !
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: peter w on July 14, 2008, 05:51:01 PM
Quote from: "dave.woodhall"
Rimmer for consistency, Bosnich a close second for one-offs. Some of his displays were amazing.


You're right and he had that one spell, I can't remember the season, when he saved two pens at Tottenham (1 re-taken?), after saving one at Villa Park the Saturday before. At that point he was seriously unbeatable. The natural talent was better than anything I've seen at Villa. But, I always had my doubs about how good he could have become because of his suspect kicking. The better teams you play will punish them.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: pendinevilla on July 14, 2008, 10:00:20 PM
In terms of kicking distance I don't think anyone approaches Cumbes. He could land them on the edge of the opposition 18yard box on a good day.
If I remember rightly he also had a mean throw.
Didn't he used to play top flight cricket as well?
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: hawkeye on July 14, 2008, 10:02:15 PM
Quote from: "pendinevilla"
In terms of kicking distance I don't think anyone approaches Cumbes. He could land them on the edge of the opposition 18yard box on a good day.
If I remember rightly he also had a mean throw.
Didn't he used to play top flight cricket as well?
yes bowled for worcs, there was a famous goal from a kick of his and a kick that bounced in the penalty area and went over the bar
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: cdbearsfan on July 14, 2008, 10:04:52 PM
Quote from: "peter w"
Quote from: "dave.woodhall"
Rimmer for consistency, Bosnich a close second for one-offs. Some of his displays were amazing.


You're right and he had that one spell, I can't remember the season, when he saved two pens at Tottenham (1 re-taken?), after saving one at Villa Park the Saturday before. At that point he was seriously unbeatable. The natural talent was better than anything I've seen at Villa. But, I always had my doubs about how good he could have become because of his suspect kicking. The better teams you play will punish them.


I think he actually saved two penalty kicks at Tottenham three days after saving three against Tranmere. There's a player who left Villa to further his career, and what a success he made of that! A lesson to any fat midfielders in the Hastings area who might be reading...
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: cdbearsfan on July 14, 2008, 10:06:48 PM
Quote from: "pendinevilla"
In terms of kicking distance I don't think anyone approaches Cumbes. He could land them on the edge of the opposition 18yard box on a good day.
If I remember rightly he also had a mean throw.
Didn't he used to play top flight cricket as well?


Played for the scummy Pears. Now Chief Exec of Lancashire CCC.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: hawkeye on July 14, 2008, 10:15:43 PM
i am strugling to remember the game when rimmer made the best save i have ever seen live, i know it was at the holte end as i was right behind the goal, the ball came across and bounced about 2 yards in front of the right hand side of the goal, the player i think was manu larraped it and somehow rimmer dived and parried what looked like a certain goal from point blank range, there were games in the championship winning season that he kepy us in the game before we decided to beat the opposition, if my memory serves me right, didnt we go a goal down several times before going on to win the game that season
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: pendinevilla on July 14, 2008, 10:19:28 PM
My recollections of that season were our ability to go out and soak up the pressure for about 20mins - if we conceded it didn't really matter because we seemed to assess the opposition in that period and then start to play.
It happened too often for it to have been a coincidence.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Chris Harte on July 14, 2008, 11:04:22 PM
No Mervyn Day or Kevin Poole in the poll? :smt002
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Oscar Arce on July 15, 2008, 09:48:19 AM
Quote from: "pendinevilla"
In terms of kicking distance I don't think anyone approaches Cumbes. He could land them on the edge of the opposition 18yard box on a good day.
If I remember rightly he also had a mean throw.
Didn't he used to play top flight cricket as well?


Cumbes' kicking was awesome.
He sent the ball downfield one bounce for Andy Lochead to score in front of the Holte against Shrewsbury, and several other 'assists' I can remember, including one on his debut against Oldham in a 6-0 thrashing.
His kicking aside, he actually was a pretty poor goalkeeper in my opinion.
Interesting Willie mentioned John Dunn, he also got a bit of stick from the crowd I can remember, and was'nt that consistent.
Withers, my original choice as just sneaking into my top five, kept us in games when we were a very poor side, all I can remember from my first visits to Villa Park was his saves, although I also remember him punching the ball into his own net!
Anyone remember John Phillips ?
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: OldUser on July 15, 2008, 11:51:21 AM
Scott Carson had a great kick on him.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Flamingo Lane on July 15, 2008, 01:03:34 PM
One of Coombe's kicks can be viewed on the History of Aston Villa video, at Blackpool in 1975 when Brian Little scored.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Deano's Mullet on July 15, 2008, 04:17:33 PM


just found this excellent video featuring jimmy rimmer
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: charlie on July 15, 2008, 05:09:34 PM
Rimmer by far, he was reliable, instinctive, gave confidence to McNaught and Evans, good distribution, told the defence what to do and made himself big. Rimme last season we could have been 5th easily. He was helped by the abovementioned pair and Swain who gave him an outlet, and Wiiliams who often became a 3rd centre back, but he was very good......, and I grew up watching the best.. Banks, then Shilton!
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: peter w on July 15, 2008, 05:34:57 PM
I even remember coming out to take a throw-in one game.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: pendinevilla on July 15, 2008, 05:48:43 PM
Quote from: "Oscar Arce"
Quote from: "pendinevilla"
In terms of kicking distance I don't think anyone approaches Cumbes. He could land them on the edge of the opposition 18yard box on a good day.
If I remember rightly he also had a mean throw.
Didn't he used to play top flight cricket as well?



Anyone remember John Phillips ?


I remember Phillips - didn't he come from Chelsea? Not a bad keeper actually.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: E I Adio on July 15, 2008, 06:14:54 PM
Jim Cumbes did have an awesome kick as well as a great throw, but you could also rely on him at least once in every game - (sometimes several times), leaping for the high cross, arms outstretched, reaching for the sky, only to see the ball sail way over his outstretched fingers. He was a tall guy, but I guess he thought he was even taller.

Agree with many others that Jimmy Rimmer was the best Villa keeper I have seen, but Colin Withers was my first goalie hero. He was spectacular in a miserably poor Villa side in the 60's, so he always had lots to do, although he did punch the ball into his own net from a corner at the Holte end which stunned the crowd into silence. If I remember correctly, his career at Villa Park seemed to come to an abrupt end very quickly afterwards.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: astonparkb6 on July 15, 2008, 06:58:16 PM
Quote from: "pendinevilla"
Quote from: "Oscar Arce"
Quote from: "pendinevilla"
In terms of kicking distance I don't think anyone approaches Cumbes. He could land them on the edge of the opposition 18yard box on a good day.
If I remember rightly he also had a mean throw.
Didn't he used to play top flight cricket as well?



Anyone remember John Phillips ?


I remember Phillips - didn't he come from Chelsea? Not a bad keeper actually.


I think we bought John Phillips from Shrewsbury Town ? and he moved on to Chelsea. More of a steady reserve keeper than a real number one.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: pendinevilla on July 15, 2008, 10:17:32 PM
Quote from: "astonparkb6"
Quote from: "pendinevilla"
Quote from: "Oscar Arce"
Quote from: "pendinevilla"
In terms of kicking distance I don't think anyone approaches Cumbes. He could land them on the edge of the opposition 18yard box on a good day.
If I remember rightly he also had a mean throw.
Didn't he used to play top flight cricket as well?



Anyone remember John Phillips ?


I remember Phillips - didn't he come from Chelsea? Not a bad keeper actually.


I think we bought John Phillips from Shrewsbury Town ? and he moved on to Chelsea. More of a steady reserve keeper than a real number one.


You are probably right - I just knew Chelsea were involved somewhere.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Oscar Arce on July 16, 2008, 10:24:11 AM
Quote from: "pendinevilla"
Quote from: "astonparkb6"
Quote from: "pendinevilla"
Quote from: "Oscar Arce"
Quote from: "pendinevilla"
In terms of kicking distance I don't think anyone approaches Cumbes. He could land them on the edge of the opposition 18yard box on a good day.
If I remember rightly he also had a mean throw.
Didn't he used to play top flight cricket as well?



Anyone remember John Phillips ?


I remember Phillips - didn't he come from Chelsea? Not a bad keeper actually.


I think we bought John Phillips from Shrewsbury Town ? and he moved on to Chelsea. More of a steady reserve keeper than a real number one.


You are probably right - I just knew Chelsea were involved somewhere.


We signed him from Shrewsbury for quite a high fee back then for a goalkeeper, I think it was about £30,000.
He was 'mentored' by the ex-Man City keeper Joe Corrigan and played for England at Under 23 level
He made his debut against Blues in one of the most turgid derbies I've ever seen, it was 0-0 but Phillips kept us in the game.
After a short while and some good performances, he was transferred to Chelsea for double what we paid for him and was Peter Boneti's understudy for most of his career.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: pendinevilla on July 16, 2008, 05:53:09 PM
Isn't it spooky how things happen?
I work as a maintenance man on a caravan park in South Wales and was in the office this morning when the Interlink delivery bloke (Swansea Fan) turned up. I was chatting to some glory fan caravan owners and putting them straight on a few things when this bloke asks if I support the Villa. Conversation went as follows:-
Interlink Deliveryman "My dad used to play for them"
Pendine Villa "Oh yes - who is he then?" (expecting some ex youth team no mark)
Interlink Deliveryman "Jimmy Rimmer!"
Pendine Villa " Fuck me!"
He gave me chapter and verse on his old man and how Villa have welcomed the old boys back into the fold since HDE sold to RL.
It fair made my morning. Pathetic - easily pleased I am!
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Tom Stewart on July 17, 2008, 02:08:35 AM
Top story, pendine!
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Tucson Villain on July 17, 2008, 03:29:59 AM
Definitely Rimmer, but you had to love Burridge.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Dave Clark Five on July 17, 2008, 11:09:16 PM
Quote from: "dave.woodhall"
Rimmer for consistency, Bosnich a close second for one-offs. Some of his displays were amazing.


...unlike his inability to kick a ball. I would not even consider Bosnich in this poll when people like Jimmy Cumbes don't get a mention. When Bosnich had his column in the Argus he was almost wishing that Spinksy would be injured so that he could play. Despicable character in my view.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Rudy Can't Fail on July 18, 2008, 12:48:58 AM
Jimmy. Without him there would have been no League title and no European Cup. He was brilliant and extremely under rated.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: badluckeric(gates) on July 21, 2008, 02:46:55 PM
1. Rimmer
closely followed by Spinky
not quite as closeley followed by Bozzie.

I remember feeling gutted when Jimmy went off in the euro final and thought thats it we've lost now. How wrong and what a fantastic debut and decade that followed.
But jimmy gets it for me-Just.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: peter w on July 21, 2008, 03:44:58 PM
Quote from: "badluckeric(gates)"
1. Rimmer
closely followed by Spinky
not quite as closeley followed by Bozzie.

I remember feeling gutted when Jimmy went off in the euro final and thought thats it we've lost now. How wrong and what a fantastic debut and decade that followed.
But jimmy gets it for me-Just.


Wasn't his debut.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Mellin on July 29, 2008, 03:37:57 PM
First game for about three years, mind. Second game, wasn't it? Absolutely mental.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Chico Hamilton III on July 30, 2008, 10:03:11 AM
Jimmy Rimmer of course.

I even named my boy after him ( stupid name though, Rimmer). Jimmy Must surely be the only fella to have played for 5 minutes in a European Cup final yet has two winners' medals?

I did love the loony that was Burridge as well. And Sealey, for some reason.

I do have a sneaky feeling about Friedel though. I think he could be a real star for us. Read today that he aint missed a game for Blackburn in 4 years.

Oh yeah, seem to remember Spink making his debut in a boxing day game against Forest in the late 70s? Can't be arsed to check this though
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: willywombat on July 31, 2008, 04:47:19 AM
Quote from: "pendinevilla"
In terms of kicking distance I don't think anyone approaches Cumbes. He could land them on the edge of the opposition 18yard box on a good day.
If I remember rightly he also had a mean throw.
Didn't he used to play top flight cricket as well?


I'm pleased old Juggling Jim got a mention. I think there was some kind of stats thing in Claret & Blue magazine some years back that had him at the top in terms of goals conceded per game. I dont think it took into account that most of his tenure was outside the top division though.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Pete3206 on July 31, 2008, 06:46:59 AM
Jimmy Rimmer, no contest.

Criminally ignored by England.

Although the national side had Shilton and Clemence, Joe Corrigan was always picked as the 3rd choice keeper.

As I recall, he was shit.
Title: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: davevillan on July 31, 2008, 08:31:11 AM
Jimmy Rimmer without a doubt.
Bozzie and Spinksy were good, but not that good.
Spink helped win us the European cup final, Rimmer got us there..Does anyone remember the save against Berlin late in the 2nd leg, or the save against Anderlecht at Villa Park?
Ron Saunders said he was indespensible. That says it all.
Title: Re: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: pooligan on July 07, 2011, 04:21:55 PM
1. Jimmy Rimmer

2. Nigel Spink

3.Colin Withers

4. Mark Bosnich

5. Brad Friedel
Title: Re: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Big Dick Edwards on July 26, 2011, 08:10:27 AM
Nigel Spink is my all-time Villa hero for obvious reasons but in terms of reliability and consistent excellence our best keeper in my eyes was Jimmy Rimmer.
Title: Re: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Rico on July 26, 2011, 08:37:40 AM
Over the last thirty years we have had three stand out keepers in my opinion. Rimmer, Spink and Bosnich.

Rimmer had everything you could ask for: Brilliant shot stopper, excellent handling and great control of the penalty area. Spink, if playing today would without doubt be England's keeper. He also played for a large part of his time in front of a right dodgy defence. Bosnich could have gone on to become one of the greats. Never saw a better shot stopper, and absolutely brilliant penalty stopper. I really think moving to Man Ure wrecked his career.

So for me I would vote Spink, Rimmer then Bosnich. Special mention must also go to Kevin Poole and John Burridge.
Title: Re: Who was/is the best Villa goalie ever?
Post by: Big Dick Edwards on July 26, 2011, 08:41:14 AM
Special mention must also go to Kevin Poole and John Burridge.

John Burridge?! Fuckin' hell Rico, you must have got up too early! 
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