Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: BC Villain on May 15, 2021, 10:56:19 AM
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We've been blessed to have had some some great keepers at Villa over the years. Given Martinez's phenomenal impression this season, be interesting to see how others rate him against others they've seen.
In my years, Bosnich was always the one I thought was outstanding over a long period of time (save for his godawful kicking).
Spink was a great servant and club legend, but was probably slightly past his best when I saw him.
David James was brilliant over the two years he was here. Completely rebuilt his reputation and got his England place back.
Friedel was solid enough, but again we probably got him at the wrong time when his peak had just gone.
Martinez has been unreal so far in a team where at times he's had to work overtime to keep a clean sheet.
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It is a tough call between Rimmer, Martinez and Friedel but for me if he had knuckled down and kept his head screwed on both on and off the pitch Bosnich was well on his way to being up there with the best in the world around the mid nineties.
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I've probably seem Emi more than any other Villa keeper over the years, as been able to watch every match this season. He is exceptional & even in his worst games (very few) I haven't witnessed a horror show, rather dips from exceptional to good.
Exceptional makes him one of the best keepers in the world, and with his very few good displays he's still better than nearly any other Premier league keeper.
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Emi is great. Bosnich was king.
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Sunderland away in the League Cup and Manure away in 92/93 were brilliant performances from Bosnich
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Sunderland away in the League Cup and Manure away in 92/93 were brilliant performances from Bosnich
The Sunderland game was right up there with the best goalkeeping performances I have ever witnessed. Bozzie and Dalian really turned it on in our run to winning the cup that season. Deano too to be fair.
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Sunderland away in the League Cup and Manure away in 92/93 were brilliant performances from Bosnich
The Sunderland game was right up there with the best goalkeeping performances I have ever witnessed. Bozzie and Dalian really turned it on in our run to winning the cup that season. Deano too to be fair.
He was world class that night. They should have battered us.
Bozzie is still right up there for me. That Tranmere penalty save when they needed to score to win and he just banged his chest and shouted “You can’t fucking beat me”.
Emi is clearly an absolutely top notch keeper and I may change my mind over the next 12 months.
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He is very good but not in the top 5. Those being:
Rimmer
Bosnich
James
Friedel
Heaton (I know he's been injured but IMO he is a better keeper.)
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Friedel was solid for us aside from a dodgy patch in his last season but never once did I come away from a match thinking he'd practically won us a match on his own (as I'd seen him do a few times for Blackburn in the previous years). Also didn't help his penalty saving skiills totally deserted him when he joined us as he was first prem keeper to save two penalites in one game I think.
Would class Heaton in same category. Solid and what we needed being promoted, no chance he's a better all round keeper than Emi though as not as dominant on crosses for a start.
Bozzy was one of my football heroes growing up. Looking back he did make a fair few errors during the seasons rushing out but the sort who'd then make a world class save five minutes later so had the right sort of mentality needed.
Thought James had a brilliant season in 99/00 but the last match summed his career up. When the crunch came he made an error.
Overall would rank as:
1. Bosnich
2. Emi
3. James
4. Friedel
5. Sorensen (overall not a bad keeper but the obvious errors mean he's a very distant 5th).
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In my time watching Villa Martinez based on just this season sits just behind Jimmy Rimmer and Mark Bosnich and fractionally in front of Nigel Spink.
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He is very good but not in the top 5. Those being:
Rimmer
Bosnich
James
Friedel
Heaton (I know he's been injured but IMO he is a better keeper.)
Got to disagree there mate, he's miles better than Heaton, and James.
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Nigel Sims was Mr reliable for me. Funny that keepers usually get less than outfielders yet every mistake by them is critical.
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For that save against Coventry alone, Bosnich will always be king.
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Rimmer
Bosnich
Emi
Sims
Spink
Friedel
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For that save against Coventry alone, Bosnich will always be king.
Was that the one in front of the Holte that took a deflection? Still say that's the best save I've seen in the flesh.
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For that save against Coventry alone, Bosnich will always be king.
Was that the one in front of the Holte that took a deflection? Still say that's the best save I've seen in the flesh.
He was a one man brick wall that day, even their goal came from one his saves.
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For that save against Coventry alone, Bosnich will always be king.
Was that the one in front of the Holte that took a deflection? Still say that's the best save I've seen in the flesh.
Yes, the only time I've ever seen a standing ovation for a save.
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For that save against Coventry alone, Bosnich will always be king.
Was that the one in front of the Holte that took a deflection? Still say that's the best save I've seen in the flesh.
Yes, the only time I've ever seen a standing ovation for a save.
Guzan against QPR when he somehow managed to claw out Samba I thinks header.
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Call me old-fashioned but I always prefer keepers who don't have to make a save because they know where the ball's going to be. I know it's harder with the new balls and boots, but that's why for me Rimmer is always head and shoulders above everyone else. It's a tradition going back a hundred years and more that we invariably have good keepers but rarely great ones. Rimmer was a great.
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For me, Jimmy Rimmer was the best all-round 'keeper I've seen down here. How he would have got on with the extra kicking duties of the modern game, I don't know.
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For that save against Coventry alone, Bosnich will always be king.
Was that the one in front of the Holte that took a deflection? Still say that's the best save I've seen in the flesh.
Yes, the only time I've ever seen a standing ovation for a save.
Guzan against QPR when he somehow managed to claw out Samba I thinks header.
Kevin Poole from a Speedie header in front of the Holte. Speedie aplauded I remember. Emi I think is right up there, he is the most reliable keeper I can remember for ages. His handling from crosses is exceptional.
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He is very good but not in the top 5. Those being:
Rimmer
Bosnich
James
Friedel
Heaton (I know he's been injured but IMO he is a better keeper.)
Got to disagree there mate, he's miles better than Heaton, and James.
Absolutely. He's way ahead of them. What makes him a stand out keeper is the fact that he has so far no clear cut cock ups that I can recall. That alone puts him in front of Bosnich and further ahead still with his kicking.
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For that save against Coventry alone, Bosnich will always be king.
Was that the one in front of the Holte that took a deflection? Still say that's the best save I've seen in the flesh.
Yes, the only time I've ever seen a standing ovation for a save.
Guzan against QPR when he somehow managed to claw out Samba I thinks header.
Kevin Poole from a Speedie header in front of the Holte. Speedie aplauded I remember. Emi I think is right up there, he is the most reliable keeper I can remember for ages. His handling from crosses is exceptional.
talking about great saves, how about O. Nyland's one handed save from a Leicester player in the League Cup semi final 2nd leg at Villa Park ?
t'was a great save :)
UTV
The Doc
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Nyland's save was brilliant; in fact that first twenty minute spell was the very best of Orjan for us.
I'm a massive Emi fan, but the first goal conceded v Spurs and Greenwood's goal for Manure were both really down to him.
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Rimmer is still the best keeper I have seen for us,bossie could be brilliant, I liked both James , and friedel. I think Emi could surpass them all if he stays fit , he just oozes class and confidence
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Spink was ropey coming off his line and - apart from 1990 - never go close to his early 80s form IMO. No surprise BFR brought in Sealey and played him in 1991. And then brought in Bosnich not long after.
Bosnich was a head-the-ball but was the best natural shot stopper I've seen in my time down there. Including the oppo's goalkeepers as well. Plenty of one on one chances where you already think you're a goal down and mentally are prepared for the restart and he'd pull off a blinding save. Kicking was woeful, but most keepers found the no backpass rule change a problem back them.
Friedel was largely solid for us, did the simple things well. Saved the ones he should have (except for the last season) but rarely pulled off world class saves. James was better for us - and more consistent than his Liverpool days. But sadly the abiding memory I have of him is that slip in the cup final.
Rimmer was just a wee bit before my time, but he seems like he had the lot. Plus that bit of madness goalkeepers need.
Bozzie
Emi
James
of the ones I saw.
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Rimmer still holds top spot for me. Consistency is the quality keepers need and Emi has that. Another season like this one and he'll be a close second.
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Rimmer
Bozzie
Emi
Although it could change as Emi is still young and could surpass the other two.
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I'd been thinking about this question months ago given just how outstanding Emi had been. I concluded that it was too early to lavish greatness on a player after only less than a year. If we did that I can also recall Brad Guzan and Peter Enckleman having isolated excellent periods for us.
Jimmy Rimmer has always been the best for me but if Emi can repeat this season's performances next season he will be pushing Rimmer very close. Emi has absolutely everything you want in a goalkeeper.
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Spot on.
The test of time awaits...
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Bosnich
Rimmer
Spinks
Brad F
would be my order.
Emi has every chance to gate crash those positions but needs at least 3 seasons. Guzan was great for 18 months after all.
James, Heaton and Johnstone done a decent job for us, Heaton very unlucky.
I'd rather not think of some of the others
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I posted on a Facebook discussion about Jimmy Rimmer only a few weeks ago that if you counted on the fingers of one hand the amount of direct mistakes by Jimmy that resulted in a goal being conceded, you would have zero.
It's a long time since he played for us and time dims the memory and all that but, that's how I remember it. I'm sure others will see it differently and have examples. Emi Martinez has it in his locker to become an all-time great Villa goalkeeper.
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I posted on a Facebook discussion about Jimmy Rimmer only a few weeks ago that if you counted on the fingers of one hand the amount of direct mistakes by Jimmy that resulted in a goal being conceded, you would have zero.
It's a long time since he played for us and time dims the memory and all that but, that's how I remember it. I'm sure others will see it differently and have examples. Emi Martinez has it in his locker to become an all-time great Villa goalkeeper.
I never saw Rimmer play live, and one of the few things I have seen footage of is him letting that pea roller in away at Highbury on the final day, it unfortunately clouds my view of him as that was clearly not an indicative sample.
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How anyone can rate Bozzie about Rimmer is beyond me. Obviously never saw Jimmy play.
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Rimmer
Bosnich
Spinks, for that game
Martinez has the potential and opportunity to top them all
I can go through all our goalkeepers from Withers and apart from a couple more recent ones have been fond of them all
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Rimmer was absolutely the finest keeper we’ve had. Bosnich would be the next best.
Emi may get to their levels with time.
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Bosnich was the best I've seen, but Martinez is capable of being better than him.
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Bosnich was the best I've seen, but Martinez is capable of being better than him.
Me too. He’s got some way to go but he may just pip it if he carries on in the same way, one thing he has over Bozzy is he can pass the ball very accurately.
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Bozzie was probably the best of the lot at shot-stopping. Rimmer was master of all the 'keeping skills (except, perhaps for the 'modern' kicking skills that are now required. He did this for almost six years.
Over to you, Emi...
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How anyone can rate Bozzie about Rimmer is beyond me. Obviously never saw Jimmy play.
Yup, let's see how Martinez does but I've yet to see a Villa keeper that came close to Jimmy.
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For that save against Coventry alone, Bosnich will always be king.
Was that the one in front of the Holte that took a deflection? Still say that's the best save I've seen in the flesh.
Yes, the only time I've ever seen a standing ovation for a save.
Guzan against QPR when he somehow managed to claw out Samba I thinks header.
Kevin Poole from a Speedie header in front of the Holte. Speedie aplauded I remember. Emi I think is right up there, he is the most reliable keeper I can remember for ages. His handling from crosses is exceptional.
talking about great saves, how about O. Nyland's one handed save from a Leicester player in the League Cup semi final 2nd leg at Villa Park ?
t'was a great save :)
UTV
The Doc
I think the one against Sheff Utd 19/20 ...season from every angle the ball looked like it had crossed the line but no he somehow kept it out ..... :D
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Rimmer then Emi for me, could change, Burridge was my fave though. Mad as a box of frogs.
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Way down the line from Jimmy Rimmer and Bozzie but they are both identified with success whereas Martinez isn't so at present - hopefully that'll change given time.
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I posted on a Facebook discussion about Jimmy Rimmer only a few weeks ago that if you counted on the fingers of one hand the amount of direct mistakes by Jimmy that resulted in a goal being conceded, you would have zero.
It's a long time since he played for us and time dims the memory and all that but, that's how I remember it. I'm sure others will see it differently and have examples. Emi Martinez has it in his locker to become an all-time great Villa goalkeeper.
I honestly can't ant think of one - Rimmers level and consistency was phenomenal. What Arsenal were doing letting him go I don't know - ditto Martinez.
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Spinksey pulled off one save in 1982 that guarantees my endless gratitude.
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I posted on a Facebook discussion about Jimmy Rimmer only a few weeks ago that if you counted on the fingers of one hand the amount of direct mistakes by Jimmy that resulted in a goal being conceded, you would have zero.
It's a long time since he played for us and time dims the memory and all that but, that's how I remember it. I'm sure others will see it differently and have examples. Emi Martinez has it in his locker to become an all-time great Villa goalkeeper.
I honestly can't ant think of one - Rimmers level and consistency was phenomenal. What Arsenal were doing letting him go I don't know - ditto Martinez.
Quite a similar situation to the one that bought Emi here from what I've read. Had the shirt, but was undervalued, so fucked off.
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I don't think Jimmy was undervalued as such. Spurs made a truly boneheaded decision to release Pat Jennings after relegation in 1977, so Arse snapped him up.
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Rimmer for me, but there is plenty of time for Emi to get even better. I’ll never forget Jimmy keeping Liverpool out at Anfield in 1983 (I think), it finished nil all and he was simply outstanding.
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Perhaps appropriate time to revisit this. The only thing keeping Bosnich ahead is that he won things, which Emi hasn't yet
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No love for Gabor Kiraly ?
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Bosnich was keeper when I was properly getting into football as a youngster, so always holds an elevated status for me. That said, Emi has been phenomenal and it’s no coincidence Argentina started being winners again once he started playing. If he wins a trophy or two he’ll be the best ever for me.
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Bosnich was the most amazing goalkeeper I've ever seen. His athleticism allowed him to make 'impossible' saves that took the breath away.
However, his footwork was pretty poor -and never really improved over his time here.
Overall, I think Emi is ahead of Marc and, perhaps, Jimmy too.
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Perhaps appropriate time to revisit this. The only thing keeping Bosnich ahead is that he won things, which Emi hasn't yet
Bosnich played at a time when goalkeepers weren't really required to use their feet that much, but his kicking was really bad when he first came into the side. He improved with time, but Martinez is miles better in that area so has to be the number one for me in my time.
Nigel Spink would be in 3rd and and then Brad Friedel and David James (FA Cup final aside) would make up my top 5.
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Bosnich made the best save I have ever seen. He made some outstanding saves in his time with us.
Rimmer gave you the feeling he would never be beaten. At worst we would draw nil nil.
Emi is the best of them all though. He makes a game winning save almost every match. The times he doesn't make that save, usually after an international match involving flying half way around the world, we lose.
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Still love Bosnich more. But Emi is a very close second.
Both fucking superb
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Yes caught tale end of Rimmer and he was very good. I can't recall any team winning a title who didn't have a very good keeper. There were lots of other top British, well not Scottish, Keepers at the time.
I thought Spink was really good too - he had a good presence about him. Bosnich reflexes and shot stopping was astonishing.
I'd have to say though Emi has best attributes of all of them in a way and the game moves on so his footwork is light years ahead of the other 3.
Top for me for now.
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Like Jimmy, Emi has real leadership qualities as well.
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I posted on a Facebook discussion about Jimmy Rimmer only a few weeks ago that if you counted on the fingers of one hand the amount of direct mistakes by Jimmy that resulted in a goal being conceded, you would have zero.
It's a long time since he played for us and time dims the memory and all that but, that's how I remember it. I'm sure others will see it differently and have examples. Emi Martinez has it in his locker to become an all-time great Villa goalkeeper.
I honestly can't ant think of one - Rimmers level and consistency was phenomenal. What Arsenal were doing letting him go I don't know - ditto Martinez.
Quite a similar situation to the one that bought Emi here from what I've read. Had the shirt, but was undervalued, so fucked off.
Didn't Jennings become available so Terry Neil signed him? To be fair that would have been a no brainer at the time.
Arsenal kept Leno instead of Emi which was odd and then spent a fortune on Ramsdale who did well enough 2022/3 and then Raya who was better.
None are as good as Emi though.
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Spurs were relegated in 1977. Perhaps they thought that it was a good time to get rid of a 'keeper well into his thirties.
Like they did with Emi a few years ago, they decided to get rid of a really good goalie.
Still, it worked out well for both teams; Pat Jennings played for Arse for years and Jimmy did the same for us in the most successful period in our history.
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Spurs were relegated in 1977. Perhaps they thought that it was a good time to get rid of a 'keeper well into his thirties.
Like they did with Emi a few years ago, they decided to get rid of a really good goalie.
Still, it worked out well for both teams; Pat Jennings played for Arse for years and Jimmy did the same for us in the most successful period in our history.
I forgot Spurs got relegated in that context. I remember (vaguely) newly promoted signing the Argies but Liverpool spanking them 7.0 early season autumn 1978.
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Yes.
Even funnier, we went to WHL early on that season with half the team out injured.
Ossie and Ricky got an ultra-hyped ticker-tape reception onto the pitch...then our reserves beat them 4-1!!!!
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Jimmy Rimmer for me Emi Martinez next followed by John Dunn Mark Bosnich and sentiment rules Nigel Sims.
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I think Emi is comfortably our best keeper in my time. For context Nigel Spink is the first I remember.
But I think Emi is one of the few really world class players I have seen play for the Villa. The bigger the situation, the better he becomes - and it will be a sad day when hes nolonger our number 1 (or 23).
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John Dunn looks a bit of an outlier in that list; decent enough 'keeper but reluctant to come off his line.
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Emi for me; the first time in decades that one of the Class of '81's been dropped from my all-time XI.
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Emi for me; the first time in decades that one of the Class of '81's been dropped from my all-time XI.
Yes. The only two who have previously come close were Platt and Benteke.
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1 Emi
2 Bosnich
3 Rimmer
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We will only appreciate how good Martinez is once he leave and my goodness we will miss him. How long does he have left on his contract?
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Seen people arguing online that he's the greatest international keeper of all time.
He's played in 4 tournaments, won all of them and won all four Golden Gloves too. Plus two Yashin awards.
Can't really argue against it tbh.
He's clearly number 1 in our history.
If Argentina win the World Cup again next year (which they could well do) he's in the all time greats debate. He's the goalkeeping version of Maradona. We're Napoli and he's taking us to top.
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Emi.
Bosnich.
Spink, on the basis I'm too young (did I really just say those last two words) to appreciate Rimmer.
Honourable mention to Jed Steer, and the only one whose first and family names I've mentioned.
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The one thing Emi has to do is to win something at Villa - Bosnich, Rimmer and Spink all have medals.
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Shaping up to be the best. For me, it's always been Rimmer in my Villa watching time but I'm beginning to think differently.
From all the grandfather fans when I was a kid, I was told Sam Hardy was a good 'un, a bit special I believe. They used to say he had the happy knack of making difficult saves look easy.
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Emi.
Bosnich.
Spink, on the basis I'm too young (did I really just say those last two words) to appreciate Rimmer.
Honourable mention to Jed Steer, and the only one whose first and family names I've mentioned.
I'd agree with that. Spink is the first keeper I properly remember, but I think being a bit of a shithouse is a GK superpower - Something Emi (*and previously Bozzie) have in spades.
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Emi.
Bosnich.
Spink, on the basis I'm too young (did I really just say those last two words) to appreciate Rimmer.
Honourable mention to Jed Steer, and the only one whose first and family names I've mentioned.
I'd agree with that. Spink is the first keeper I properly remember, but I think being a bit of a shithouse is a GK superpower - Something Emi (*and previously Bozzie) have in spades.
Jed Steer absolutely made the most of his brief stint including his own shithousery on Mason Holgate which basically won that shoot out before a ball was kicked.
It was more effective as their was no hint previously as he must be the most mild mannered, unthreatening footballer I can think of.
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Jed Steer is a folknhero for that shootout. Whilst he may not have done a lot more, he doesn't have to. I'll never tire of watching that clip.
As for the greatest, well I don't have a lot of memory of Rimmer, but loved Spink and Bosnich the only one since to be considered in that way is Emi Martinez. And he is the World's Number One for a reason.
He's definitely the best I've seen at the Villa, his all round game is another level and I wouldn't swap him for any other keeper in the world.
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Shaping up to be the best. For me, it's always been Rimmer in my Villa watching time but I'm beginning to think differently.
From all the grandfather fans when I was a kid, I was told Sam Hardy was a good 'un, a bit special I believe. They used to say he had the happy knack of making difficult saves look easy.
Nice to have some stories about Sam Hardy from people that saw him play.
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100% he's the best I've seen. Bosnich was the previous best in terms of outrageous talent. Emi is better because his all round game has no weaknesses. The drop off in quality when he doesn't play is stark because of this, whereas Spink and Oakes could deputise reasonably well for Bozzie. Although more is asked of the modern keeper.
Sam Hardy a favourite of my Grandad too, so I've heard.
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Shaping up to be the best. For me, it's always been Rimmer in my Villa watching time but I'm beginning to think differently.
From all the grandfather fans when I was a kid, I was told Sam Hardy was a good 'un, a bit special I believe. They used to say he had the happy knack of making difficult saves look easy.
Nice to have some stories about Sam Hardy from people that saw him play.
:D