Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: Deano's Mullet on January 12, 2019, 02:41:12 PM

Title: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Deano's Mullet on January 12, 2019, 02:41:12 PM
Special focus on Bozzie in this month's Four Four Two Magazine and he reflects quite a bit on life at Villa. Loved him, he made goalkeepers seem cool, especially in that rainbow Muller top. There can't be many keepers that save seven penalties in one season. Was it seven? Ian Wright, Bebeto,  Spurs X 2 and Tranmere X 3. Any more?
Still think his save vs Peacock in  1995 Vs Chelsea was amazing and people mention one Vs Moldovan of Coventry too. And of course he turned a Hughes volley round the post to stop it becoming 2-2 at Wembley. What a time that was to be a Villa fan.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Behind Bluenose Lines on January 12, 2019, 02:53:18 PM
Indeed it was. When he made that save, I knew in that moment we were going to win the cup.

BTW, VERY Belated Happy New Year all!
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: SheffieldVillain on January 12, 2019, 02:58:33 PM
The save I always remember was against Coventry where as I recall he was diving one way and the ball took a deflection - he seemed to stop mid-air and save with his feet - was that the Moldovan one you mention??
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: PeterWithesShin on January 12, 2019, 03:01:10 PM
It was from Soltvedt not Moldovan.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Deano's Mullet on January 12, 2019, 03:04:49 PM
The save I always remember was against Coventry where as I recall he was diving one way and the ball took a deflection - he seemed to stop mid-air and save with his feet - was that the Moldovan one you mention??


Yes I think so. The Peacock one is more vivid in my memory though. I'm also remembering some daft stuff he did too - flapping at a Norwich cross which led to the craziest goal mouth scramble I can remember, and running out of his goal trying to catch a ball almost in the centre circle at QPR. Both led to goals for the opposition. And of course the night he flattened Klinsmann - same night as the Cantona Kung Fu kick.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Deano's Mullet on January 12, 2019, 03:05:48 PM
It was from Soltvedt not Moldovan.

Ah yes. It was Moldovan who scored.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Damo70 on January 12, 2019, 04:09:37 PM
Special focus on Bozzie in this month's Four Four Two Magazine and he reflects quite a bit on life at Villa. Loved him, he made goalkeepers seem cool, especially in that rainbow Muller top. There can't be many keepers that save seven penalties in one season. Was it seven? Ian Wright, Bebeto,  Spurs X 2 and Tranmere X 3. Any more?
Still think his save vs Peacock in  1995 Vs Chelsea was amazing and people mention one Vs Moldovan of Coventry too. And of course he turned a Hughes volley round the post to stop it becoming 2-2 at Wembley. What a time that was to be a Villa fan.

He saved a penalty at the sty in the first leg of the Coca Cola cup tie and our first game on the way to winning it. I think Spink had got injured whilst conceding the penalty so Bosnich came on and his first action was to save it. I think John Frain took the pen. I met Bosnich once at Dwight Yorke's 21st birthday party (my cousin lived next door to Yorke in Shustoke and I went as her guest as her boyfriend couldn't make it). I had been to Australia a few years before so I was talking to Bosnich about his home country. He was a really nice guy.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: SoccerHQ on January 12, 2019, 06:09:05 PM
Special focus on Bozzie in this month's Four Four Two Magazine and he reflects quite a bit on life at Villa. Loved him, he made goalkeepers seem cool, especially in that rainbow Muller top. There can't be many keepers that save seven penalties in one season. Was it seven? Ian Wright, Bebeto,  Spurs X 2 and Tranmere X 3. Any more?
Still think his save vs Peacock in  1995 Vs Chelsea was amazing and people mention one Vs Moldovan of Coventry too. And of course he turned a Hughes volley round the post to stop it becoming 2-2 at Wembley. What a time that was to be a Villa fan.

He saved a penalty at the sty in the first leg of the Coca Cola cup tie and our first game on the way to winning it. I think Spink had got injured whilst conceding the penalty so Bosnich came on and his first action was to save it. I think John Frain took the pen. I met Bosnich once at Dwight Yorke's 21st birthday party (my cousin lived next door to Yorke in Shustoke and I went as her guest as her boyfriend couldn't make it). I had been to Australia a few years before so I was talking to Bosnich about his home country. He was a really nice guy.

Highlights of that game on Villaboy's Youtube channel.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Deano's Mullet on January 12, 2019, 08:53:48 PM
After today I could watch all those old nineties clips and cry my eyes out. Did it ever happen?
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Kimaster1976 on January 12, 2019, 09:07:18 PM
The game I always remember was the 4-1 victory at Sunderland on route to winning the cup in '94. They absolutely battered us from start to finish at the the old Roker Park.

Bosnich was simply out of this world save after save after save. At one point the Sunderland forwards were just stood there looking at him in bewilderment going wtf how is he doing this.

Big Ron stated Bosnich could very well be the worlds best after the Deportivo Uefa Cup game that same season. Had he kept any kind of sane head on his shoulders he certainly would have gone close to being so.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air on January 13, 2019, 08:40:25 AM
Saw him make his debut at Luton, we lost 2-0. We nearly always lose there. Sat in the nasty ramshackle stand behind the goal in that rundown broken up ground that looks like dismantled lego pieces singing "Aussies Number One!"
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: LeeB on January 13, 2019, 09:11:43 AM
Saw him make his debut at Luton, we lost 2-0. We nearly always lose there. Sat in the nasty ramshackle stand behind the goal in that rundown broken up ground that looks like dismantled lego pieces singing "Aussies Number One!"

I was there that day too.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Chico Hamilton III on January 13, 2019, 09:59:17 AM
I was a White Hart Lane when he did his Nazi salute. It’s his birthday today, by the way
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Damo70 on January 13, 2019, 11:52:44 AM
The game I always remember was the 4-1 victory at Sunderland on route to winning the cup in '94. They absolutely battered us from start to finish at the the old Roker Park.

Bosnich was simply out of this world save after save after save. At one point the Sunderland forwards were just stood there looking at him in bewilderment going wtf how is he doing this.

Big Ron stated Bosnich could very well be the worlds best after the Deportivo Uefa Cup game that same season. Had he kept any kind of sane head on his shoulders he certainly would have gone close to being so.


That Sunderland performance was the best goalkeeping performance I have ever witnessed. They actually battered us 1-4 that night! Bosnich and Dalian won the game on their own for us.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Damo70 on January 13, 2019, 11:55:59 AM
Saw him make his debut at Luton, we lost 2-0. We nearly always lose there. Sat in the nasty ramshackle stand behind the goal in that rundown broken up ground that looks like dismantled lego pieces singing "Aussies Number One!"

I was there that day too.


I was there that day too. It was the only time I have seen us play at Luton. Unless you count 1986-1987 when I paid to watch us play them on a big screen at the Villa leisure centre with half time and full time summary by  the injured Andy Blair with  microphone.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: TopDeck113 on January 13, 2019, 12:10:03 PM
He was a brilliant shot-stopper, but his command of the area was mediocre at best and his distribution was often appalling.  The back pass law was relatively new when he became the number one and I often remarked that he needed to spend far more time at training learning how to control and clear the ball with his feet.  When he went to Man Utd I always suspected that this would be his achilles heel with their fans and Ferguson wouldn't accept it, especially since Peter Schmeichel's accurate distribution had launched many an attack.

Having said all that, Bozzie was at times brilliant for us and his performances one of the reasons I always felt heading down to Wembley in '94 that our name was on the cup. 
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Axl Rose on January 13, 2019, 12:20:14 PM
Possibly my favourite Villa player. It'd be a tough one to choose between Bosnich, Yorke and Dalian.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: garyshawsknee on January 13, 2019, 12:24:32 PM
I agree TD, some of the saves he made, especially in the league cup run were incredible, also saving two penalties in a league game, I saw him save a shot at West Ham whilst on the seat of his pants once. His kicking was awful though and decision making was erratic at times too, but still one of the best keepers I've seen. 
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: PeterWithesShin on January 13, 2019, 08:45:11 PM
His athleticism meant he could make saves very few other keepers could make, which made up for other aspects of his game that weren't so good. Running out of his box and doing a star jump in front of the attacker rarely seemed to work.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Rory on January 14, 2019, 01:36:49 AM
I was at VP when Bozzie made that save against Coventry, but I was young - 7 or 8 - and just remember everybody standing up, blocking my view and then gasping.

My dad still goes on about it to this day, saying it was the best save he's ever seen. Doesn't make me feel any better.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Oscar Arce on January 14, 2019, 12:00:20 PM
Good keeper saving shots but I agree with others his command of the box was pretty poor and his kicking was abysmal!
Still one of the best we've had, could win you the game with his athleticism saving shots,and a good character.
Remember when he came back playing for Manure reserves in a League Cup tie, we battered them 3-0 from memory and the stick Bozzie received in the second half from the Holte End was the worst I've ever heard!
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: usav on January 14, 2019, 05:20:03 PM
Saw him make his debut at Luton, we lost 2-0. We nearly always lose there. Sat in the nasty ramshackle stand behind the goal in that rundown broken up ground that looks like dismantled lego pieces singing "Aussies Number One!"

I was there that day too.


I was there that day too. It was the only time I have seen us play at Luton. Unless you count 1986-1987 when I paid to watch us play them on a big screen at the Villa leisure centre with half time and full time summary by  the injured Andy Blair with  microphone.

I was there too in the stand on the side of the pitch (not sure why).  Anyway, we left right before the end and were home before we would have been had we been at Villa Park.   My mate's mom was not impressed when she did the maths to realise I had averaged 95+ all the way home.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air on January 14, 2019, 06:09:50 PM
Saw him make his debut at Luton, we lost 2-0. We nearly always lose there. Sat in the nasty ramshackle stand behind the goal in that rundown broken up ground that looks like dismantled lego pieces singing "Aussies Number One!"

I was there that day too.


I was there that day too. It was the only time I have seen us play at Luton. Unless you count 1986-1987 when I paid to watch us play them on a big screen at the Villa leisure centre with half time and full time summary by  the injured Andy Blair with  microphone.

I was there too in the stand on the side of the pitch (not sure why).  Anyway, we left right before the end and were home before we would have been had we been at Villa Park.   My mate's mom was not impressed when she did the maths to realise I had averaged 95+ all the way home.

I think our fastest return from an away game was Oldham 71/72. 3pm kick off, ran out the ground on the full time whistle and back home in Brum a few minutes past 6 - which is a not that different to a well attended home game with the traffic. 
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: garyshawsknee on January 14, 2019, 06:16:54 PM
Saw him make his debut at Luton, we lost 2-0. We nearly always lose there. Sat in the nasty ramshackle stand behind the goal in that rundown broken up ground that looks like dismantled lego pieces singing "Aussies Number One!"

I was there that day too.


I was there that day too. It was the only time I have seen us play at Luton. Unless you count 1986-1987 when I paid to watch us play them on a big screen at the Villa leisure centre with half time and full time summary by  the injured Andy Blair with  microphone.

I was there too in the stand on the side of the pitch (not sure why).  Anyway, we left right before the end and were home before we would have been had we been at Villa Park.   My mate's mom was not impressed when she did the maths to realise I had averaged 95+ all the way home.

I was there in the home stand near the dug outs, we asked some stewards if they could move us into the way end and they obliged.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Richard E on January 14, 2019, 09:17:14 PM
That Tranmere second leg was one of THE great Villa days, a heart stopping white knuckle ride, and he was a key part of that. So he’ll always be fine by me.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Damo70 on January 15, 2019, 08:24:13 AM
I read years ago in Roy Keane's autobiography that Bosnich's card was marked and he was doomed from day one at United. Apparently he swanned in late for the first day of pre season training with his treble winning team mates and was cocky rather than contrite when Keane and Ferguson had a go at him.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: papa lazarou on January 15, 2019, 01:24:42 PM
Yes he was a very good goalkeeper but he can fuck right off for the way he left.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: SoccerHQ on January 17, 2019, 11:16:21 PM
The game I always remember was the 4-1 victory at Sunderland on route to winning the cup in '94. They absolutely battered us from start to finish at the the old Roker Park.

Bosnich was simply out of this world save after save after save. At one point the Sunderland forwards were just stood there looking at him in bewilderment going wtf how is he doing this.

Big Ron stated Bosnich could very well be the worlds best after the Deportivo Uefa Cup game that same season. Had he kept any kind of sane head on his shoulders he certainly would have gone close to being so.

Bozzie in all his glory:

Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: SoccerHQ on January 17, 2019, 11:19:37 PM
He was a brilliant shot-stopper, but his command of the area was mediocre at best and his distribution was often appalling.  The back pass law was relatively new when he became the number one and I often remarked that he needed to spend far more time at training learning how to control and clear the ball with his feet.  When he went to Man Utd I always suspected that this would be his achilles heel with their fans and Ferguson wouldn't accept it, especially since Peter Schmeichel's accurate distribution had launched many an attack.

Having said all that, Bozzie was at times brilliant for us and his performances one of the reasons I always felt heading down to Wembley in '94 that our name was on the cup. 

Yeah I loved Bozzie aswell but often watching the 96-97 and 97-98 season reviews and it was striking how many goals we conceded from him miscommunicating with defenders and charging into them (the first incident with Klinsmann also an example of this). He also seemed to concede so many deflected goals when diving early (two at Pompey in the cup) so ironic probably his best ever save for us was from a deflected shot.

We did miss him when he got injured in 98/99. Ultimately a big game player for us like so many we had in the 90s.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Mortimer's Bear on January 22, 2019, 12:07:32 PM
I too remember gasping at that save against Coventry, I've tried to find it on youtube many times but to no avail. The best goalkeeper I've ever seen in a Villa shirt.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: PeterWithesShin on January 22, 2019, 09:43:47 PM
Save is at 2m 40s

Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Mortimer's Bear on January 23, 2019, 12:29:08 PM
Thank you PWS, what a save.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: SoccerHQ on January 23, 2019, 08:32:58 PM
We were utterly terrible that day. Coventry should've won about 4-0 (it was their first ever win at VP). Pretty sure that was the last home game for SBL as manager.

Edit: What a performance by Boateng aswell, we probably decided to sign him based on how good he was.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Dave P on January 24, 2019, 04:30:55 PM
We were utterly terrible that day. Coventry should've won about 4-0 (it was their first ever win at VP). Pretty sure that was the last home game for SBL as manager.

Edit: What a performance by Boateng aswell, we probably decided to sign him based on how good he was.

They did beat us 4-1 at home the season after and Boateng got 2.  That was probably the performance that made us sign him.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: wittonwarrior on January 28, 2019, 04:34:32 AM
I hate that crap hole kenilworth road even though I was a member ha ha in the 80’s.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Big Dick Edwards on February 07, 2019, 07:00:10 PM
I too remember gasping at that save against Coventry, I've tried to find it on youtube many times but to no avail. The best goalkeeper I've ever seen in a Villa shirt.

Ironic given Bosnich was one of the worst keepers I've ever seen with the ball at his feet. No doubting his athleticism though.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: rob_bridge on February 12, 2019, 11:02:46 AM
It was from Soltvedt not Moldovan.

Yes Strachan was their manager and he said it was the best save he had ever seen.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: tomd2103 on February 12, 2019, 03:07:35 PM
I too remember gasping at that save against Coventry, I've tried to find it on youtube many times but to no avail. The best goalkeeper I've ever seen in a Villa shirt.

Ironic given Bosnich was one of the worst keepers I've ever seen with the ball at his feet. No doubting his athleticism though.

His kicking did improve over the years, but was terrible during his early years with us, especially off the ground.  That said, I can't recall him making too many howlers with his feet during his time with us.   
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Risso on February 13, 2019, 01:31:31 PM
The back pass rule came in in 1992 when he was first started his Villa career, so it was a new skill that just wasn't that important previously.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Mortimer's Bear on February 20, 2019, 10:21:14 AM
I too remember gasping at that save against Coventry, I've tried to find it on youtube many times but to no avail. The best goalkeeper I've ever seen in a Villa shirt.

Ironic given Bosnich was one of the worst keepers I've ever seen with the ball at his feet. No doubting his athleticism though.

His core responsibility was to stop the ball going in the net, and there were few better at that time.
Title: Re: Mark Bosnich
Post by: Deano's Mullet on February 21, 2019, 06:28:41 PM
Best saver of a penalty I think I've seen. The Bebeto save was tremendous.
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