Who is Aston Villa's greatest ever goalkeeper?

[Monty]

Martinez is the best, but 'best' and 'greatest' aren't necessarily the same thing, and the medals sometimes speak for themselves. Gone for Rimmer.

On the sidetrack, I loved Ronaldinho. It seems odd to say you don't like Brazil because of the silly mythology around the joga bonito stuff (justified), then to hate them for being 'showboaters'. Wouldn't showboaters who lack the winning mentality be exactly the joga bonito stereotype? The 1982 stereotype? Rather than Dunga and Gilberto Silva and so on?

Anyway, I thought the 7-1 was hilarious as well.

[rob_bridge]

I go through waves with the England team. I can't stand the cheat Saka but most of them seem pleasant enough now, and winning with a foreign manager would shut up some weirdos. I didn't like them in 2002, though. Mainly because of the "all foreigners are divers/we love Michael Owen" double standard, IIRC.

I generally dislike Brazil because of the tedious mythology that surrounds them. No, they don't generally win because they all play keepy uppy on the beach from the age of three. They generally win because there are 250 million of them and they are utterly shit at every other sport.

I remember wowing a half-German girl I was seeing shortly after the 2002 World Cup by explaining that I wanted Germany to win. Shockingly,  we never ended up having sex. I should have listed the 1982 European Cup runners-up squad to get her going.

The Golden Generation were loathsome so hard to support with any enthusiasm. Think Southgate did a really good job in getting players bothered again and Kane is the best player for England I have seen. The fact there are 3 Villa regular squad players and 2 often start is an added bonus.

Another who finds the continued Brazil mythology is really strange.

1982 Other wordly - granted brilliant to watch, unreal and yet undone by Italy as they had no footballing IQ.
1986 Tribute Act to 82. Not a particularly good one.
1990 Dire and average
1994 OutItalyed Italy. Very good team but not to watch.
1998 Great to watch but brittle and could have lost to Danes or Dutch before being thrashed by France.
2002 Best team, good to watch, poor quality tournament for me.
2006-2010-2018 Decent losing when up against the first very good team they faced. As per 1986.
2014 - possibly the most inept performance I have ever seen by a big nation.
2022 - easy path and messed up badly in QF.

[Mister E]

Another who finds the continued Brazil mythology is really strange.

1982 Other wordly - granted brilliant to watch, unreal and yet undone by Italy as they had no footballing IQ.
1986 Tribute Act to 82. Not a particularly good one.
1990 Dire and average
1994 OutItalyed Italy. Very good team but not to watch.
1998 Great to watch but brittle and could have lost to Danes or Dutch before being thrashed by France.
2002 Best team, good to watch, poor quality tournament for me.
2006-2010-2018 Decent losing when up against the first very good team they faced. As per 1986.
2014 - possibly the most inept performance I have ever seen by a big nation.
2022 - easy path and messed up badly in QF.

But, if you're going to do a critique of the Brasil sides you have to start with the benchmark side - 1970. That side of Pelé, Jairzinho, Tostão, Gérson, Rivellino and Carlos Alberto was Simply the Best! so - yes - any future side was bound to fall below that amazing standard.
You're right, though: the 1982 side were the closest - and what a side! Beaten by the grit of Italy (Zoff, Bergomi and Baresi at the heart of its defence) and purple-patched impact of Rossi, Brasil still managed to be awesome.

[rob_bridge]

Another who finds the continued Brazil mythology is really strange.

1982 Other wordly - granted brilliant to watch, unreal and yet undone by Italy as they had no footballing IQ.
1986 Tribute Act to 82. Not a particularly good one.
1990 Dire and average
1994 OutItalyed Italy. Very good team but not to watch.
1998 Great to watch but brittle and could have lost to Danes or Dutch before being thrashed by France.
2002 Best team, good to watch, poor quality tournament for me.
2006-2010-2018 Decent losing when up against the first very good team they faced. As per 1986.
2014 - possibly the most inept performance I have ever seen by a big nation.
2022 - easy path and messed up badly in QF.

But, if you're going to do a critique of the Brasil sides you have to start with the benchmark side - 1970. That side of Pelé, Jairzinho, Tostão, Gérson, Rivellino and Carlos Alberto was Simply the Best! so - yes - any future side was bound to fall below that amazing standard.
You're right, though: the 1982 side were the closest - and what a side! Beaten by the grit of Italy (Zoff, Bergomi and Baresi at the heart of its defence) and purple-patched impact of Rossi, Brasil still managed to be awesome.

That is the point the 1970 (And 1958) and then the 1982 created the myth that they are always like that. Look at lazy punditry each World Cup it is as if they are always like it - bringing their flair, style, personality etc..

[rob_bridge]

In answer to the question - Martinez. Rimmer, Spink and Bosnich were all brilliant in their own way. But Emi is another level above.

[Percy McCarthy]

Sam Hardy for me. He was still being referred to as the best keeper of all time forty years after he finished playing. Not Villa’s best. THE best.

[paul_e]

With a disclaimer that I see football as having 3 main eras of anything before about 1960 in one, 1960-1990 as the 2nd and then the modern game. I don't like comparing across them because the game has changed so much but, for keepers, I'm willing to combine the latter 2.

On that basis Emi is easily our best keeper because despite some very good options in there none of the others were undisputedly the best keeper in the world whilst playing for us. I think in the last couple of years people have started to forget a little just how good Emi is because he dropped from godlike to just superhuman. He's still one of the 4-5 truly world class keepers and I'm certain he'll remind everyone as much in a few months time.

[Kevin Dawson]

Sam Hardy for me. He was still being referred to as the best keeper of all time forty years after he finished playing. Not Villa’s best. THE best.

Interesting choice, but not controversial. I think it's really difficult to compare players though with 100 years or so between their primes. However, the pitches, the ball (which gained weight on a wet day), no gloves, no protection from opposition players etc would mean that he was clearly one of the finest of his generation.

[Percy McCarthy]

Sam Hardy for me. He was still being referred to as the best keeper of all time forty years after he finished playing. Not Villa’s best. THE best.

Interesting choice, but not controversial. I think it's really difficult to compare players though with 100 years or so between their primes. However, the pitches, the ball (which gained weight on a wet day), no gloves, no protection from opposition players etc would mean that he was clearly one of the finest of his generation.

Indeed. In all-time terms, he was the guy until Yashin came along.

A bit like how the 1897 cup final was considered the greatest game of all time until it was usurped by Villa 4 Man Utd 6 in 1948. You know when a game is still talked about 50 years on, it’s probably right.

[Villan82]

I always answered Bosnich but surely it's Emi. If he wins a trophy with us it will definitely be Emi. His all round game as a 'keeper is just class

It is tough though. Bosnich was absolutely immense for us and the Tranmere shootout is just legendary.

Either way, Bosnich will always be an iconic Villa keeper on account of the two trophy wins, the beautiful kits he wore, the acrobatic saves he made (the one against Coventry in the FA Cup) and being a big 90s character.