Brighton's worst keepers

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Smith
Henderson
McKenna

 

[Mellotron]

Graeme Smith, comfortably.

Bit childish anyone putting Poke in, he's played what, 2 games? Surely we're talking about first choice keepers?

 

[Soton Seagull]

I think league level has to be taken in to account. Brezovan, for me, is a poor keeper at Championship level (and Casper isn't much better); yep drop him in to our old Div 2 bad old days type teams and he'd look as good or better than some we had.

 

[Commander]

Ankergren - a good League 1 keeper, solid as a rock in a League 1 Championship winning side.

Quite how anyone can compare him to the likes of Will Packham, Nicky Rust, Mark Omerod etc I have no idea. (Actually I do have an idea, it's because they are stupid).

 

[severnside gull]

It is only my opinion from what I've seen. Brez and Casper have made some fab saves but over all in my view they are not the best keepers we have had and figure in my worst selection.

I guessed they would when I saw who had started the thread....

 

[Kumquat]

was henderson really "unquestionably" worse than graeme smith AND andy petterson?

i'd say that's, if anything, questionable

Sorry, yes, in my opinion. Smith was bad but only played around 6 games, but seemed to lack confidence which after losing 7-1 on your debut is not surprising. . Henderson had about 50 couning loan spell I think. He always looked dodgy to me and I wasn't the only one around me. Petterson can't comment as I never actually saw him play.

 

[KneeOn]

Who was the lad who waited ages for his debut and then got it in the cup at Withers at home to Preston only to let a simple catch go straight through his hands?

Henderson wasn't awful but he had no wrists. He seemed incapable of turning a shot wide. Everything came straight back out.

In no way should Rust or Ormerod be on the list. Both decent young keepers but forced to learn behind crap defences.

I have to say that the recently released Gonzalez looked pretty poor to me.

John Sullivan?

 

[Mellotron]

You have to take League into account.

Ankergren was a VERY GOOD League One keeper. We've had plenty of goalies who were less than very good in League One, so Casper should be nowhere near this list.

 

[Commander]

I think league level has to be taken in to account. Brezovan, for me, is a poor keeper at Championship level (and Casper isn't much better); yep drop him in to our old Div 2 bad old days type teams and he'd look as good or better than some we had.

Put either Brez or Ankergren in the 1997 - 1999 era and they would look like Peter Schmeichel.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Smith was truly awful. It was as though he was not made of solid matter - the ball seemed to just go THROUGH him. He'd have everything behind a tame shot, leaving no possible gaps for the ball to get through, and somehow it still did. Every time.

#shudder

 

[In The Rough]

kuipers for me. Never really saw what the fuss was about.

 

[Silent Bob]

Sorry, yes, in my opinion. Smith was bad but only played around 6 games, but seemed to lack confidence which after losing 7-1 on your debut is not surprising. . Henderson had about 50 couning loan spell I think. He always looked dodgy to me and I wasn't the only one around me. Petterson can't comment as I never actually saw him play.

He had some howlers, but people only focussed on them and never seemed to recognise when he played well. I think he was probably at least as good a keeper as Ankergren, for example.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

John Sullivan?

Sullivan was an excellent young keeper (who is now in the Championship with Charlton).

His performance away to Leicester three years ago, is still the best I've ever seen from an Albion keeper. He was outstanding that night. One close range save from Fryatt was ridiculous.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

He had some howlers, but people only focussed on them and never seemed to recognise when he played well. I think he was probably at least as good a keeper as Ankergren, for example.

Correct. Henderson was a reasonable keeper. His only two shortcomings were a propensity to push the ball back into danger, and not being Michel Kuipers.

 

[severnside gull]

Should I court the inevitable oprobrium and add Kuipers to the list?

Initially I think he was a very good lower league keeper and I have no particular criticism of his early years (up to his loan to Boston perhaps) but latterly his bullying of his defenders, blaming them for his mistakes, became not only unfunny, but was a major factor in destroying the confidence of some otherwise adequate players. His leaving might easily be viewed as one of the (many) factors behind elAbd developing into a stand-out defender and Dunk being able to make such rapid progress. He was always a good shot stopper although successive managers actively sought to replace him because, unsettling his defence aside he was, in my opinion, infinitely worse in dealing with crosses or commanding his area than either of our current keepers.

 

[drew]

The trouble with this sort of thread is it means nothing unless posters give some indication as to the length of time they have been watching. Someone who says Brez or Casper and who have been watching for 30/40 years or more wouldn't know a good keeper if Peter Shilton pointed one out to them. We have had considerably worse keepers as well as better ones. I would also venture to suggest that only keepers that were, at the time, considered first choice should be nominated.

For me (36yrs, for the record) I would give it to Henderson. It would be harsh to pick Packham because he wasn't a first choice keeper and only came in at the last minute and, I think, only played one game.

Growing up I remember liking nicky rust, mark ormerod and perry digweed, but since hanging out on here there seems to be a sense that they are not particularly well thought of.

Petterson , although Smith is an equally good shout - as is Poke

Henderson did alright bar the mishap at Bournemouth.

He had a whole catalogue of errors, mainly consisting of not pushing the ball to safety when making average saves and you seem to have forgotten his wonderous header against Watford!!!!

 

[Braders]

Sullivan was an excellent young keeper (who is now in the Championship with Charlton).

His performance away to Leicester three years ago, is still the best I've ever seen from an Albion keeper. He was outstanding that night. One close range save from Fryatt was ridiculous.

the double save was outstanding .

 

[public school boy]

Any mention of Brezovan or Ankergren is clearly trolling, don't rise to it.

Graeme Smith has to be the worst, considering he shipped an average of what, 3? 4 maybe? Per game. Incredible. Wayne Henderson a notable second. Rubbish goalkeepers, the pair of them. On the plus side for Henderson, he was amazing at Palace in the 1-0. It's just a shame it was a perfectly timed complete and utter fluke.

So, if Smith, Walton and McKenna were the current three keepers at our beloved club, you would not list them as the worst keepers the club has had?

 

[severnside gull]

Smith was truly awful. It was as though he was not made of solid matter - the ball seemed to just go THROUGH him. He'd have everything behind a tame shot, leaving no possible gaps for the ball to get through, and somehow it still did. Every time.

#shudder

Watching him in the warm up you thought....at last we have a professional looking goalkeeper..... he seemed to do everything right. Then the game started and he just.................................... disappeared. Maybe it was confidence. Maybe he just never felt settled. Maybe he simply needed someone to do his laundry. Whatever, he was truly awful and must rate along with Petterson as "most unlikely to have ever been making a living as a professional footballer"

 

[drew]

Sullivan was an excellent young keeper (who is now in the Championship with Charlton).

His performance away to Leicester three years ago, is still the best I've ever seen from an Albion keeper. He was outstanding that night. One close range save from Fryatt was ridiculous.

He could well be a good keeper but your comment creates the impression he's their main keeper when in fact he only played one league, and four cup games.