Former Goalkeepers

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GEOFFBEE

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Former Goalkeepers

Gerry Cakebread, Paul Smith,David McKellar,Chic Brodie, Graham Benstead, Ben Hamer, in that order, for me.With Steve Sherwood also a contender.
However, we have also had some very good others on shortish loans/ contracts such as Gerry Peyton , Perry Suckling and John Smeulders( remember him?)
 

Former Goalkeepers

Gerry Peyton, I blame him and Leroy for that day from Hell in Bristol.
 

Former Goalkeepers

GEOFFBEE said:
Gerry Cakebread, Paul Smith,David McKellar,Chic Brodie, Graham Benstead, Ben Hamer, in that order, for me.With Steve Sherwood also a contender.
However, we have also had some very good others on shortish loans/ contracts such as Gerry Peyton , Perry Suckling and John Smeulders( remember him?)
Click to expand...

Wot no Len Bond................:nono:
 

Former Goalkeepers

Top 5
1. Dave McKellar
2. Len Bond
3. Trevor Swinburne
4. Paul Smith
5. Ben Hamer

Bliss v Mansfield weren't none too shabby neither!!
 

Former Goalkeepers

GEOFFBEE said:
Gerry Cakebread, Paul Smith,David McKellar,Chic Brodie, Graham Benstead, Ben Hamer, in that order, for me.With Steve Sherwood also a contender.
However, we have also had some very good others on shortish loans/ contracts such as Gerry Peyton , Perry Suckling and John Smeulders( remember him?)
Click to expand...

Yes. He made a great pen save v Blackburn but I thought he was very short and dodgy otherwise.

I quite liked Jeremy Roberts who played a few games that season - remember him?

Keith Branagan was good on loan and Steve Sherwood was Player of the Year in 1974/5
 

Former Goalkeepers

I've only seen televised games of Smith recently but whenever I've seen him he's looked dog poo. A fantastic keeper for us, did a good job for the Scummers but his Forest stint has been up and down, hasn't it? However I would love us to ring Mr Forest and ask for him on loan for a small % of his wages to get him fit and ask them if they wanted Lewis Price in return.
 

Former Goalkeepers

Sorrry, Len...

RitchBee said:
Wot no Len Bond................:nono:
Click to expand...

Well, RitchBee, I did think he was quite good, but I would not personally put him in the same bracket as the others in my top list.If he had been a bit taller he may well have been a contender though...
 

Former Goalkeepers

North London Bee said:
Yes. He made a great pen save v Blackburn but I thought he was very short and dodgy otherwise.

I quite liked Jeremy Roberts who played a few games that season - remember him?

Keith Branagan was good on loan and Steve Sherwood was Player of the Year in 1974/5
Click to expand...

I must admit I had forgotten Roberts! On checking the records I can see that , as you say, he also played a few games that season( 1988/89)
He did concede 5 goals in his last game for us...
Sherwood was, indeed, Player of Year whilst on a season long loan from Chelsea . He had a great season and, as with Ben Hamer, he was very popular with Brentford fans.
 

Former Goalkeepers

GEOFFBEE said:
I must admit I had forgotten Roberts! On checking the records I can see that , as you say, he also played a few games that season( 1988/89)
He did concede 5 goals in his last game for us...
Sherwood was, indeed, Player of Year whilst on a season long loan from Chelsea . He had a great season and, as with Ben Hamer, he was very popular with Brentford fans.
Click to expand...

I wonder if we should have persevered with Alan Julian a bit longer.

I still think there is a decent keeper in there somewhere and that he will make it eventually
 

Former Goalkeepers

Alan Julian

North London Bee said:
I wonder if we should have persevered with Alan Julian a bit longer.

I still think there is a decent keeper in there somewhere and that he will make it eventually
Click to expand...

I agree NLB!
I liked the guy, and he was very enthusiastic indeed. But he was gutted when he was released. Had a great first few games for us, and was a superb shot-stopper.
Not great at coming out for crosses, but , having seen many young keepers , this was often a failing in their early days, and confidence and judgement often improved with experience. I guess Martin Allen did not wish to take that risk with him, during that relegation battle in MA's first season, and Stuart Nelson, being a couple of years older, just had the edge.
I think, and hope, that he will establish himself , but hope that he does not come back to haunt us when we play Gillingham!
 

Former Goalkeepers

GEOFFBEE said:
I agree NLB!
I liked the guy, and he was very enthusiastic indeed. But he was gutted when he was released. Had a great first few games for us, and was a superb shot-stopper.
Not great at coming out for crosses, but , having seen many young keepers , this was often a failing in their early days, and confidence and judgement often improved with experience. I guess Martin Allen did not wish to take that risk with him, during that relegation battle in MA's first season, and Stuart Nelson, being a couple of years older, just had the edge.
I think, and hope, that he will establish himself , but hope that he does not come back to haunt us when we play Gillingham!
Click to expand...

This might sound a bit strange but I also think that he was a bit too good looking and aware of it and needed to have had a few kicks in the head first
 

Former Goalkeepers

North London Bee said:
This might sound a bit strange but I also think that he was a bit too good looking and aware of it and needed to have had a few kicks in the head first
Click to expand...

Yep.You are quite right.
I suffer from the same problem...:(
 

Former Goalkeepers

Gordon Phillips was a good stopper.
Anyone remember Fred Ryecraft? - he definately ate all the pies.
I agree with many that have been mentioned. I tend to think that in most cases the quality of the keeper mirrors the quality of the teams that we have fielded.
 

Former Goalkeepers

Always thought Trevor Swinburne was much better than he got credit for but unfortunately he didn't stick around for very long.

Of those who were here for a decent spell I'd probably say Dave McKeller shades it for me.
 

Former Goalkeepers

Benstead
Smith
Hamer
Oli Gott

For me.
 

Former Goalkeepers

Can't believe nobody has mentioned Gordon Phillips who was in goal during the 71/72 promotion winning side! also Steve Phillips as well
 

Former Goalkeepers

no Michael Pollitt???
 

Former Goalkeepers

Found another couple for you Bill Glazier (cost us a goal at Man Utd) & Trevor Porter (anyone remember him)
 

Former Goalkeepers

Surprised only one person has mentioned Oli.

Hamer will be a top class keeper and was very good at the level we were last year. But, perhaps partly because he didn't have to be particularly outstanding, wouldn't get in my top 5.
 

Former Goalkeepers

I liked Trevor Porter, I think he cost all of £300 to replace Bond after his car crash. Did fine too.

Paul McCullough - say no more.
 

Former Goalkeepers

Found out while chatting to my neighbor Brian Gardiner last Saturday evening that he kept goal forn Brentford Reserves during Cakebreads tenure between the sticks - Never played for the first team though.
 

Former Goalkeepers

memories of paddy roche: great penalty saves at gp vs the mouths of bourne and ports. these ruined by his part in the gillingham 5 bees 3 fa cup tie which was my first away game.

of trevor swinburne: saving a pen at go in a late season relegation battle (v s c u n t h o r p e ?) but being flat footed vs liverpool.

of len bond: saving a pen at gp vs sheff utd then it being retaken? being the first keeper i saw so being gutted when he went down to exeter and then seeing him being stretchered off when he returned with them.

i thought dearden was good for a porker, gary phillips similarly.

benstead had that 'great saves' season and probably shades being my no1 no1 just for being between the sticks in 92.

mckellar looked good cos he followed mccullough.

paul priddy looked about 125 years old when i saw him in his last bees spell.

steve sherwood always looked good at watford so not surprised he did well but before my time.

i wish we had pursued petar borota as he only played pre-season friendlies and was a pre-grobbelaar crazyman!

the worst... ashley bayes. can't believe he made a career out of professional football. many catastrophic clangers for us.
 

Former Goalkeepers

Oli is mine. Jason Pearcey was quality just a shame about injuries.
 

Former Goalkeepers

McKellar by a long way for me. Don't think we have had that many quality keepers during my time. Bond, Benstead, Brodie and Oli would make up my top 5. There have been quite a few who were never up to it.
 

Former Goalkeepers

Best of my time

Brodie - so calm and dependable

Sherwood - top class

McKellar - similar to Chic but unflappable and technically excellent

Benstead - great shot stopper but had faults

Peyton/Sucking/Pollitt/Hamer - top class loanees

Smith - such promise

Worst

Garry Tawse - thankfully forgotten

Priddy - fell away after great start

McCullough/Bayes/Fernandes/Julian - totally out of their depth

Borota/Roche - inconsistent rubbish

Swinburne/Glazier - over the hill but not far enough away!

Smeulders - fatty

Parks - my bete noir - awful, awful

Woodman - really poor given his credentials
 

Former Goalkeepers

That amazing safe from Trevor Porter

Anyone remember Trevor Porter?
He had a brief run in goal for us at the start of 1978/9, when Len Bond, and Len's 'understudy' Graham Cox were both injured.
I would not put him up there with the Cakebreads and the Smiths but he did make one absolutely stunning save late in the game, to keep out a 'cert' goal in the dying moments of a 1-0 home victory.
I think it was against Hull City( but please correct me if I am wrong!)
Some of us, at the time, thought it was as good as that legendary Gordon Banks' save against Pele!
 

Former Goalkeepers

GEOFFBEE said:
Anyone remember Trevor Porter?
He had a brief run in goal for us at the start of 1978/9, when Len Bond, and Len's 'understudy' Graham Cox were both injured.
I would not put him up there with the Cakebreads and the Smiths but he did make one absolutely stunning save late in the game, to keep out a 'cert' goal in the dying moments of a 1-0 home victory.
I think it was against Hull City( but please correct me if I am wrong!)
Some of us, at the time, thought it was as good as that legendary Gordon Banks' save against Pele!
Click to expand...

See Post 26!!:wave:
 

Former Goalkeepers

What about . . .

Colin Scott
John Power
Wilf Agbonavbare
Dean Williams
Jimmy Glass

Other to of appeared in goal . . .

Paul Shrubb
Gary Blissett
John Mousinho
Keith Cassells (not Brentford though)
 

Former Goalkeepers

Mel Scott

Sultan said:
What about . . .

Colin Scott
John Power
Wilf Agbonavbare
Dean Williams
Jimmy Glass

Other to of appeared in goal . . .

Paul Shrubb
Gary Blissett
John Mousinho
Keith Cassells (not Brentford though)
Click to expand...
Blimey!
Well done!
Do any others on here recall Mel Scott keeping goal against Oxford Utd in Feb 1966? Chic Brodie went off injured, and Mel donned the green jersey with Brentford losing 1-0. Amazingly we turned things round and went on to win 5-1!
 

Former Goalkeepers

Also Stuart Mackenzie had a trial and played in a testimonial match? He played locally for Hounslow, Southall, Yeading and had a very good non-league career.

Add to the list

Richard Key (2 Spells?)
 

Former Goalkeepers

Anyone remember Joe the goalie?

Right then.
Here is a really tough one.
Joe McCowliff ( honestly, that was his name!)
He was a chirpy lad from the notorious 'Isleworth Estate' who graduated through the juniors into the reserves, in the very early 1960's.
He was rather good, but never got into the first-team( Gerry Cakebread was still going strong).I recall seeing his debut for the reserves, and I particularly remember George Francis shouting encoragement after Joe had made a good save.Peter Gelson was also playing that day, and was starting to show his potential.
Are there any other sad old-timers on here who remember seeing him play for th juniors or reserves?
 

Former Goalkeepers

GEOFFBEE said:
Blimey!
Well done!
Do any others on here recall Mel Scott keeping goal against Oxford Utd in Feb 1966? Chic Brodie went off injured, and Mel donned the green jersey with Brentford losing 1-0. Amazingly we turned things round and went on to win 5-1!
Click to expand...

That seems vaguely familiar, i remember Mel Scott going in goal in one game though i could not be sure about the rest
 

Former Goalkeepers

GEOFFBEE said:
Blimey!
Well done!
Do any others on here recall Mel Scott keeping goal against Oxford Utd in Feb 1966? Chic Brodie went off injured, and Mel donned the green jersey with Brentford losing 1-0. Amazingly we turned things round and went on to win 5-1!
Click to expand...

With 1 goal coming direct from a corner.....?
 

Former Goalkeepers

Sultan said:
What about . . .

Colin Scott

Wilf Agbonavbare
Click to expand...

Colin Scott was a statue. :nono: Ruined my only trip to Fellows Park.

My cat (RIP) was named Wilfred after Mr. Agbonavbare. He was registered under his full name at the vets. :sorted:

The poor chap used to get the 267 back to somewhere near the Ivybridge. :eek: I never saw him popping in the Harlequin for a pint. :confused:

Apparently he is still owed money by a couple of our former players.:rolleyes:
 
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Former Goalkeepers

Sultan said:
Also Stuart Mackenzie had a trial and played in a testimonial match? He played locally for Hounslow, Southall, Yeading and had a very good non-league career.

Add to the list

Richard Key (2 Spells?)
Click to expand...

pretty sure MacKenzie played against Chelsea in a testimonial which I seem to remember being a bit of a goal-fest with kerry dixon scoring. he was on trial from hounslow at the time. think it was physio eddie lyons testimonial which research now tells me was in may 1984. this seems about right.
 

Former Goalkeepers

Sultan said:
What about . . .

Colin Scott
John Power
Wilf Agbonavbare
Dean Williams
Jimmy Glass

Other to of appeared in goal . . .

Paul Shrubb
Gary Blissett
John Mousinho
Keith Cassells (not Brentford though)
Click to expand...
 

Former Goalkeepers

colin scott - on loan from glasgow rangers?
power - was he a ginge?
wilfred - big guy wasn't he?
'there's only two dean williams'
jimmy glass should have retired the day he scored for carlisle. he was never gonna top that.
 

Former Goalkeepers

GEOFFBEE said:
Anyone remember Trevor Porter?
He had a brief run in goal for us at the start of 1978/9, when Len Bond, and Len's 'understudy' Graham Cox were both injured.
I would not put him up there with the Cakebreads and the Smiths but he did make one absolutely stunning save late in the game, to keep out a 'cert' goal in the dying moments of a 1-0 home victory.
I think it was against Hull City( but please correct me if I am wrong!)
Some of us, at the time, thought it was as good as that legendary Gordon Banks' save against Pele!
Click to expand...

i seem to remember porter had a run in the team around the time a booker hatrick helped us beat hull 7-2.
 
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