Worst clapped out keeper: "Big Joe" or "Big Nev ?

[Gods]

The near-miss on the signing of a 39 year old David James got me thinking about clapped out keepers we have signed in the past.

Both Joe Corrigan and Neville Southall were well past there "best-by" dates when they enjoyed cameos with us in the 80's and 90's.

A 36 year old "Big Joe" played 9 games for us in the 1984/85 Bill Asprey melt-down season where we finished rock bottom of Division 1 with a record breaking 17 points. Joe may have been 36 but played more like he was 56 getting down to the ball like a felled tree.

"Big Nev" played 12 games for us during the debacle that was the 97/98 Bates/Kamara relegation to the 3rd flight season. I don't know how old he was but I remember reading he was the 3rd oldest player to play for Stoke. He must also have been the fattest player ever to play for Stoke topping the scales at about 25 stone.

Both keepers were brought in in desperation at the end of desperate seasons, both were full internationals, but who was worse !?

[mermaidsal]

It's a close thing but Nev was worse, both were totally shot by the time we got them though.

[Billy the kid]

I still have nightmares about big nev and his fat arse infront of the boothen, desperate times and desperate measures and all.

[AlliG]

I think the fact that one looked terrible in the 1st Division and the other looked terrible in the 2nd Division might help make the decision.

Corrigan put in a great performance on his debut at home to Liverpool. Unfortunately it was all downhill from there and the regular picking of the ball out of the net finished off his rather dodgy back.

The wheels really came off that season once Corrigan had left. We had 11 points at the time and were heading for the respectability of 20+ points.

Joe played in goal for the 2-1 Boxing Day win against Man Ure and for that reason alone he had to be better than Fat Nev.

[Davef]

I was going to give a mention to Barry Siddall, but having just looked him up on Wikipedia, I was surprised to see that he was just 31 when he joined us in 1985!

God knows what he looks like now, he looked about 60 then.

[frank63]

big Nev shot doesent quite sum it up

[pejic]

Jan 15, 2010 19:45:47 GMT Davef said:

I was going to give a mention to Barry Siddall, but having just looked him up on Wikipedia, I was surprised to see that he was just 31 when he joined us in 1985!

God knows what he looks like now, he looked about 60 then.

As soon as i saw this thread i thought of Siddall straightaway.His fresh air kick to allow Crooks to score the winner is still the worst goalkeeping mistake i've seen from a stoke 'keeper.

[Gods]

Jan 15, 2010 19:45:47 GMT Davef said:

I was going to give a mention to Barry Siddall, but having just looked him up on Wikipedia, I was surprised to see that he was just 31 when he joined us in 1985!

God knows what he looks like now, he looked about 60 then.

"Barry Siddall" that's a great shout. He was only 31, seriously ?!

[5ManBack4]

Gordon Marshall and Tony Parks,Lou was never great at spotting a really shit goalkeeper.

[AlliG]

Gordon Marshall and Tony Parks,Lou was never great at spotting a really shit goalkeeper.

To be clapped out and over the hill, you have to have made it up the hill in the first place.

Marshall and Parks never made it from the car park by the pub in the valley below the foothills of adequacy in the shadow of the hill of competence beneath the mountain of greatness.

As such they surely don't qualify for this thread.

[pejic]

I thought Lou signed one of the better 'keepers who should have stayed with us.After his loan spell Jason Kearton's career never really recovered.But then again going to Crewe after playing for Stoke has always been a downwards move.

[pretzel]

I'm sorry but you can't mention Tony Parks' time at Stoke without reference to the equally 'capable' Brian Horne

*shakes head* oh dear oh dear oh dear

[pulismaskreplica]

My good god - Fat Nev!!!!!!!!!!!!

I remember that season - shudder~~~~~~~

I had a season ticket on row 4 of the Boothen behind the goals.

Stoke fans had taken to piss-taking our own players due to us being completely awful and dreadful - (Paul Stewart, Marco Gabbiadini to name 2 others that were well past their sell by date)

I remember one guy yelling at Southall to move his fcukin fat arse out of the way so we could see the game ;D

Southall turned round, shook his head and rubbed more vaseline into his kisser - ;D

[stokemark]

Im suprised Joe Corrigan was only 36 which is no great age for a keeper

And as for Barry Siddall - Shocking

A remember Eric Mcmanus ? Only played 4 games for Stoke over the course of 3 years.

[march4]

Big Joe played OK.

The less said about Big Nev the better.

[Deleted]

Doesn't Dig Nev still work at the club? I am sure he does.

[calgarystoker]

Havnt thought of the 84season for a long time but we actually had 5 different keepers in that season all 5 together wouldnt of stopped the ball hittin the back of the net ,worse than old man joe or the ray reardon look a like barry sidall was that coal mercheants son from wem or somewhere like that he looked like hed got a bag of coal on his back when he jumped for the ball poor foxy he was cripled with his back ,im sure if he would of taken a few co codermols before the kickoff he would been able to play .....

[wrighter]

Remember Chelsea away.
Corrigan played a blinder in 0-0 draw

Big Nev............. please im not going there

[lordb]

Joe played in the worst Stoke side of all time & yet results improved with him in goal.Yes he struggled to get his frame down to the ground quick enough however he still had a calming influence.

Nev was the worlds greatest keeper at Everton but was a pub player by the time he played for us
he still made 1 or two top saves but the abiding memory is him waddling out & failing to cut out the ball in one & one's.

[landofhopeandglory]

bracewell when he went in against luton,no its got to be barry siddal