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Post by imallstokedup on Jun 30, 2009 20:33:24 GMT
Before my time, was he any good ?
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Post by swampySCFC on Jun 30, 2009 20:36:21 GMT
Always played second fiddle to Banks and Shilton so we never saw him for prolongued periods. Dont think he ever let us down
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Post by werrington on Jun 30, 2009 20:38:50 GMT
Certainly was and was very unfortunate for him that we broke the world record transfer fee for a goalkeeper whan we signed Shilton!!...
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Post by sutekh on Jun 30, 2009 20:40:14 GMT
Excellent keeper imo,would have been first choice at most clubs but we had the worlds no1 at the time. And i had his autograph as a kid
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Post by banburypotter on Jun 30, 2009 20:41:18 GMT
i never recall him failing us when called upon, must have been frustrating for him being second fiddle to banks and then shilts
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Post by JoeinOz on Jun 30, 2009 20:42:49 GMT
Farmer was a good keeper. If the Shilton money had gone on a replacement for Richie we'd have done better.
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Post by torgaustokie on Jun 30, 2009 20:42:54 GMT
should have stuck with farmer and not got shilton
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d4zza
Spectator
Posts: 39
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Post by d4zza on Jun 30, 2009 20:43:24 GMT
anyone remember the pontins holidays that football clubs used to have, i stayed in the chalet next to john farmer when we went to southport( think it was that one ) had a kick around with him
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Post by JoeinOz on Jun 30, 2009 20:45:41 GMT
Pontins at Southport! Do you think any of todays top flight players go Pontins on holiday?
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Post by victoriaboothenboy on Jun 30, 2009 20:47:33 GMT
When very young (18?) he dropped a major bollock at Old trafford which affected his confidence. On his day he was magnificent - dont think Waddo ever really trusted him, he wanted the best keeper around.Hence Banks,Shilton. In todays climate Farmer would have got out on loan to gain experience - wasnt an option then though
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d4zza
Spectator
Posts: 39
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Post by d4zza on Jun 30, 2009 20:49:34 GMT
garth crooks went to pontins once!!!! only just a youngster then,also kevin sheldon. dont remember any others. happy times maybe it was kevin lewis and not sheldon, my memory is fading fast....who am i?
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Post by lawrieleslie on Jun 30, 2009 21:22:47 GMT
John Farmer was a couple of years ahead of me at Wooly Grammar in 60s. An excellent basketball player who was scouted for Stoke while playing basketball for the county. After Lawrie Leslie left, we were in desperate need of a decent goalie and we had a couple of fiascos prior to Farmer signing including the disasterous Bobby Irvine and the Swedish goalie Larsson who we played on trial and got fined because he wasn't registered even though the game was a friendly against Rangers. Wolstanton was a rugby playing school in them days so makes his achievement even greater. His older brother also went same school and was a good cricketer. He made his debut at home against arsenic in 65-66 which we lost 3-1. Remember him playing a blinder at home to Man Utd when he saved point blank at Bobby Charltons feet score ended 2-2. He also saved a Jimmy Greaves penalty at home conner remember score though. Farmer was a decent goalie rumour has it that Setters didn't like him and this broke his confidence. Waddo bought Banksie and then Shilton so Farmer spent most of his career as understudy. He was picked for England U-23 in early career. After playing 160 games for us in 10 seasons Farmer went to Leicester for a season only playing a handful of games. He managed Northwich Vic for a few seasons dunner know where he is now.
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devsad
Academy Starlet
Posts: 213
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Post by devsad on Jun 30, 2009 21:31:43 GMT
Although there were high hopes for him I must admit after a while I never rated him.
Think it was a confidence problem with him and I think the crowd lost confidence in him as well. I have a distinct memory of one match where you were worried every time the other team crossed the half way line because it seemed any type of attempt on goal might beat him.
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Post by march4 on Jun 30, 2009 21:59:45 GMT
I spoke to John Farmer about his career a few years ago. He felt he probably could have made more of his talent, but for all that I thought he was a decent keeper. He was a good back up and stayed loyal in spite of big name signings replacing him.
He did have the odd lapse of concentration though and I'm pretty sure that those of you who thought Waddo never trusted him are correct. The last time I saw him he was a rep for a company that sold crisps.
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Post by maine on Jun 30, 2009 22:03:08 GMT
Totally agree with Torgaustokie. Shilton was unnecessary. Remember at the time Waddington saying Stoke had the best keeper and the best young keeper. Forest I think said the same when they bought Shilton. Two potentially great players, Farmer and Chris Woods , had their careers at least stalled by having to play second fiddle. Maybe the same will happen to Foster?
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Post by AlliG on Jun 30, 2009 22:21:10 GMT
Like most young keepers (and he was only 18 when he first established himself in the 1st team) his confidence was a bit fragile. He was still only 20 when Banks signed and it must have been pretty daunting having to step into his shoes on occasions. But in the end his biggest problem was injury.
There were a number of occasions when Banks was unfit and he was unable to step in because he too was injured.
In 1969, Banks broke a finger and Farmer had a chance to play for a month. In his first game at Everton, he got injured, Denis ended up in goal and we went and brought in Harry Dowd until Banks was fit again.
Even when Banks had his car crash we had to go out and buy Mike McDonald because Farmer was injured.
I think he was only about 28 when he retired due, i think, to a persistent thigh injury
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Post by johnfarmersmum on Jun 30, 2009 22:40:35 GMT
The Boy did well !
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Post by stokienorthants on Jun 30, 2009 23:11:42 GMT
Thought that he was a wonderful keeper who played for England under 23's. Seem to remember he was at the club at the same time as Paul Shardlow who died tragically young from a heart attack at the training ground.
Far better than the current crop and saved a penalty against Arsenal away which Nick Hornby got wrong in his novel Fever Pitch who said that Gordon Banks made the save.
Always thought that I should write to him to point this out but hey if that's all I've got to worry about life ain't so bad.
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Post by cheadlestokie on Jul 1, 2009 0:16:07 GMT
He did not save 1 penalty from Jimmy Greaves - he saved 2,in the same match. One inside the left hand post and the other inside the right hand post. I think Stoke won 2-1? His confidence was wrecked by Maurice Setters continually keeping on at him.A potentially great goalkeeper spoilt by an aging pro whose legs had long gone and who was looking for excuses for some of his performances.
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Post by lawrieleslie on Jul 1, 2009 6:32:37 GMT
Cheers for the correction cheadle. I was at the game and can only remember the one penalty though. Glad somebody else recalls the Setters slant on John Farmers confidence!!
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Post by mica on Jul 1, 2009 7:41:42 GMT
If memory serves, not only did he end up understudy to Banks, he and the aforementioned Paul Shardlow used to alternate as reserve team goalie. You can see him in action in some of the SidStokie videos (playing well and then letting in a soft goal vs Leeds, which is perhaps a reflection on his youthfulness).
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Post by youareallwrong on Jul 1, 2009 8:14:44 GMT
He also played cricket with his brother for Knypersley, knew him quite well. I always thought he was shat on by Stoke and I wish we'd never bought that loser Shilton, who probably cost us more points over his career than John, and was just as likely to have a mare. Treated very unfairly, I always thought, but he probably did have more than his fair share of injuries.
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Post by u2oxeterstokie on Jul 1, 2009 8:19:48 GMT
I don't think Stoke shat on Farmer at all. The fact is we had better goalkeepers than him. Given the choice in what order would you put the following?
Farmer Banks Shilton
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Post by march4 on Jul 1, 2009 9:28:17 GMT
I don't think Stoke shat on Farmer at all. The fact is we had better goalkeepers than him. Given the choice in what order would you put the following? Farmer Banks Shilton Shilton played so badly for us that Farmer was probably the better keeper for Stoke. Shilton decided he wanted to be sweeper and goalkeeper and insisted the centre backs pushed up so he could 'sweep' up behind them. We conceded so many goals on the break it got to be ridiculous. When Shilton went to Forest, Cloughie put a stop to this sweeper nonsense.
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Post by hamburgpotter on Jul 1, 2009 9:29:01 GMT
Lawreyleslie, I was a Wooly Grammar boy, and I didnt know John Farmer went there, mind you I was 72 to 76 so probably way before my time. A very underated goalie in my eyes, could always be relied on when asked to . Does anybody know what he,s doing now ?
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Post by u2oxeterstokie on Jul 1, 2009 9:32:34 GMT
Shilts was good enough for 125 England caps and only left Stoke when we were relegated in 77.
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Post by lancer on Jul 1, 2009 11:12:13 GMT
Farmer was a great young goalie, with a good future in front of him at Stoke, until we signed Banksie. Farmer played dome great games, but unfortuately, his confidence was ruined when we signed Maurice Setters. Setters was a very good player, but he didn't care for Farmer, and was constantly criticising him.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2009 13:13:17 GMT
Shilton only played 125 gasmes for England because of Banksies injury which ended his playing career and then Clemence decided to retire from the international scene about 5 years too early after letting that goal against Scotland through his legs. Otherwise SHilton would have played about 70 games
And Shilton should never have played for Englandd again after been outjumped by a man of 5'1" (Maradona) in 1986. At the time Woods and Beasant were far better. Shilton eneded up being the flying pig.
As for Farmer he should have been first choice keeper after Banks accident. I liked Farmer and Nash or Simmo kinda in a way remind me of him
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Post by jonnynico on Jul 1, 2009 15:12:16 GMT
i thought farmer was as good as shilton, we also had another good keeper in paul shardlow who died very young.
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Post by Roy Cropper on Jul 1, 2009 15:14:20 GMT
Put it this way: Shilton was a waste of fucking money imo. We needed a new Striker and splashed out on a 'keeper past his prime.
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