Who was our best Keeper?

In my time (since 86).

1. Schwarzer
2. Pears
3. Randolph

They stand out a mile but the following have impressed over brief periods, Crossley, Given, Ikeme.
 
Twelve seasons with us during the most successful period of the clubs history, if we had got him earlier in the 96/97 season we wouldn't have went down. Five good seasons in the prem after we let him go and four seasons after that as back up with Chelsea and Leicester.

One of the best goalkeepers to play in the premier league.
 
When Schwarzer first signed for us it was like a keeper from another planet had arrived. I’ve been watching since early Jim Platt years and Schwarzer is by far the best keeper we have had.
The only debate is who is the 2nd best.
Schwarzer also played nearly all his games for us a the top level and continued playing at the top level when he left.
Pears for example whilst a good keeper played the vast majority of his games in the 2nd level and in my opinion looked a bit out of his depth in the top level.
 
Heart says Pears. Head says Schwarzer.

But if Pears had been a few inches taller I think he'd have it. He always seemed a bit small for a keeper. Loved them both and never understood the criticism Schwarzer got.

Didn't see enough of Platt to compare fairly.
 
between 3 as most said above , with Randolph trailing.... no others even come close to these 4

top for me has to be Jim Platt - all round consistant, very very comanding and a very safe pair of hands. Ultra brave... Pears second - sometimes a tad slow , and Schwarzer third...
 
For sheer consitency has to be Jim Platt?
Don't ever recall him making the howlers you see the so called elite keepers make nowadays.
His only downfall was I never thought he was that good at saving penalties.
I loved Platty - was the No 1 when I first started going, but for an all round shot stopper who could command his area too it has to be the big Aussie for me as the best I’ve seen in a Boro shirt


🐔
 
I‘d go for Jim Platt too, in terms of my favourite Boro keeper.

Arguably the best Keeper we’ve had is Victor Valdes, 8 Spanish cup wins, 3 Champions League wins and 6 league titles aren’t to be sneezed at.
 
I‘d go for Jim Platt too, in terms of my favourite Boro keeper.

Arguably the best Keeper we’ve had is Victor Valdes, 8 Spanish cup wins, 3 Champions League wins and 6 league titles aren’t to be sneezed at.
Maybe not, it could have been Tim Williamson - over 600 league and cup games - 563 league - but what is even more stunning is that he played either side of WW1 - how many appearances might/would he have played but for losing 4 full seasons of his career to war?!
Capped for England 7 times - but unfortunately scored an own goal on his England debut that was at Ayresome Park.
I love this detail about him.
"And in moments to give his managers heart failure, he would often deftly sidestep his opponent, lob the ball over him and run around the player to catch the ball."
Sounds like he might have fit into the modern keeper/sweeper game.
https://www.mfc.co.uk/Williamson
 

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Not old enough to see Jim Platt. Loved Steve Pears but I think the Aussie shaded it. That extra couple of inches makes a difference. Well for goalkeepers that is!
 
I reckon goalkeeper is definitely a position that can only be judged within an era. Tim Williamson would have played a very different game to Rolando Ugolini - though both were well under 6ft - hence Tiny Tim Williamson. It was a very physical game in Ugolini's day. There was no charging the keeper in Jim Platt's day. Stephen Pears played when keepers were all starting to wear gloves and the back pass law changed towards the end of his time. By the time of Mark Schwarzer a goalkeeper was already starting to be judged more for his distribution, people criticised Schwarzer as opposed to Crossley and yet surely his prime job was to keep the ball out of the net.
Dimi had a phenomenal record in the promotion campaign. I wonder if in the same way people would talk about Jack Charlton's back four but leave out Jim Platt whether people forget how good the last line of our defence was for Dimi's tenure?
 
I reckon goalkeeper is definitely a position that can only be judged within an era. Tim Williamson would have played a very different game to Rolando Ugolini - though both were well under 6ft - hence Tiny Tim Williamson. It was a very physical game in Ugolini's day. There was no charging the keeper in Jim Platt's day. Stephen Pears played when keepers were all starting to wear gloves and the back pass law changed towards the end of his time. By the time of Mark Schwarzer a goalkeeper was already starting to be judged more for his distribution, people criticised Schwarzer as opposed to Crossley and yet surely his prime job was to keep the ball out of the net.
Dimi had a phenomenal record in the promotion campaign. I wonder if in the same way people would talk about Jack Charlton's back four but leave out Jim Platt whether people forget how good the last line of our defence was for Dimi's tenure?

Who on earth leaves out Platt when talking about Charlton's team?
 
I reckon goalkeeper is definitely a position that can only be judged within an era. Tim Williamson would have played a very different game to Rolando Ugolini - though both were well under 6ft - hence Tiny Tim Williamson. It was a very physical game in Ugolini's day. There was no charging the keeper in Jim Platt's day. Stephen Pears played when keepers were all starting to wear gloves and the back pass law changed towards the end of his time. By the time of Mark Schwarzer a goalkeeper was already starting to be judged more for his distribution, people criticised Schwarzer as opposed to Crossley and yet surely his prime job was to keep the ball out of the net.
Dimi had a phenomenal record in the promotion campaign. I wonder if in the same way people would talk about Jack Charlton's back four but leave out Jim Platt whether people forget how good the last line of our defence was for Dimi's tenure?
To be fair, Dimi was an average keeper behind a very good defence
 
Pears for example whilst a good keeper played the vast majority of his games in the 2nd level and in my opinion looked a bit out of his depth in the top level.
That's probably a fair point. He was too small for the top flight, from corners in particular he struggled. Absolute boss at 1 vs 1s and shot stopping though. But I do remember a lot of goals against him, 136 goals in his 2 seasons in the top flight. He made some decent saves but his shot stopping dropped dramatically.

Derby cost us the game with a weak punch 3:20
Spurs low tap in, reactions were slow for a shot really close to his feet 7:00
Spurs loses out to the striker in the air 7:40
Coventry away speedie header, near his feet again and failed to get down or use foot to block 9:00
Coventry 19:00 indecision coming for a cross
Cascarino 26 mins, didn't cover near post for shot
Andy Grey 33mins from 30 yards, should have saved it...you can go on.

If this video isn't evidence that Pears simply wasn't at the same level as Schwarzer I don't know what is, the big aussie would have saved plenty of these....and I was a big fan of Pears but it clearly isn't even close. I think people are confusing like-ability with ability.

 
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