Brilliant article David, such impressive research and writing. Thank you for the analysis but more important, for the memories. It’s a shame that you didn’t see Alan Hodgkinson. Hodgy was the best Blades keeper by a long way.
Great work David. With the top two, it’s going to be a constant debate for the rest of our lives I imagine unless someone like Cooper stays for 10 years of superb keeping.
Kelly is #1 for me, but this is the type of debate where you totally get why Tracey is top for plenty of fans. Part of that might be down to the age I can put my 1st strong United memories from – Mel Rees’s performance vs Liverpool is the first game I can remember being at and being utterly amazed by a keeper’s performance.
For the years after 1992, I always felt Kelly was simply the keeper that all things being even I wanted to see in goal between the two. Tracey was the one we’d loan out from time to time, and I can’t remember if Tracey’s spell in goal under Spackman was because of a contract issue or still suffering the injury from the playoff semi, but it always felt that managers also preferred Kelly whenever available. I was maybe more gutted by his sale than the Deane/Fjortoft sales – genuinely thought he’d finish his career with us. There is something admittedly quite nice about the fact that Tracey despite everything seemed to keep coming back though.
As some extra stats to support the Tracey #1 argument though, years ago when this debate on S2 came up I thought I’d look at points per game with both. I was surprised that Tracey came up on top.
Top tier
Tracey P83 W29 D18 L36 (1.26 ppg)
Kelly P61 W16 D20 L25 (1.12 ppg)
2nd tier
Tracey P242 W96 D70 L76 (1.48 ppg)
Kelly P154 W55 D54 L45 PPS (1.42 ppg)
*caveat: I’ve just lifted these off that post from years ago without checking, and tbh they might not have even been accurate at the time I originally looked into it!
I never saw some of these keepers play, so will trust your ratings, with Tracey seeming the deserved winner – 15 years for one club (and 114 clean sheets!) is outstanding by itself.
It's been phenomenal research on your part, and I especially enjoyed reading the mix of facts, dates, scores and the tables & statistics at the end, along with your own opinions and memories.
(Dean Henderson – I can't watch him without smiling. Such confidence, yet no arrogance. Truly a players', fans' and club favourite.)
Thank you so much for this all this insight and evaluation – very impressive.
Sue.
PS. Must mention the John Burridge warm-up – amazing!
Unfortunately he didn't make it as this series is focussed on our keepers from the last 40 years. He's certainly at the top of the tree if we ever broaden this to our all-time custodians! Hodgy gets a glowing reference in part one of the series here: https://www.thepinch.uk/p/sheffield-united-greatest-goalkeepers
An epic read Deadbat that I thoroughly enjoyed. Well played sir
What an amazing piece of work David. Very robust analysis and great to see Trace in his rightful place as No 1
Brilliant article David, such impressive research and writing. Thank you for the analysis but more important, for the memories. It’s a shame that you didn’t see Alan Hodgkinson. Hodgy was the best Blades keeper by a long way.
Great work David. With the top two, it’s going to be a constant debate for the rest of our lives I imagine unless someone like Cooper stays for 10 years of superb keeping.
Kelly is #1 for me, but this is the type of debate where you totally get why Tracey is top for plenty of fans. Part of that might be down to the age I can put my 1st strong United memories from – Mel Rees’s performance vs Liverpool is the first game I can remember being at and being utterly amazed by a keeper’s performance.
For the years after 1992, I always felt Kelly was simply the keeper that all things being even I wanted to see in goal between the two. Tracey was the one we’d loan out from time to time, and I can’t remember if Tracey’s spell in goal under Spackman was because of a contract issue or still suffering the injury from the playoff semi, but it always felt that managers also preferred Kelly whenever available. I was maybe more gutted by his sale than the Deane/Fjortoft sales – genuinely thought he’d finish his career with us. There is something admittedly quite nice about the fact that Tracey despite everything seemed to keep coming back though.
As some extra stats to support the Tracey #1 argument though, years ago when this debate on S2 came up I thought I’d look at points per game with both. I was surprised that Tracey came up on top.
Top tier
Tracey P83 W29 D18 L36 (1.26 ppg)
Kelly P61 W16 D20 L25 (1.12 ppg)
2nd tier
Tracey P242 W96 D70 L76 (1.48 ppg)
Kelly P154 W55 D54 L45 PPS (1.42 ppg)
*caveat: I’ve just lifted these off that post from years ago without checking, and tbh they might not have even been accurate at the time I originally looked into it!
Thank you for this series, David
I never saw some of these keepers play, so will trust your ratings, with Tracey seeming the deserved winner – 15 years for one club (and 114 clean sheets!) is outstanding by itself.
It's been phenomenal research on your part, and I especially enjoyed reading the mix of facts, dates, scores and the tables & statistics at the end, along with your own opinions and memories.
(Dean Henderson – I can't watch him without smiling. Such confidence, yet no arrogance. Truly a players', fans' and club favourite.)
Thank you so much for this all this insight and evaluation – very impressive.
Sue.
PS. Must mention the John Burridge warm-up – amazing!
Limited games but he'd be in the top 10 already and another season or so easily around the top 5, if his form continues
Great article Deadbat! Out of interest, if you were to rank Cooper in the list as of today, where would you have him?
Can’t see Alan Hodgkinson in there?
Unfortunately he didn't make it as this series is focussed on our keepers from the last 40 years. He's certainly at the top of the tree if we ever broaden this to our all-time custodians! Hodgy gets a glowing reference in part one of the series here: https://www.thepinch.uk/p/sheffield-united-greatest-goalkeepers