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Let's see how much we can ring out of this theme

BEST
1. Bobby Olejnik
2. John Turner
3. Vince O'Keefe
4. Kenny Veysey (1st spell)
5. Michael Poke

Kenny Allen deserves a special mention but to be honest he scared the hell out of me.

WORST
1. Jeremy Judd
2. Tony Fowler
3. Matthew Lowe
4. Martin Rice
5.Ashley Bayes

The worst 5 are easy for me:

Jamie Attwell
Paul Jarvie
Ole Gottskalksson
Mikkel Andersson
Simon Rayner

and I've only really been interested since 01, so I'm sure there are plenty more!

My faves since I've been watching, no particular order -

Bobby Olejnik
Neville Southall
Gareth Howells
Kenny Veysey
Kevin Dearden

mcgull1 wrote:My faves since I've been watching, no particular order -

Bobby Olejnik
Neville Southall
Gareth Howells
Kenny Veysey
Kevin Dearden

I forgot about Southall, as he would have been in my list. Deardon and also Van Huesden were decent too.

As for worst keepers there can be only ONE real candidate: Mark Coombe. Special mention: Kenny Allen (but as a previous contributor says, I wouldn't like to meet him on a dark night).
For the best: Terry Adlington, Neville Southall, Gary McGuire, Mike Mahoney, Andy Donnelly, John Dunn. If I had to maker a choice from this excellent batch I would say Terry Adlington.

Was Dearden the short tubby guy? -edit- google images answered that, he was the poor keeper I was thinking of.

Wivelgull - For the best: Terry Adlington, Neville Southall, Gary McGuire, Mike Mahoney, Andy Donnelly, John Dunn. If I had to maker a choice from this excellent batch I would say Terry Adlington

Ah, you've stirred a few memories with this thread, Hector. Over the years, we have had some great 'keepers. I go along with wivelgull's choice of Terry Adlington as the best. My top five would be -
1. Terry Adlington
2. Mike Mahoney (went on to play for Newcastle)
3. Neville Southall
4. John Turner
5 = Bobby Olejnik
5 = Peter Wakeham (local lad - went on to play for Sunderland)
5 = Gareth Howells
5 = Gary McGuire
5 = Mervyn Gill
5 = John Dunn
Yeah, yeah - I know that's 11 but it's hard to leave any of them out. Michael Poke should also be included really, but 12 would be stretching it a bit. GARY MC.GUIRE !!! Well remembered wivelgull. I seem to recall he arrived at Plainmoor from Australia unannounced asking for a trial. He played in O'Farrell's promotion team in the sixties. I thought he only played a handful of games due to Adlington picking up a hand injury but looking up his player profile, he played 32 games. I thought he was Australian but apparently he was a Yorkie who went to play in Australia for a while. Torquay was his only league club and he left rather abruptly at the end of the season. The rumour was that, allegedly, he didn't arrive down for breakfast after an away game and, allegedly, when someone was sent to wake him up, he was, allegedly, found in bed with a chambermaid !! Frank O'Farrell was a fairly strong disciplinarian so Gary had to go !! Brilliant keeper during his short stay at Plainmoor.

I never saw any of your top 4 Tomo (bar Nev once and I didn't think he was all that), however I have seen Bobby on a few occasions, and he was by far one of the best keepers I have seen for the club - your top four must have been AMAZING!!!!

Yep - they were amazing, Scott. But memory comes with rose-tinted glasses ...... !!

Louis Higgins wrote:Was Dearden the short tubby guy? -edit- google images answered that, he was the poor keeper I was thinking of.

I liked Kevin Dearden although towards the end of his career he struggled. He was in a crud side and we went through a host of different rubbish keepers.

Andersen was the worst I've seen, for the big build up I got from my Reading mates, he played 3 games conceeded 5 goals and was at fault for 4 of them.

Surprised not to have seen any mention of Bertrand Bossu for worst keeper! Came on loan in 2004, played two games, conceded four games, and promptly left! One of his games was a home game against Hull which we lost 0-3, which I do remember being at and thinking how hopeless he was. Gillingham, who he was on loan from, even threatened some legal action over unpaid wages I believe.

In terms of best keeper, we've had some good ones since I started in 1997. Matt Gregg and Kenny Veysey had their moments, as did Kevin Dearden and Arjan Van Heusden, and of course more recently Pokey and Olejnik must be up there. But for me, there is only one winner. Neville Southall. Just brilliant during that season, and, for me, the best I've seen in a (admittedly XXXXL) Torquay kit.

loved watching big nev, he seemed to really enjoy his time here, until wes saunders for some reason pushed him out. the fans loved him.

i remember in one of his early games he had a stormer, saved 2 pens i think and made some good saves, i think we won 3.2. he also did his party piece of coming out and plucking the ball out of the air with one hand with a style, ease and panache other keepers dont have.

i remember late in the game the ball needed retrieving from near the popside, nev ran over to fetch it and the pop cheered loudly whilst all giving it the .

even my missus went to a few games back then, nev was her favourite. she had watched him play for everton a few times through a family connection. i remember when we was first 'a' courtin' and she came along with me to watch us play exeter at their dump on boxing day, it was absolutely lashing it down and we were all soaked in their lovely open, away end. we were 1.0 up in injury time, corner to them, nev takes the ball easily, then he got virtually assaulted by about 4 exeter t0$$er$ climbing all over him and he was nearly bundled over the line, the ball was knocked out of his hands in to the goal and the ref gave it.

my missus went mental, shouting, squawking and swearing. she yelled over you alright nev and after shaking his head about the decision gave her a thumbs up. made her bloody day that did.

Sadly, I never saw the late Terry Adlington keep goal, but I've seen his grandneice Rebecca swim loads of times.

Best - John Turner

Favourite - Andy (handy Andy) Donnelly

Best - John Dunn

Favourite - Mike Mahoney

Best - John Connaughton (on loan from Manchester United)

Favourite - Terry Lee

Best - Bobby Olejnik

Favourite - Robbie Robbins

Best - Neville Southall

Favourite - Ken Veysey

Current best - Michael Poke

Current favourite - Martin Rice

the best
dunn
donnelly
mahoney
turner
southall , plus a few others

the worst
attwell
coombe
andersson
jarvie
ricey

Blimey, this Attwell must be bad (I've completely forgotten him) if he's worse than Coombe.