In all the years as a Rams fan, I have seen many goalkeepers at Derby. Some good, some not so good!
Les Green wore the green shirt when as an innocent 5 year old I started supporting Derby. A decent goalkeeper signed by Clough and Taylor shortly after their arrival at the Baseball Ground. Green remained first choice keeper until after a 4-4 draw with Manchester United on a cold snowy Boxing Day.
Colin Boulton, who was a Tim Ward signing, took over from Green. Boulton is probably Derby's greatest ever keeper. He played in every minute of the two league title winning campaigns in 1971-72 and 1974-75. Usually reliable and a firm fans favourite. Colin spent the later years of his career in the US and finally retired after breaking his leg at Crewe whilst playing for Lincoln City.
It wasn't until towards the end of Dave Mackay's tenure as manager that we saw a different player in goal for the Rams. Former apprentice, Graham Moseley was given an extended run as the wearer of the number one jersey by Mackay before Boulton reclaimed the spot. He later went on to play for Brighton.
Boulton was eventually replaced by John Middleton, an England Under-23 international from Nottingham Forest. The move which saw Archie Gemmill move in the opposite direction and it was not a good piece of business for Derby. Middleton suffered from injuries and was never able to settle as first choice keeper. He eventually retired due to injury.
Often deputising for Middleton was a goalkeeper that was decent enough, but perhaps not good enough for the top flight. David McKellar, a young Scottish Keeper gave a string of fine displays, but was never going to be a long term solution. He ended his days as a player with some solid performances playing for lower division teams.
Steve Cherry was a starter on and off for the next few years. He was quite a good keeper, though many harshly remember him for a goal conceded from a corner in a cup tie at Plymouth.
Roger Jones was a veteran when he signed for Derby in the late 70's. he joined from Stoke City at the same time that Australian international Yakka Banovic was brought to the club.
Jones was a good solid keeper and even won a Rams Player of the Season award during his first season. Banovic on the other hand had to wait to be given a chance and when he finally got a run in the side, he was inconsistent. One day looking a fine shot stopper and on other occasions looking like a novice.
It was after being relegated to the third tier of English Football that the Rams decided to go with experience again. Eric Steele was signed from Watfod and proved to be a reliable choice to wear the number one shirt. Whilst Steele was recovering from an injury, the much travelled John Buuridge had a loan spell with the club, however he decided against making the move permanent and instead signed for Sheffield United. Steve Sutton joined Derby later on that season on a short loan spell from Nottingham Forest.
Mark Wallington, the keeper who had replaced the great Peter Shilton, was the next wearer of the Rams Goalkeeper shirt. Always reliable, Wallington was first choice keeper for two successive promotion Campaigns under Arthur Cox, which saw the club go from Third tier to first.
Peter Shilton, whom Wallington had replaced at Leicester, was signed when Derby returned to the higher echelons of the game and the writing was on the wall for Wallington. He moved to his home town club Lincoln City and Shilton became Rams first choice goalkeeper and he also continued to hold that role for England.
It was in those years in the late eighties that Derby achieved a finish of fifth place in the old first division, their highest placing in over 14 years and Shilton's influence and experience on the pitch certainly helped to achieve that placing.
Shilton eventually left the club to take up the managers post at Plymouth Argyle. Martin Taylor (Now a club coach) initially replaced Shilton, but Steve Sutton came back for a second spell at Derby and was installed as first choice goalkeeper.
Sutton, although a decent keeper on his day, was not the success that the fans had hoped for and eventually Taylor was given a run. This saw Taylor establish himself as first choice goalkeeper and he even won a fans player of the year title for his efforts.
Disaster struck Taylor in September 1994, as he suffered a double leg break during the away game at Southend and that effectively ended his run as first team keeper.
Russell Hoult was a keeper that found himself surplus to requirements at Leicester. He was signed for Derby in 1995 and made over a hundred first team appearances. All in all a pretty decent performer and a reasonably safe pair of hands. He was eventually succeeded by fans favourite Mart Poom. Although before then a calamitous Patrick Foletti had made a couple of disastrous appearances.
Poom was an immensely talented goalkeeper and much loved by the Pride Park faithful who were so sorry to see him eventually leave for Sunderland. Whilst playing for the wearsiders he actually scored for them at Pride Park when he moved forward for a corner in the dying seconds of the game.
After the days of Poom, Andy Oakes, a signing from Hull City was handed the job. He had some good games and some awful ones too. The Rams eventually looked to their own home grown academy graduates.
The first of these was Lee Grant. I always thought Grant was never given a fair chance at Derby. He was first choice when George Burley took over, but eventually lost his place to fellow ex Youth team player, Lee Camp. Camp held the position until he was dropped for a few games and replaced by Kevin Poole during Phil Brown's spell in charged. Camp's father was so enraged, that he rang up local radio to complain.
Both Grant and Camp earned England Under-21 caps and looked to have a bright future in the game.
Billy Davies first three games as manager saw him play Camp in his first game in charge, then Grant in the second and by the time Derby arrived at Hull for the third game of his reign, Stephen Bywater was signed from West Ham.
Bywater to be fair had a good season which saw The Rams promoted via the play-offs. The writing was on the wall for Camp as Davies brought in Welsh international Lewis Price as cover for Bywater.
Bywater remained first choice until Paul Jewell went for experienced former Manchester United keeper Roy Carroll. Carroll never settled though and Nigel Clough soon restored Bywater as first choice when he took the reigns.
When Bywater's form dipped Clough brought in Frank Fielding from Blackburn. Initially on loan Fielding impressed many and he was immediately a target for a full transfer.
Before Fielding was employed on a permanent basis, Saul Deeney, James Severn, Brad Jones and Ross Atkins all wore the goalkeepers shirt.
Fielding was finally signed on a full transfer before the start of last season and Adam Legzdins was brought in as cover.
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