The day David Seaman let in 25 goals
IF your son or daughter comes home from school deflated after dropping a clanger on the sports field, you could do worse than mention David Seaman’s name.
Rotherham’s shot-stopper extraordinaire had a star-studded career at the top flight, playing for England and Arsenal, among other notables.Apart from the odd howler, he was a trustworthy and spectacular custodian of the net during a playing career that lasted from 1981 to 2004.
But David, a former Ferham Junior and Kimberworth Comprehensive School pupil, has revealed how he once had to regain his confidence as a youngster the day it all went horribly wrong on the field of dreams.“When I was 11, in my first goalkeeping game for my school, I let 13 goals in one half,” he confessed to iFL TV at a fishing event in Warwick.
“I think we lost 25-0. But I carried on!"
And the only reason he had been playing in the net, rather than outfield was his towering stature, in those formative years, according to the goalkeeper.com website.
“Seaman’s height had determined his goalkeeping fate on the playground at Ferham Junior School,” they wrote.
“The infants weren’t allowed to join in with the older children playing football. In fact, a literal white painted line marked the ‘no-go zone’ for the younger years. But a momentary kick of confidence and curiosity took young Seaman to boldly ask the older boys if he could play. ‘You’re tall. You go in goal’, was the response.”
Seaman was happy to oblige, explaining: “My dad wasn’t sporty. He was a steel worker. My mum was a bar lady. My brother was an outfield player.
“He was a ‘proper footballer’, as we used to call it. I was the goalkeeper!” said Seaman, now aged 60.
Fate was certainly kind to David, he went on to star in the role he had fortuitously found himself in.
Only two goalies went on to keep more clean sheets in the Premier League, Petr Cech (162) and David de Gea (147).
This month, the fourfourtwo.com website selected him as one of the best English players of the 1990s.
“Integral to the Gunners’ title triumphs under George Graham in the old First Division and Arsene Wenger in the Premier League, the moustachioed (not yet ponytailed) icon led the top flight in clean sheets in 1993/94 and 1998/99,” they wrote.
And the praise continues elsewhere.
The givemesport.com site rated a Seaman FA Cup save against Sheffield United in 2002/03 season as the fourth-greatest save in all of football history.While the Khelnow platform's top ten greatest footballers to wear the number one jersey has him in their list, posting: “One of the most underrated names on this list. David Seaman had, unfortunately, he had to retire in 2004 due to a recurring shoulder injury. The performances he had put in during the tenure of his career are commendable.
“Seaman has 75 caps for the national side and is the country’s second-most-capped goalkeeper."
The goalie's domestic achievements included three league championships, four FA Cups, a League Cup, and a European Cup Winners Cup.
He can't have seen that coming when he trooped off the Rotherham pitch after a 25-0 hiding!