Who`s our best ever goalie? + "Bettinelli picks favourite Boro game and save" [Gazette]

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r00fie1

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Marcus Bettinelli picks his favourite Middlesbrough game and save

Marcus Bettinelli has had an up and down spell at Middlesbrough but has been in fine form of late
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Marcus Bettinelli picks his favourite Middlesbrough game and save, and talks football with no fans​

Marcus Bettinelli has had an up and down spell at Middlesbrough but has been in fine form of late.

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Marcus Bettinelli admits fans are a big miss this season - which goes someway to explaining why the Bournemouth game early in the season is his favourite in a Boro shirt.

On loan from Fulham for the season, Bettinelli has established himself comfortably as Neil Warnock's number one this term, playing every league game so far.

There have been the odd shaky moment but in recent weeks the 28-year-old has been in fine form for the Boro, making some excellent stops in the last three games in particular.

However, when reflecting on his time at the club, his home debut against Bournemouth will stand out because of the strange circumstances of the season.

The coronavirus pandemic has meant almost all games this term have been played behind closed doors with no fans, though that early clash with the Cherries saw Boro take part in a test event for fans' safe return, with 1,000 getting to attend as Boro drew 1-1 with the recently-relegated side.

A combination of a good result, the fans in the stadium and his best save in a Boro shirt make it a particularly memorable day for him.

Bettinelli told the Boro matchday programme: "It wasn't a packed out Riverside but it was nice to play my first Boro home game in front of 1,000 fans - and it definitely sounded like more.

"We've missed the fans so much this season.

"This was actually a good result against Bournemouth and, in fact, we could have won.

"Given how the season has been, it's definitely a game I'll look back on fondly in years to come.

"I made a save from David Brooks and that was probably my best in a Boro shirt. When it's behind closed doors, sometimes you make a save and it feels a bit like it's in training - you don't really get the buzz as much.

"So it was nice to have the crowd in for this one, even if it was a shame it was just for the one game in the end.

"I've played at the Riverside before, but it's very different to doing it in front of a home crowd."

Bettinelli could yet experience a packed out Riverside yet.

Although fans won't return this season, the club are hopeful that they'll be back for the start of next and Bettinelli could yet be too. He's out of contract at Fulham this summer and may join the Boro permanently.

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Best goalie?
Could be anyone - Brad Jones [?!!] for example.
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Easily Schwarzer for me, I've supported Boro since the late 80's and he is the best then Pears, was much tougher for keepers once the back pass rule was implemented.
 
It would not surprise me to find that the three names above are related to the era when the guys started watching the Boro but they were the three that stand out for me and they are also the three that make the Boro top ten appearances too. I'll temporarily ignore Tim Williamson as I suspect none of us will have seen him play as he finished in 1923.

Schwarzer was a very good keeper in a very good team. Trouble was for me there were always the capability of the odd howler

Jim Platt was as near error free as any goalkeeper I've ever seen at the Boro

Stephen Pears was not big enough to be a keeper but he was certainly good enough

Overall I'd be tempted to chose Platt but to me it is a tight call

I always like Ugolini but like Pears he probably suffered form a height disadvantage. Peter Taylor was amongst the best when the ball was up high but when low or on the floor one of the worst and Des MacPartland had a purple season in a not very good side. Bob Appleby was competent and Eddie Connachan always seemed well positioned

However if you play over 600 games over 20+ years you have to be special
 
By any measure it's got to be Skippy.

You can argue about the other places all you like but for me the big Aussie is the best I've seen in a Boro shirt (which goes back to Willie Wigham)
 
Platt for me too

Though Timm Williamson played for England, 23 seasons at the mighty Boro, our record appearence holder & the only Boro keeper to score a goal during a competitive match, in fact he scored 2, both penalties, at home to Burnley & Liverpool
 
Valdes for me, I know it didnt end under the best circumstances and he was past his best, but you could tell that he was world class
 
HarryVegas said:
Best has to be Schwarzer, surely?
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Unquestionably, he is one of the most successful imports into Britain, baring one season played his entire career in the top flight, more games for australia than anyone else, two world cups, won a trophy with us. Some people focus on mistakes like those other keepers above never made any. People say he wasn't dominant in the air (he was) then chose 5 foot 11 1/2 Pears who never came outside his 6 yard box for a cross.

Schwarzer was a truly top class GK but some people haven't taken to his personality, or have rose tinted glasses. He was miles better than Pears. Pearsy was a hero, a great reaction shot stopper, but never really did it in the top flight. He let bags of goals in and some pretty soft ones in the top flight
 
Baseed on who ive seen play, Schwarzer then Pears. No suprise they both played so many games for us.
Of the rest Given and Randolph were more than decent.
Which was the best performance, Pears v Leicester or Schwarzer v Port Vale?
 
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