Some Famous Goalkeepers...

Image from: The Book of Football – A Complete History and Record of the Association and Rugby Games 1905-1906.

George Kitchen (West Ham United)- Kitchen had played for Stockport County and Everton before joining the Irons in 1905. He scored on his debut for West Ham (from the penalty spot) and was the regular first choice 'keeper for 6 years. Kitchen was also a professional golfer. He was 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m).

Walter Whittaker (Brentford) Formerly of Manchester United and Grimsby Town Whittaker later became the first manager of Swansea Town. He was 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m).

Jack Eggett (Tottenham Hotspur) Eggett kept 24 clean sheets in 27 Southern League matches in the 1904-05 season, and  22 clean sheets  in 34 in 1905-06. He was 5ft 10in (1.78 m).


Tim Williamson (Middlesbrough)  Made 602 appearances for Boro from 1902–1923. This is still a Middlesbrough record. Williamson also scored 2 goals. He was capped 7 times for England.  Williamson's size was often commented on, and he was known as Tiny, but his height is recorded as being 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m).

Jack Fryer (Fulham) Fryer joined Fulham from Derby County and made 168 appearances from 1904-10. Still  the only goalkeeper to have conceded 6 goals in an FA Cup Final, On record as being a very big man, but quite how big I don't know.

George Clawley (Southampton) Clawley was Tottenham's goalkeeper when they won the FA Cup in 1901. He won the Southern League 3 times with Southampton. He was 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m).

Jimmy Lawrence (Newcastle United)  The 496 matches that Lawrence played between 1904-22 remains a club record . He played in 5 FA Cup finals and won 3 League Championships. Capped once for Scotland, Lawrence later managed Preston North End and Karlsruher. 

Jimmy Ashcroft (Woolwich Arsenal) In eight seasons from 1900 – 1908 Ashcroft made 303 appearances and became the first Arsenal player to represent England (he won three caps).

Tom Baddeley (Wolverhampton Wanderers) Joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in October 1896 for £50 and made 315 appearances in an 11-year stay, winning 5 England caps. He was 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m).