City’s Top Five Keepers Of All Time

Good thread. My view, with reasons:
1/ Bert Trautmann - Club legend beyond the club, arguably the best keeper in the world at the time, would have been Germany No. 1 and world cup winner but chose City over Germany, FWA Footballer of the Year, only man with an Iron Cross, an OBE and a broken neck
2/ Frank Swift - Club legend, one club man, England No.1, still regarded as an England great, integral to our first top flight trophy, would be better known if it were not for the war
3/ Big Joe Corrigan - Club legend, England international, 600 appearances, 3x City Player of the Year
4/ Ederson - Brazil international, 3x Golden Glove, most trophies, numerous world level 'keeping awards, integral to City winning every club trophy possible and being regarded as the best team in the world
5/ Joe Hart - Club legend, England No. 1, 4x Golden Glove, integral to the start of the modern era success

Comments: Tony Coton gets an honourable mention for 2x City Player of the Year but was never an international. I don't see him as a club legend. Great keeper in an above average but not great City side.

It's difficult to know where to rank Eddy. On paper he's by far our most successful keeper and is clearly fundamental to an all-conquering playing style. But he's played his entire City career behind 10 world class players with the world's best coach. None of the others had that benefit. You could argue he's been privileged or you could argue that he only gets in the side because he's the same level and we wouldn't have won anything like as much without him. I'm in the latter camp so he has to be in the list but I'm torn as to whether he should be above Big Joe or not.

Funnily enough I don't see Eddy currently as a club legend but I think that's just because he's still playing. I'm sure he'll be regarded as one in 10 years' time and I hope he doesn't go to KSA.
 
BillCarlisle said:
I've seen them all and for me Bert was clearly the best. My Dad, who saw both Bert and Swifty said that he thought Bert edged it. Therefore, I would say Bert, followed by (in order) Big Frank, Big Joe, Hart, Ederson. Hart edges it over Eddie on keeping ability.
Click to expand...
My dad said the same rating Bert over Frank Swift. Of the two, I only saw Bert but rate him as the best not just on ability but for his influence on the game. At a time of mudheap pitches, goalies would hoof the ball as far upfield as possible. Bert preferred to throw the ball more accurately to a player to retain possession, almost as far up as the half way line but usually out wide where there was more grass.

Bob Wilson, successful ex Arsenal goalkeeper, coach and tv pundit from the 1960's 1970's was inspired by Berts style, especially through his bravery diving at players feet to retrieve the ball.

I'd put Ederson as number 2 because of his influence in shifting the role of the goalkeeper from solely a shot stopper to outfield player defensively reducing shots at goal and offensively starting attacks. Football has changed. Not long ago de Gea was lauded in some quarters as the best shot stopper in the world but has not found a club since leaving ManU at the end of the 2022/23 season.

Others ranked in order would be Swift, Corrigan and Hart. All three were a dominating, big physical presence in the way of Peter Schmeichel, all in the mould of a traditional goalie from the days when they wore green woolen roll neck jerseys and laced, leather case balls were in use.
 
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