In his autobiography, Big Joe claims that it was for political reasons that he was overlooked as England's No. 1, though he didn't elaborate.
I got drinking with him once at Cheadle Town's ground (our old training ground) after a
charity match long after he had retired.
I told him that I thought he was England's best keeper for 3 years but that he had always
lived under the shadow of "that goal" versus West Ham which was unfortunately televised.
He told me he would have got 60 caps "had I played for United". He then picked me up by
the throat, lifted me off the ground and told me never to mention "that goal."
Never meet your heroes. Big Joe was a bit of a twat that day.
In his defence we were both pissed though and I may have called him a fat sod
or something similar at one point earlier on!
Sadly what he said was probably true.
On a different point: Jimmy Greaves would easily be worth £70m in today's market.