Jeepers keepers

A look at other England goalkeeping howlers

Last updated: 13th June 2010  

Sven Goran Eriksson England Brazil David Seaman World Cup 2002

Horror for David Seaman in 2002

800 600 Paul Robinson stares at turf Croatia v England

Paul Robinson after his howler against Croatia

Robert Green USA stock

Green groans: Robert Green lets USA back into the game

Also see

Robert Green joined the list of goalkeepers to make a mistake in an England shirt during his side's World Cup opener against the United States in Rustenburg.

Here, we look at some other high-profile blunders made by England stoppers.

PAUL ROBINSON

(Croatia 2 England 0, Euro 2008 qualifier, October, 2006)

In their crucial away fixture against Croatia, Robinson allowed Gary Neville's seemingly harmless backpass to roll over his foot to hand the home side a 2-0 lead and put the game well beyond Steve McClaren's men, with a divot cruelly identified as the reason in replays.

DAVID SEAMAN

(Brazil 2 England 1, World Cup, June, 2002)

The Arsenal goalkeeper allowed a long-range free-kick from Ronaldinho to beat him for a goal which ended England's hopes of winning the World Cup in Japan and South Korea at the quarter-final stage.

DAVID JAMES

(Austria 2 England 2, World Cup qualifier, September, 2004)

James, then at Manchester City, allowed a long-range shot by Andreas Ivanschitz to squirm underneath his body for the equaliser as England threw away a two-goal lead.

SCOTT CARSON

(England 2 Croatia 3, European Championship qualifier, November, 2007)

Scott Carson's competitive England debut began in horrendous fashion as he allowed Croatia midfielder Niko Kranjcar's speculative early shot to squirm into the net as Steve McClaren's side threw away their Euro 2008 qualification chances.

RAY CLEMENCE

(Scotland 2 England 1, Home International, May 1976)

More than 85,000 fans filled Hampden Park to witness the Liverpool goalkeeper and current England goalkeeping coach's biggest mistake. The match was poised at 1-1 when Kenny Dalglish's weak shot went through Clemence's legs and into the net.

PETER SHILTON

(England v Poland, World Cup qualifer, October 1973)

England needed to beat Poland at Wembley to qualify for the 1974 World Cup in West Germany. Sir Alf Ramsey's men battered the Poles but a breakaway by the visitors saw Jan Domarski fire a shot at Shilton which slipped under the keeper's body. Although Allan Clarke slotted a late penalty, England missed out on the 1974 finals.

PETER BONETTI

(England v West Germany, World Cup quarter-final, June 1970)

The Chelsea keeper stood in for the ill Gordon Banks for this crucial encounter. With England cruising at 2-0, Bonetti let a tame Franz Beckenbauer shot squirm under his body to give the Germans hope. They grabbed their lifeline and ran out 3-2 winners.

Comments (55)

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Pet Pinches (Arsenal fan) says...

England should sacrifice the Heskey position and play a holding midfielder behind Lampard and Gerrard who both like going up. that position can be played so well by someone who has played sweeper before but i would suggest Michael Carrick who plays in that position for MUFC.

Posted 06:17 15th June 2010

Alan Hansen (Cardiff City fan) says...

England will continue to dissapoint until they do the following- move Gerrard up front with the nutbar. Replace Wright Phillips with Joe Cole, insert the Man United linchpin Carrick into the front of the back four. Insert Barry into the holding role. Simple better skill, better control, more poise = better results.

Posted 03:40 15th June 2010

Chris Brown (Newcastle United fan) says...

Darren Bent? You're kidding right.. He has good form for Sunderland but never replicates it for England.. Heskey did okay against USA..

Posted 16:14 14th June 2010

Dino Phillips (West Ham United fan) says...

Yes i fully agree with Lee Hack that Green should be dropped. Let's hope he does not pick Carragher to start in place of King.Carragher lacks any pace and should not of even been picked for the England squad. Also let's remenber he was totally out paced by a USA forward and if it had not been for a certain MR Green we would be talking about a loss to USA!

Posted 12:16 14th June 2010

Thomas Hallock (Real Madrid fan) says...

Only this could happen to the english. You talk about how you have your golden generation world cup team but you couldnt even mange to beat the US in the opener. If you disrespect algeria like you disrespected us and loose or tie I will laugh my arse off.

Posted 18:24 13th June 2010

David Corbishley (West Ham United fan) says...

Why does everyone blame Green? yes, he should have confortably saved the shot, but isnt Gerrard a fault too, how did he let his man get away from him and get a shot in?

Posted 18:07 13th June 2010

Roy Winter (Newcastle United fan) says...

It goes to show again that when it comes to world class players we don't have enough. When the game is tight we have players like Lennon who just keeps running into dead ends but it wouldn't have been any better with Walcott because he does the same. Heskey for the size of him gets the slightest touch and wallop! he's on the floor why can't we just keep the ball, pass and move to create space if it doesn't happen just start again. But the biggest floor in our game is that the defenders are not good to create space for the rest of the midfield and forwards because when the game is tight. Defenders are suppose to carry the ball forward and draw opposing players towards them this will create that little bit of space for a midfielder to exploit and at the very top of football this is all that's needed for the very best teams to go on and win very tight games.

Posted 17:55 13th June 2010

Bert weedon Weedon (West Ham United fan) says...

Being a Hammers fan i am gutted about Rob's mistake and of course got a lot of stick about it, but every one seems to have ignored the fact that one or two performances aside we were absolutly dire. The very fact that the TV commentators thought that Hesky was the man of the match, a player who should have been out the England squad many moons ago, sums up just how poor the rest were. Rooney, why all the hype, played some brilliant games for England but lately seems to be wondering around bored........Where is Scott Parker?

Posted 17:43 13th June 2010

Phill Wilson (Sunderland fan) says...

well well well.... us english played brilliant in the first 5 mins I thought we were going to wipe out USA easily but then it went downhill from there. Heskey shouldn't even be in the England squad he's past his best, Darren Bent should be in his position... careless decision by capello, Heskey missed about 4 fairly straight foward goals. Green is a good keeper but with mistakes like that at a world class standard it's just not acceptable, he didn't get his body behind it at all and only got one hand onto the ball which turned it into the goal. I hope David James does a better job, though i'm not a big fan of him and lastly where is adam johnson? so you would take a injured G.Barry over johnson who should be in the squad anyway. Still i'm going to enjoy watching us play COME ON ENGLAND!!!

Posted 16:14 13th June 2010

Lee Hack (Liverpool fan) says...

Many people feel gerrard should play in the hole behind Rooney and i agree. However playing Rooney on his own can be bad, because he gets frustrated and will start coming deep to get the ball which will leave no one upfront. If he stays there like he has done this season for Manchester United when he plays upfront, then it is the ideal formation. However Gerrard is also better defending than Lampard, as you saw with his tackling yesterday, so you would be sacrificing that. Therefore you could say maybe it would be better playing Lampard of Rooney, and Gerrard in Centre Mid but Gerrard is better in that Position so i would play him there.

Posted 15:16 13th June 2010

Lee Hack (Liverpool fan) says...

As long as we top the group and win the next two games I won't lose sleep over last nights result. However there were several things that frustrated me last night. Inevitably, I am going to start with Rob Green. He cannot blame that mistake on the ball, it was a shocking mistake so just admit it. He better not play for England ever again and i don't think he will. He is always one of those keepers that looks like he will do something like that. Cappello got it wrong to play him. He should have played Hart if James isn't fit and i hope this is the case against Algeria. Nothing wrong with Cole, terry and Johnson's performance at the back, Johnson played really well. Ledley King was unlucky to get injured and although i rate carragher, his lack of pace was clearly exposed by Altidore in the second half, although to be fair it was just about enough of a save by Green to keep us on level terms. Maybe against teams with pace, Dawson should be preferred to Carragher. Cappello says he picks players on form and Hart has been the best English keeper this season so why isn't he starting? People are saying Green got the nod because Hart isn't experienced,well nor is Green and that was shown through his mistake. When you are playing for a team at the bottom of the table you are going to be conceding plenty of goals which can't help morale. Green played for a team which finished 17th, James for a team which finished 20th, Hart for a team that finished in the top half. Which will be the most confident? Which has kept the most clean sheets this season? Who has played the best out of the three? Three answers to all questions are Joe Hart. There are also still question marks over Johnson but that wasn't evident yesterday against U.S.A. however against a better team it might be. But going forward him and Ashley Cole, brilliant. I also wasn't impressed by Lennon's performance. He should have taken on the left back more

Posted 15:12 13th June 2010

Marten Olsen (Arsenal fan) says...

What I don't understand is that it get's accepted in England that capello makes such a mess of the team. Why was rooney playing near midfield? The goalies mistake is as bad as what capello did in my opinion.

Posted 15:06 13th June 2010

Kyle Noble (Liverpool fan) says...

While it was a big mistake you only need to look at the great goalkeepers that have done the same. Players make mistakes all the time unfortunitly if the keeper makes one it stands out because usually it leads to a goal. I think Green is still a really good keeper although i do think Joe Hart is better.

Posted 14:52 13th June 2010

James Barnett (Liverpool fan) says...

Stop saying stuff about Emile Heskey. He was easily the second best player on that pitch in that game. His hold up play was superb and his supply in and around the box was second to none. Its not his fault Rooney was kept out of the game by USA's defence. They marked him well. Gerrard was easily the best player on the night. He had passion and wanted to win the game. He scored the goal that was set up by Heskey and he made numerous quality tackles throughout the game and his passing was second to none, although he and lampard did make one passing error each. Lennon put a number of brilliant balls into the box and Rooney never once got into a good position. He was often found wanting. I really think Capello has made an error in not taking Bent or Agbonlahor. He could of took Rooney off and put one of them on to play with Heskey so he could feed them through, and with Bents and Agbonlahors pace, they would cause the majority of teams problems. Even all the papers and media are saying Gerrard, Heskey, Terry and A. Cole were best players. If your saying Heskey didn't play well then I really don't know what game you watched.

Posted 14:35 13th June 2010

Ben Baker says...

Green isnt good enough, he made plenty of errors in PL season for a team lucky to survive. Granted he made another save but shouldnt be beaten at his near post anyway! and heskey should have scored his 1on1 for sure, no finishing capability and completely lacks composure in scoring positions, get crouch in the starting line up!!

Posted 13:01 13th June 2010

Paul Anon (Manchester United fan) says...

A really poor display, the only plus, Heskey was England's man of the match, Ledley King is injured and only France played worse Sorry to say, but based on this display England will be lucky to reach the K.O. stage

Posted 12:57 13th June 2010

Arif Bandali (Manchester United fan) says...

Well it seems all the goal keepers of England have messed up at some point!! Even the good ones, it happens, But these huys are professionals and should not be making this school boys mistakes, tell you the truth even school boys dont makes mistakes like Greens Howler yesterday. Everytime I see it, it becomes worser and woser, oh my god was my first re-action!! Also what is the point in taking injury prone players to the word cup? King, Millner, Rio, Barry? 4 players that would have better been served at home and taken fit players to the WC!! Should have taken Paul Scholes, as the dynmaics of the midfield, he would have given the team more flair, and creaticeness, Should have begged him and done all to take it to the WC!!

Posted 12:50 13th June 2010

Nial Blake says...

This stuff really irritates me. England went out last night, gave a shambolic preformance, goalie makes a mistake and you all just focus on that, papering over the real cracks. England were aweful last night. You played a long ball game that the likes of the Spanish and Brazil would turn there backs in disgust at. With a team of such good players you play a long ball game and don't (like most good teams) play it up through the pitch. Lamps and Gerrard cant play central midfield together, there both players who like to finish off moves and aren't real playmakers. You have the two slowest central defenders in the tournament. You play Heskey? I mean come on, Heskey. Stop focussing on the goalie's mistake, you should have dismantled USA, there an average group of players, only one (Donavon) might get his game for England. You need to address the other serious problems with your team, not just goalie. If you hadnt such an easy route to the final I'd say you wouldn't have a hope!

Posted 12:06 13th June 2010

Nomae Srednuas (Manchester United fan) says...

Yaeh goalkeeping error but as a neutral I was very disappointed with England performance overall. Problem as I see it is that England don't have a creative midfielder to get control of the game. Gerrard and Lampard are both excellent but are finishers from midfield rather than initiators. SWP substitution was bizarre. Should have been Joe Cole. Heskey ? If resorting to "route one" to bypass a sterile midfield then Crouch should be the one.

Posted 11:51 13th June 2010

Kevin Slatter (Manchester City fan) says...

Fair enough Rob green made a mistake, but if it was'nt for his amazing near post save, in the second half. we would have gone on to loose the game. I think fabio will keep his faith in green.

Posted 11:27 13th June 2010
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