North Wales goalkeepers

[flynnfan]

I was just thinking earlier about how in my 25 years of being a Wales supporter, the position of goalkeeper has been totally dominated by North Walians, despite a decline the general influence and numbers of top quality gogs elsewhere in the team. First off there was big Nev(Llandudno) possible the best keeper in the world at the time. His main understudies were Eddie Niedzwiecki (Bangor) and then later Tony Roberts (Holyhead). Next real regular keeper following big Nev was Paul Jones (Chirk) and following Paul, Wayne Hennesey (Beaumaris) has been the main man in the main, backed up now by Boaz Myhill who I'm going to also claim as another North Walian because he grew up in Oswestry and his Mums from Llangollen! And even at U21 level Maxwell (Llandudno) seems to be the No 1 now, having taken over from Owain fon Williams (Gywnedd).

So my question is; Is this because any kid in South Wales who is big, brave (and possibly a bit nuts), has good ball handling skills and can kick a ball along way out of his hands is encouraged to concentrate on egg chasing? or is it just one of those things?

And if the crusaders continue to develop and get local kids in their academy and the WRUs get their way in developing a 5th region in North Wales too, will that then lad to a decline in the standard of gog goalies? Or am I just being a bit paranoid?

[Tim P]

yeah, maybe a little.

to be honest, it will probably work the other way round. the more 'elite level' sports franchises that are based in Gogland, the more athletes that the area will produce over time.

[dewi712]

let s not forget ,holyhead s own tony roberts,
doing well at 40 and did in fact play for us and was present on the bench for a while

looks like sylvester stallone lately though !!!

just seen that he s a academy coach for arsenal too !

[llannerch]

Jun 6, 2010 14:31:56 GMT dewi712 said:

let s not forget ,holyhead s own tony roberts!

ahem, read it again

You can add Dai Felgate (Bl. Ffestiniog), Tony Millington (Queensferry) and Danny Coyne (Prestatyn). Tony Norman is a Gog as well but not sure from where.

The South provided Jack Kelsey, by way of slightly rederessing the balance ;D

[llannerch]

And of course the trailblazer: Leigh Roose

[flynnfan]

and then there's Dai Davies too of course...although if I was being particularly cheeky I could claim him as a gog too, as he lives in Llangollen!

This post was more to do with the last 25 because thats how long I've been a supporter. Who've been the best South Walian golies in that time? Roger Freestone? Martyn Margetson?

[llannerch]

Pat Mountain.

End.

Of.

[flynnfan]

...and maybe the increased popularity of egg chasing in England over the past 25 years has lead to their current shortage of top class keepers? I mean, they dont seem to have any problems producing loads of top keepers in a non egg playing nation like Spain, do they?