Someone let McKeown know this!!

Nigel Batch was fantastic!!

A bit cocky aren't they? Don't they know we're from Grimsby?

I'm fairly certain that when McKeown no longer plays for us, and we rip through about three keepers in search of a pair of steady hands, we'll look back and consider how lucky we were to have such a dependable and loyal goalkeeper represent our proud club for so long.

Nobody is perfect. McKeown is an excellent goalkeeper at this level. Rather than pick at the few weaknesses he has, I'd rather focus on his strengths and remember how many excellent saves he's made for us at crucial times to almost earn points single-handedly.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Or the other way of looking at it is that he saved the first shot.

and thats not the attitude that should drive a professional footballer........constant improvement should be the aim....practice practice practice, technique technique technique........Macca has some top drawer stuff in his locker....but his failings remain constant....won't come for crosses, doesnt command his area or back four well enough.....eventually those traits cost us goals.
If you become complacent you are going backwards, by thinking saving the first shot is enough then you become complacent.

It’s not a question of being complacent. As PP, or was it Rancido?, the GK was left exposed by the defence and they left two players unmarked.

No one’s immune from criticism, especially not Macca, but the didn’t see a howler.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

It’s not a question of being complacent. As PP, or was it Rancido?, the GK was left exposed by the defence and they left two players unmarked.

No one’s immune from criticism, especially not Macca, but the didn’t see a howler.

Not wanting to be too critical of Macca here, but I think if it was any other keeper from another team there'd be some more objective views on this.

It wasn't a howler and I don't think anyone really is suggesting it was that bad an error, but if you push the ball straight out into the middle of your 6-yard box, you're asking for trouble. Can't agree that the defence left him exposed. Push the ball out wide of the goal and the opposition either don't get chance to knock in a rebound, or they're doing it from a difficult, tight angle.

From memory, since Danny Coyne we've had the following 'keepers....

Aidan Davison (2nd spell) - Awful, almost tarnished the memory of a few years before
Andy Pettinger - Young kid, I thought he did ok but had a nightmare away at Notts County and I think that was his last game?
Alan Fettis - Decent enough, deserved better than what was in front of him.  Seemed to get a bit of abuse because of the Hull connection if I recall right?
Anthony Williams - Enough said
Steve Mildenhall - Absolute class
Phil Barnes - Mckeown like really. Great shot stopper, couldn't deal with crosses and suspect distribution
Gary Montgomery - Didn't see much of him.
Nick Colgan - Oh dear
Wayne Henderson - Class above
Mark Oxley - Too young, exposed.
Kenny Arthur - Decent, injury prone.
Richard O'Donnell - Very good, could tell he would play higher.
Dean Henderson - Best 'keeper I've seen in a Town shirt, by a mile.  Should be England's No 1 this summer.  But even he had an error in him.

Then there's the odd game back ups like Jonathan Hedge and I've probably missed a few loan players from the Newell/Woods era.

But that list, which goes back 18 years...I reckon there's 4 'keepers better than McKeown.  3 of which were on loan (both Henderson's and O'Donnell) and came from higher levels.  I think all from the top two divisions in fact.  Mildenhall the only better one that was actually our player.

I don't think McKeown is perfect, I do think his length of service seems to give him a little bit of extra room for error with some, as does the fact he's the last man standing from the promotion side.  But I think we would do well to improve on him at this level.  I've not seen a 'keeper at this level that has really made me go 'wow' for a long time.  

Best keeper for me was Danny Coyne. Dean and Wayne Henderson were good but Coyne was doing it two levels higher.

Macca is a good shot stopper. He has his flaws but any keeper who is still playing in League 2 at 30 will do. I'm sure when Macca leaves, he will be a tough act to follow.

Quoted from Tommy

It wasn't a howler and I don't think anyone really is suggesting it was that bad an error, but if you push the ball straight out into the middle of your 6-yard box, you're asking for trouble.

Didn't hurt Paul Robinson too badly who made a career out of saves like this. Obviously, he would have been better at the other goalkeeping stuff than McKeown to have a high level and international career for so long, despite his flaws!

I think some people expect too much from McKeown sometimes. In the 4th division, you just have to make the save first of all and then worry about where the ball is going after that. If you've got the time to push it wide to safety, then do so, but just make sure that the first one doesn't go in. We've seen him make so many ridiculously good saves over the years that they almost get forgotten and the odd error that every goalkeeper makes on occasion is what is remembered. Despite his flaws, he wins us a lot more points each season than he costs us.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, been watching town since 1980 and the best keeper I have seen play for us was Dave Beasant, by a country mile. Admittedly he was only here for a month on loan, but he was superb and transformed the whole of the defence and gave everyone confidence that I have not seen in any other town keeper. Never looked like making a mistake.