Burnley keeper Heaton on his Cardiff return

THERE can’t be many games where opposing goalkeepers are both captains of their club, but that will be the case for Burnley’s Tom Heaton and Cardiff City’s David Marshall this afternoon.

“That will make it interesting at the toss,” smiled Heaton.

“Wait ‘til I tell you that I dropped the coin earlier this season.

“It was a few games ago, but I can’t remember which one. It’s still a bit sore.

“Duffo spotted it.”

Eagle-eyed team-mate Michael Duff could afford himself a chuckle. After all, it was a rare line-fluff from the 29-year-old, who since joining Burnley has won promotion to the Premier League, earned four England call-ups, and clocked up 101 consecutive league appearances.

It is a far cry from his Cardiff experience, where for his last season - bar the Carling Cup - he largely had a watching brief behind Marshall, making just one Championship start in his final season in south Wales.

But Heaton feels he might not be the goalkeeper he is today had it not been for that patient waiting game.


“It’s certainly helped,” he said.

“When I was behind Marshy it was about getting better for me, day in day out, so when the time came, whether that was at Cardiff or somewhere else - ultimately it ended up being somewhere else - I was better.

“You have a certain amount of time to work on things and get better and as I wasn’t playing you have more time to train and you can probably allow yourself to do more in the gym, on the pitch, and you’re learning different ways.

“I always had the end in mind, that when the time came I’d be ready to go.

“He (Marshall) is top top drawer. When I first signed there permanently me and him battled it out.

“I played 25 games and he played 20-odd games.

“Then Malky (Mackay) came in and Marshy was absolutely top drawer for that season. I was sat behind him on the bench - frustrating on a personal note but at the same time it was a good learning curve for me, realising that for the 44 games he played - I played two - consistently he was top drawer.


“It was interesting for me that in the bluster and muster of the Championship that you can get someone who can perform consistently at that level.

“It probably opened my eyes a little bit and I used that as sort of a bit of inspiration really moving forward.

“It’s tough. It’s not straightforward but you try to see the bigger picture and then you break that down into the day-to-day, what you’re actually doing to make yourself better and not cruising along.

“That got me through a little bit to be honest.

“I think it all adds into the mix. You try to develop and get better when it’s not quite happening in terms of getting the playing time I wanted.

“It probably makes you appreciate it when you are in the team and not to let it go.

“He’s certainly gone on and taken that to the next level. His performances have got better and better, he went to the Premier League and played really well, and he’s right in there with Scotland at the minute as well

Should get a great reception and deserved too.

But when the match starts..........................................BLUEBIRDS

Good keeper and should get a good reception before the game.

A chant of dodgy keeper a must was great for us never forget his heroics against Leicester in the shoot out

Welcome back to a gentleman former Cardiff City player who never let the club or its fans down and always says nice things about his time here (even as an unlucky No.2 to the great David Marshall)

Warm round of applause and then full pelt once the whistle goes!

2 Great Keepers good luck today Tom but we won't mine if you drop one in

Good keeper and should get a good reception before the game.

Agreed.