Keeping the shirt What is it with Cardiff City and

Keeping the shirt


By Glen Williams



What is it with Cardiff City and goalkeepers? Their tradition of having excellent number ones has been staggering over the last decade.

Just when we thought we solved the goalkeeping problem last summer, letting Neil Etheridge leave to allow Alex Smithies to take the gloves, Dillon Phillips has thrown a sizeable spanner in the works.

He has been sensational since he was given his chance in the Bristol City game. He made two excellent penalty stops in the win over Preston last weekend and was top class against Bournemouth too.

Smithies is a top operator at this level and a big earner at the club. However, you get the sense that McCarthy will keep picking Phillips and you cannot blame him given his form in recent weeks.

It does leave the manager with a happy selection dilemma though.

Smithies had to wait so patiently while Etheridge donned the No.1 shirt for so long. He got his chance and grabbed it under Neil Harris, but it looks as though he now will have to play second fiddle to Phillips for the time being.

Annis the king is dead, long live the king

There arent too many teams with 2 quality keepers outside the prem,and in this division,I believe we have two of the very best!@ CCFC.

There arent too many teams with 2 quality keepers outside the prem,and in this division,I believe we have two of the very best!@ CCFC.

Paul, this is one of our most confident positions; we have two fantastic keepers and few would be disappointed whichever one was on the team sheet ahead of any given game

Both know that one slip/injury could see them ousted and replaced for some time by another more than competent keeper; just how it should be...

It's amazing how often over the last few years we've had two excellent goalies at the same time each pushing the other

Marshall and Heaton
Etheridge and Smithies
Smithies and Phillips.

There have also been times recently when our goalies left a lot to be desired - I give you

Ross Turnbull (Champions League winner?)
Tony Warner
Dimi Dropalotoballs
Stephen Bywater

Just in the interests of balance of course!

There's been a few times where we've been struggling for both keeper slots due to injuries or sales as well.

Marshall and Heaton both out 2011. Had to get Bywater and Brown on loan.

Then if I remember rightly we sold Marshall and Moore and ended up with Ben Wilson in goal for a while.
Ended up getting Mcgreggor and Amos.

I think 2009 Enckelman and Heaton were both out so we had to get Stuart Taylor and Dimi in. That went down well.

It's amazing how often over the last few years we've had two excellent goalies at the same time each pushing the other

Marshall and Heaton
Etheridge and Smithies
Smithies and Phillips.

There have also been times recently when our goalies left a lot to be desired - I give you

Ross Turnbull (Champions League winner?)
Tony Warner
Dimi Dropalotoballs
Stephen Bywater

Just in the interests of balance of course!

I still have nightmares about Stephen Bywater and Jlloyd Samuel both starting in the play-off second leg against Reading ten years ago.

There arent too many teams with 2 quality keepers outside the prem,and in this division,I believe we have two of the very best!@ CCFC.