Goalkeepers' Union

With Richard Lee on his 2025-26 rotation, the vastly-experienced David Rouse steps in to fill the void this week.In the Premier League, Emi Martinez was up to his customary tricks with a match-winning save in the class between Aston Villa and Wolves, Guglielmo Vicario felt the wrath of Tottenham fans when giving the ball away for what turned out to be the winner, and we delve into the goalkeeper celebration debate. Good thing? Bad thing? Or none of the above?Joe Murphy dominated headlines in the EFL thanks to his star showing in Tranmere's win at grimsby. The Irishman is now 44 and looks just as agile as he did 20 years ago, prompting a look back at top-flight veterans of yesteryear.

Welcome Andy Marshall.A new voice arrives on Between the Sticks this week in the form of the ex-Millwall, Charlton and Birmingham Goalkeeper Coach.Marshy, who decided to step away from the grass in the summer, will join up throughout the campaign to offer his expert insight on all things goalkeeping and the weekend's main talking points.For this episode, we discuss a week of heroics from Guglielmo Vicario, a potential signing of the season in Martin Dubravka and a tale of two corners in the game between Everton and Tottenham.Over in the EFL, Blackburn's Balasz Toth, Leyton Orient's Killian Cahill and Jojo Wollacott of Crawley are singled out for praise.

What better way to kick off a new season (and a long-awaited return to Between the Sticks) than with two goalless draws? The ideal result at GKU Towers was witnessed at Selhurst Park and the Hill Dickinson Stadium (not sure that'll ever sound right) as four stoppers - including Premier League newcomer, Robin Roefs - made their way into Clean Sheet Club this weekend.Joining Roefs on that list is fellow Prem newbie, Gianluigi Donnarumma, who made a lightning start to life at Man City, plus now established Prem No1 David Raya - the Spaniard racking up his 100th appearance for Arsenal against Nottingham Forest.In the EFL, Lawrence Vigouroux returned in fine fettle from his international bow with Chile, Liam Roberts sounded the first klaxon of the campaign and Cieran Slicker saved two penalties as Barnet came from behind to win at Crewe.

We're often asked how much longer we can continue to interview goalkeepers for.How can you think up new topics? How can you keep it fresh? Doesn't every interview become the same after a while? Is the aim to have every goalkeeper to have ever played on the Goalkeepers' Union Podcast?Granted, that last question might be a bit of a stretch. The others, however, are all part and parcel of what makes each chat with each goalkeeper that little bit unique. Finding that one aspect of the story that somehow hasn't yet been told on previous episodes.For Jayson Leutwiler, it was reflecting on his career just weeks after announcing his retirement from professional football - a first for the podcast.Here, from his home in the North West of England, we discuss the Canadian's processes leading up to the decision, how he felt afterwards and what life has in store post-goalkeeping.One of the most pleasant guys to have appeared on the pod.

Not often do you hear of a goalkeeper going from the Premier League to Tier 9 in the space of a few short years - only to gradually make his way back into the throes of a League One promotion race at the age of 37.Ben Hinchliffe (that's Hinch-liffe, not Hinch-cliffe) is a straight-talking stopper with a whopper of a story to tell - from driving trucks part-time to dislodging every aspiring goalkeeper brought in by Stockport to replace him.Now, as he currently sits on the sidelines with the first lengthy injury of his career, the Prestonian is eyeing a 400th appearances for his beloved County - plus a heck of a lot more if he has his way.Proper goalkeeper.

Richard Lee returns to the fold to talk about the steadiness of Bernd Leno as a Premier League goalkeeper, the bit-between-his-teethness of Dean Henderson and 100 in succession for Jordan Pickford.In the Championship, Karl Darlow was finally given the nod ahead of Illan Meslier as Leeds were held at Luton, while Max Crocombe was the subject of a dubious penalty awarded to Wrexham and Wyll Stanway bagged an MOM in a rare start for Barrow.A nod to Andy Fisher and Rohan Luthra, too, as both excelled on loans at St Johnstone and Spennymoor respectively.

Father and son goalkeepers. How many can you name? Let us know any who pop out via all the usual channels.In addition to that, plenty of goalkeeping analysis to dive into this week.Joe Hart and Shay Given both stood up for stoppers as they ran the rule over performances from Dean Henderson, Ederson and David Raya against Ipswich, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United respectively.Meanwhile, Robert Sanchez returned for Chelsea, Robin Olsen kept his first Premier League clean sheet since New Year's Day of 2023 and Kepa committed the cardinal sin of conceding one of "those" penalties.In the EFL, Save of the Weekend contenders go to George Wickens, Jay Lynch and Paul Farman.

It's fair to say the narrative surrounding Chelsea goalkeepers has not been particularly positive in recent seasons. Aston Villa's winner in their defeat of The Blues won't have helped that cause as Filip Jorgensen allowed Marco Asensio's effort to squirm under his body at the weekend.We discuss that moment, in addition to the art of combating the "dinker". Aaron Ramsdale was twice beaten by deft finishes in Southampton's 4-0 loss to Brighton, so is it purely down to unbeatable striking excellence - or is there a way to thwart those pesky frontmen in such a scenario?In the EFL, Illan Meslier made headlines yet again for his part in a monumental Leeds triumph over Sheffield United, Jamie Jones and Filip Marschall share the Save of the Weekend contender spoils, and 'Keeper Capers stars Nick Townsend and Ryan Boot of Newport and Chesterfield respectively.

If errors leading to goals are a clear marker of a goalkeeper's game, Robert Sanchez would be in the lower echelons of those performing in this season's Premier League.The much-maligned Chelsea stopper was at fault for Man City's winner on Saturday, so we look at whether the negative hype is fair or perhaps somewhat exaggerated based on his actions aside from goals conceded.Elsewhere, Thomas Kaminski stopped a rot of 13 successive penalties conceded by Luton, Hull bagged a third consecutive clean sheet and victory on the road for the first time since March 2011, and Murphy Cooper produced an audacious piece of skill for Stevenage in League One.

Everything comes to he who waits...That was the case for Brandon Austin who, after spending the best part of 17 years at Totttenham Hotspur, was finally granted his first team debut at the weekend. The soon-to-be 26-year-old acquitted himself well in the defeat to Newcastle, earning the Man of the Match award on TNT Sports and giving Ange Postecoglou something to think about ahead of Wednesday's Carabao Cup clash with Liverpool.Elsewhere, Matz Sels is perhaps the surprise package of the season in the Premier League. The Belgian leads the way for top-flight clean sheets following his blank in Nottingham Forest's 3-0 win over Wolves.In the EFL, Illan Meslier is feeling the heat at Leeds, Joe Whitworth provided an assist in Exeter's defeat to Bolton and Ben Amos returned to league action for the first time since April 2023.

Did we witness the greatest-ever save in footballing history at the weekend? Or was it just the best save ever seen in the Premier League? Or was it neither?We run the rule over that stop from Emi Martinez in Aston Villa's defeat to Nottingham Forest, before touching on respective heroics from England goalkeepers Jordan Pickford and Dean Henderson in a draw with Arsenal and win over Brighton.In the Championship, Sol Brynn regained the No1 jersey at Middlesbrough - a jersey which looks like it's now his to lose - while Aynsley Pears made it five clean sheets in a row for Blackburn.Matty Young and Connor Ripley take the plaudits as top stoppers in League Two. Young is proving his worth on loan form Sunderland at Salford, while Ripley's all-action style earned a point at Bromley to keep Port Vale in second spot.

Two contentious decisions took place in the Premier League at the weekend:1) Did Adam Armstrong interfere with Bart Verbruggen's ability to prevent a goal scored by Southampton in what ended in a 1-1 draw with Brighton?2) Was it right to award a penalty for Lukasz Fabianski's challenge on Gabriel in West Ham's 5-2 defeat to Arsenal?We attempt to answer both, albeit with a little fence-sitting in the process.Elsewhere, a Premier League debut was handed to Joe Lumley at the age of 29, while Aro Muric pulled off a Save of the Season contender for Ipswich in their narrow loss at Nottingham Forest.FA Cup Second Round heroes come in the form of Jas Singh, Billy Crellin and Josh Keeley, who sounds a brand new klaxon for the first time.