Tony Godden
Personal information
Full name Anthony Leonard Godden[1]
Date of birth (1955-08-02) 2 August 1955 (age 68)[1]
Place of birth Gillingham, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1972–1977 Ashford Town (Kent)
1977–1986 West Bromwich Albion 267 (0)
1982–1983 → Luton Town (loan) 12 (0)
1983–1984 → Walsall (loan) 19 (0)
1986 → Chelsea (loan) 8 (0)
1986–1987 Chelsea 26 (0)
1987–1989 Birmingham City 29 (0)
1989 → Bury (loan) 1 (0)
1989–1990 Peterborough United (loan) 24 (0)
1990-1991 Wivenhoe Town 42 (0)
Managerial career
1994–1995 Kings Lynn
1996–1999 Bury Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Anthony Leonard Godden (born 2 August 1955) is an English former footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League for West Bromwich Albion, Luton Town, Walsall, Chelsea, Birmingham City, Bury and Peterborough United.[3]

Career

Godden was born in Gillingham, Kent,[3] and began his career with Kent non-league club Ashford Town (Kent). He then joined West Bromwich Albion in 1977. He made 267 league appearances for the Midlands club, in addition to brief loan spells with Luton Town in 1982-83 and Walsall in 1983-84. He joined Chelsea after his time at West Brom.[3] During his time at Chelsea he is most remembered for saving two penalties in a 1–0 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford in September 1986. Both penalties were awarded within minutes of each other but Godden saved both; the first from Jesper Olsen and the second from Gordon Strachan.[4]

He dropped down a division to sign for Birmingham City for £35,000 in July 1987, and subsequently had spells with Bury (on loan) and Peterborough United, before dropping into non-league football. He became goalkeeping coach for Rushden & Diamonds in 2006, and also had brief spells as their caretaker manager following the departures of Paul Hart and later Graham Westley. In February 2009 he joined Brighton & Hove Albion following the exit of goalkeeping coach Paul Crichton to Norwich City.

References

  1. ^ a b Hugman, Barry J. (2005). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005. Queen Anne Press. p. 238. ISBN 1-85291-665-6.
  2. ^ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 122. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  3. ^ a b c "Tony Godden". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
  4. ^ "28 September 1986: Godden saves two penalties in two minutes". The Guardian. 26 September 2009. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
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