Independent Leyton Orient Forum

Ok enough about politics, Kent, Nigel, Danny and Martin must be getting bored of all this talk about left, right and the loons in yellow. So how about we get back to football matters.

I'm going to go with John Jackson. He played without gloves, was in my eyes the best keeper we've had although some of our older members may disagree with me. A great signing from Palace who was a great servant.

Who do you think was out best keeper? Some of you may not have seen him play so a more recent player may be your pick.

From the keepers I've seen since the 80s it's Paul Heald easily

Eldin Jakupovic - had he not been recalled we would've been a Championship side I have no doubt about that

Jackson. Remember Ipswich in ‘79?

Another vote for John Jackson here but only marginally ahead of my first O's keeper - Ray Goddard.

Thor wrote: ↑Wed Nov 27, 2019 7:47 pm Ok enough about politics, Kent, Nigel, Danny and Martin must be getting bored of all this talk about left, right and the loons in yellow. So how about we get back to football matters.

I'm going to go with John Jackson. He played without gloves, was in my eyes the best keeper we've had although some of our older members may disagree with me. A great signing from Palace who was a great servant.

Who do you think was out best keeper? Some of you may not have seen him play so a more recent player may be your pick.

Yes John Jackson, also a master of constantly adjusting his angles to get himself in the correct positions and also used to constantly talk to the defence !

Paul Heald.

burritos wrote: ↑Wed Nov 27, 2019 8:24 pm Another vote for John Jackson here but only marginally ahead of my first O's keeper - Ray Goddard.

Following his transfer for Crystal Palce to the Os, John took a while to get fully fit and was not too popular at first because Ray was the fans favourite, once fit, John showed what an outstanding Keeper he was.

Jakupovic was excellent and had a bit of a personality, as a lot of keepers do. I quite liked Glyn Garner as well randomly.

Paul Heald

John Jackson

Jackson was the best I saw. Mervyn Day was a fine keeper too, and it was a real coup when we signed him. Paul Heald was excellent too.
Scott Barratt will always be remembered for the playoff season in ‘99, esp his performance at Rovrum. He was outstanding that night. Glynn Garner in the promotion year was superb that season. If we conceded a penalty we just knew he’d save it.

My personal favourite though, was Paul Hyde, signed from Wycombe. A good keeper and a lovely guy who used to chat to my kid in the club afterwards when he found out Joe played in goal for his junior school, and he would come over to Greenford from where he lived in Ruislip and coach him in the summer holidays. My kid and I were at the game at Exeter where he had his career ended by that c**t John Williams, Joe was inconsolable. How popular he was with fans was shown at his testimonial game against whoever, and several coach loads of Wycombe fans turned up to give him a send off.

Scott Barrett. Was absolutely brilliant in the playoff season. I’ll never forget the save from the free kick at the end of extra time at Rotherham in the semi final.

Scott Barrett.

Orient_Man_And_Boy wrote: ↑Wed Nov 27, 2019 8:19 pm Jackson. Remember Ipswich in ‘79?

Wasn’t that with the snowy pitch and orange ball?

John Jackson for me, but that Rotherham save for finest individual moment

burritos wrote: ↑Wed Nov 27, 2019 8:24 pm Another vote for John Jackson here but only marginally ahead of my first O's keeper - Ray Goddard.

Same here.

I remember that Goddard always came out with a handful of goo that he stuck to the inside of a post and every so often he would get a bit and rub it in to his palms. In the days before gloves of course.

Stuart Nelson......


More seriously Mervyn Day

Ray Goddard and Eldin stand out for me , i must mention Steve Bowtell , not because of his goalkeeping but after he retired he rented me a few ' under the counter ' videos from his shop

John Jackson consistently good and very often brilliant.

Remember one save he made in the cup quarter final at Ayresome park which was absolutely unbelievable.

John Jackson without a doubt.

Just about Ray Goddard for me.

Thor wrote: ↑Wed Nov 27, 2019 10:21 pm

Orient_Man_And_Boy wrote: ↑Wed Nov 27, 2019 8:19 pm Jackson. Remember Ipswich in ‘79?

Wasn’t that with the snowy pitch and orange ball?

Yep. Great game, with ITFC parading the Cup before the game.
The Evening Standard said JJ defined ‘bottle’ that afternoon. And Ralph Coates nearly won it for us in the dying minutes. I often quote how I was in the rear carriage of the train back to Stratford. In those days the highest numbered platforms were very poorly lit and the driver stopped one carriage short of the platform. I stepped off into 4 feet of fresh air! But didn’t give a damn after the gutsy performance we put in.

Smiling John Jackson

Mervyn Day.

Simply because he used to live very near to me in Danbury when he played for us, but I was too young to get to games at that time. I knocked on his door with my Orient pennant and he signed it for me

I think he was quite shocked.

I still have it.