22 hours ago, chi blue said:

Never saw him play, as a little to young, but as a young child through the 70's and early 80's and being born into a Chelsea family that team of late 60s early 70s was always talked about, remember Chelsea were sh*t in my young childhood, so that team was so revered, and the cat was iconic, when a young lad like most I wanted to be a centre forward, but one Christmas got yellow Bonetti gloves with the B on the back, and that changed everything and I took up Goalkeeping.

Remember late 70's out shopping with my mum and Dad in Worthing and as they looked in a shop window a couple next to them started talking, my mum and dad looked a bit Star struck it was Peter Bonetti, he use to live down in Worthing, my parents couldn't stop talking about it.

Peter Bonetti was imo the first goalkeeping Super star.

As you drive thru Findon valley on the way into Worthing,  there's the families dry cleaning shop on the left " Bonetti's" still going strong.

A true gentleman and legend.  May he rest in peace.

Growing up in the 80s I never saw him play, but used to listen to stories my dad would tell from going to games in 60s and 70s.  Then in 80s when I got the history of Chelsea VHS one Christmas (which I watched over and over again), albeit only on video, I never tired of watching his brilliance.

With all the other news and self isolating I missed this very sad news.

Peter was in goal for my very first visit to the bridge in 1970. He was a truly magnificent goalkeeper. My memories of him are not specific but more of his abilities and the confidence he gave to those around him. He wasn't particularly physically strong for a goalkeeper but he was very brave. His ability and skill to come for high crosses and corners was second to none. I don't think I've ever seen a better collector of crosses. I just seem to remember feeling safe when a high ball went into the 18 yard box. You just knew he would catch it. This was in the days when keepers caught the ball. He didn't punch it away or put it behind. He caught it at great height and landed gracefully on his feet. It seemed he did it for every cross. He really was that good and the crowd loved him.

I also remember later in his career that he often preferred to throw the ball out rather than kick it. He did have decent long kick but I think he taught himself how to throw very accurately and I remember him throwing the ball sometimes directly to the feet of a team member almost on the halfway line.

The team he played in towards the end of his career wasn't the best he had played in but he still shone and I will always remember "The Cat" as the best goalie in the world.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8221733/Michael-Oliver-admits-dished-11-RED-cards-Chelsea-vs-Leeds-FA-Cup-final-1970.html

 

Michael Oliver reviewed the 1970 cup final and sent off 11 players, including Eddie Mac twice

Club have confirmed they’ll hold a memorial at The Bridge when it’s safe to do so.

Great picture of The Cat and Eddie on programme cover v Villa 16th April 1985.

Our keeper.

Edited April 16, 20206 yr by erskblue

First keeper to use gloves regularly, I remember having a pair of Bonetti`s when I was a kid, got them for Christmas and just remember them having a sort of ping pong bat backing.  A brilliant keeper who unfortunately played in the same era as englands greatest ever keeper otherwise he would have had a huge amount of international caps. Met him a couple of times and he was an absolute gent, a true Chelsea legend. 

12 minutes ago, dkw said:

First keeper to use gloves regularly, I remember having a pair of Bonetti`s when I was a kid, got them for Christmas and just remember them having a sort of ping pong bat backing.  A brilliant keeper who unfortunately played in the same era as englands greatest ever keeper otherwise he would have had a huge amount of international caps. Met him a couple of times and he was an absolute gent, a true Chelsea legend. 

Same here having the Bonetti gloves, with rubber ping pong bat style on the back only and the letter B, back in late 70's remember reading a book at school called 'Goalkeepers are different' the person in the story recalls as a lad watching Peter Bonetti play in goal, and that's why he became a goalkeeper.

The coaster on my bedside table is a pottery reproduction of a Chelsea program cover.  It is from the 1968-69 season and cost 1 shilling.  The match was Wednesday 29th January (7.30 p.m.) and was Chelsea V Preston North End F.A.Cup {indecipherable} Round Replay.  The main picture is Peter Bonetti and the text says 

"Congratulations to our "Top-cat" Goalkeeper, PETER BONETTI,who reaches a career milestone tonight - his 400th first-team appearance for CHELSEA"

 

A friend worked in the Chelsea marketing and promotions department and she used to give me stuff like that for Christmas and birthdays :)

18 hours ago, charierre said:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8221733/Michael-Oliver-admits-dished-11-RED-cards-Chelsea-vs-Leeds-FA-Cup-final-1970.html

 

Michael Oliver reviewed the 1970 cup final and sent off 11 players, including Eddie Mac twice

That is highly amusing. I suppose that was the high water mark for rough house football. Quite pleasing we out dirtied dirty Leeds ( 7 red cards to 4)

Edited April 16, 20206 yr by Ewell CFC

19 hours ago, charierre said:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8221733/Michael-Oliver-admits-dished-11-RED-cards-Chelsea-vs-Leeds-FA-Cup-final-1970.html

 

Michael Oliver reviewed the 1970 cup final and sent off 11 players, including Eddie Mac twice

Having watched that game recently, it's true that the ref was absurdly lenient, but to be fair he was pretty consistent in not taking action for foul play.

The McCreadie kick to Bremner's head was the worst decision. That should have been a pen and a red, and it was just a couple of minutes before the end of the 90, so it probably cost Leeds the cup.

I wonder if they'll now ask Oliver to re-referee the Spuds game from 2016, and to then consider the integrity of an official who decided in advance not to enforce the rules of the game so he wouldn't be accused of costing Spuds the title. Clattenburg was responsible for us being fined hundreds of thousands as a result of that shameless, negligent  performance which endangered our players.

Edited April 16, 20206 yr by Backbiter

9 hours ago, Backbiter said:

Having watched that game recently, it's true that the ref was absurdly lenient, but to be fair he was pretty consistent in not taking action for foul play.

The McCreadie kick to Bremner's head was the worst decision. That should have been a pen and a red, and it was just a couple of minutes before the end of the 90, so it probably cost Leeds the cup.

I wonder if they'll now ask Oliver to re-referee the Spuds game from 2016, and to then consider the integrity of an official who decided in advance not to enforce the rules of the game so he wouldn't be accused of costing Spuds the title. Clattenburg was responsible for us being fined hundreds of thousands as a result of that shameless, negligent  performance which endangered our players.

Michael Oliver would wet his drawers if he had to referee a match from the 1970s. Back then men like Jack Taylor, Roger Kirkpatrick, and Clive 'the book' Thomas, knew how to handle games without letting their egos get in the way like modern refs like Oliver who, in my opinion, likes to be the star of the show.

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2020/04/13/eddie-niedzwiecki-on-peter-bonetti-the-coach--mentor-and-inspira?fbclid=IwAR1XkeXtyoXE6LzD3_SK2tlwPTvCwEp3-2aEY1KCz2Dy_D1Fu78HgORdOa4

'Eddie' on Peter Bonetti.  And finding a pair of those famous green goalie gloves !

 

'I just wish that I’d had even longer with him because I loved coming in to train. I will treasure the moments I shared with him for the rest of my life.’

After hearing the news of Bonetti’s death yesterday, Niedzwiecki was clearing out his garage later in the day and quite inexplicably came across a pair of those iconic cotton green gloves that Bonetti made famous during his playing career.

‘I really remember him as a goalkeeper wearing those green gloves so it was quite ironic when I came across a pair of them yesterday, still in the packaging with a picture of Peter and Phil Parkes on the back,' Niedzwiecki revealed.

‘When I was growing up, everyone who played in goal wanted a pair of those green cotton Peter Bonetti gloves. I can’t quite believe I’ve still got a pair here and they’re still in the packet as well, believe it or not. That was quite ironic but it brings back happy memories.’

Wow !

Edited April 17, 20206 yr by erskblue

On 13/04/2020 at 18:36, The Rising Sun said:

I've just read it on line mate. Absolutely outrageous to give so much prominence in  his obituary to that one incident.

as someone up there said, we remember him as the great, brave Chelsea keeper he was, that's all that matters.

Brian Glanville has just written Norman Hunter's obituary. His mistake against Poland that led to the goal that meant England didn't get to the '74 World Cup got half a sentence, eight paragraphs in. 

Shame he didn't apply the same degree of balance to Bonetti's obituary.

17 hours ago, Backbiter said:

Brian Glanville has just written Norman Hunter's obituary. His mistake against Poland that led to the goal that meant England didn't get to the '74 World Cup got half a sentence, eight paragraphs in. 

Shame he didn't apply the same degree of balance to Bonetti's obituary.

Quick look on his wiki, one paragraph that explains it all.

Glanville is a lifelong supporter of Arsenal F.C.. He is noted for taking a critical view of many issues, often in contrast to the typical British sportswriter. Since its formation, he has criticised the Premier League as the "Greed is Good League"[9] and FIFA president Sepp Blatter is referred to as "Sepp (50 ideas a day, 51 bad) Blatter". Glanville said: "The World Cup has become worse and worse over the years—it is bloated. Whatever Sepp Blatter thinks he knows is only secondary to the money he wants to make." He has also said there are "far too many foreigners in the Premier League" and he criticised the spending of clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea as "repugnant".
 

We all know there’s a biased opinion of us from outside the club but once you’re part of the inner circle you know you’re Chelsea for life. We look after our own. Just ask the likes of Cesc and Ashley...

2 hours ago, Munkworth said:

Quick look on his wiki, one paragraph that explains it all.

Glanville is a lifelong supporter of Arsenal F.C.. He is noted for taking a critical view of many issues, often in contrast to the typical British sportswriter. Since its formation, he has criticised the Premier League as the "Greed is Good League"[9] and FIFA president Sepp Blatter is referred to as "Sepp (50 ideas a day, 51 bad) Blatter". Glanville said: "The World Cup has become worse and worse over the years—it is bloated. Whatever Sepp Blatter thinks he knows is only secondary to the money he wants to make." He has also said there are "far too many foreigners in the Premier League" and he criticised the spending of clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea as "repugnant".
 

We all know there’s a biased opinion of us from outside the club but once you’re part of the inner circle you know you’re Chelsea for life. We look after our own. Just ask the likes of Cesc and Ashley...

He has a habit of damning Chelsea players with faint praise. Here's the opening paragraph of his obituary for Peter Osgood:

'The Chelsea, Southampton and England footballer Peter Osgood, who has died after a heart attack at a family funeral in Slough, aged 59, never truly fulfilled his enormous promise and potential. It was Geoff Hurst who scored three goals for England in the World Cup final of 1966 against West Germany. But it was Osgood who might so easily have played in his place.'

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/mar/02/guardianobituaries.football

I'm all for a bit of tribalism but that should be laid aside in death.

 

54 minutes ago, Stretford Ender said:

He has a habit of damning Chelsea players with faint praise. Here's the opening paragraph of his obituary for Peter Osgood:

'The Chelsea, Southampton and England footballer Peter Osgood, who has died after a heart attack at a family funeral in Slough, aged 59, never truly fulfilled his enormous promise and potential. It was Geoff Hurst who scored three goals for England in the World Cup final of 1966 against West Germany. But it was Osgood who might so easily have played in his place.'

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/mar/02/guardianobituaries.football

I'm all for a bit of tribalism but that should be laid aside in death.

 

That's totally inappropriate as an opening statement, but it does at least show that Glanville recognised his stupendous ability by saying he could have led the line for England in '66.

I don't remember him writing for the Guardian. He was at the Sunday Times for decades. Must be well into his 80s now.

3 hours ago, Munkworth said:

Quick look on his wiki, one paragraph that explains it all.

Glanville is a lifelong supporter of Arsenal F.C.. He is noted for taking a critical view of many issues, often in contrast to the typical British sportswriter. Since its formation, he has criticised the Premier League as the "Greed is Good League"[9] and FIFA president Sepp Blatter is referred to as "Sepp (50 ideas a day, 51 bad) Blatter". Glanville said: "The World Cup has become worse and worse over the years—it is bloated. Whatever Sepp Blatter thinks he knows is only secondary to the money he wants to make." He has also said there are "far too many foreigners in the Premier League" and he criticised the spending of clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea as "repugnant".
 

We all know there’s a biased opinion of us from outside the club but once you’re part of the inner circle you know you’re Chelsea for life. We look after our own. Just ask the likes of Cesc and Ashley...

Arsenal fans are funny lot, as wet and least tribal as you can get on a match day, but put a pen in their hand or now a days a computer keyboard, and they are as brave as they come!!! You gotta love Rubert and Octavia!!!