THE Reebok restored a great tradition last Saturday when they sent an outfield player into goal.
Wanderers had no choice but to stick Bo Hansen in between the sticks when Jussi Jaaskelainen was dismissed because they had no sub keeper on the bench.
It wasn't much fun for Wanderers but it brought back many happy memories of the days outfield players often used to stumble and fumble about in outsized shirts and gloves with no idea what they were doing.
The sight of a willing but hopeless chap jumping around headless chicken fashion when a keeper was sent or carried off could brighten up the drabbest of games.
There was nothing quite as hyperactive as an outfield player in goal, constantly rushing around narrowing the angle whether the opposition had the ball or not and then for some reason sticking rigidly between the sticks when a striker was clean through and the whole ground was screaming 'for God's sake, come off your line'.
They all fancied coming out for crosses until the ball was about two yards away when they'd invariably fall flat on their faces and what opposition fan didn't savour the sight of a plucky volunteer looking as vulnerable as a condemned man facing a firing squad at free kicks and, better still, penalties
Not all of them were bad. I once saw Niall Quinn go in goal, brilliantly save a penalty with his first touch, collect every cross and make a string of great saves. In fact he was better than the bloke he took over from.
Star
John McGinlay, too, proved himself a star between the sticks at Burnden Park. Mind you, when wasn't he a star?
But in the main the hilarity provided by the 'outfield keeper' could be boundless until football's killjoy rulers, under pressure from managers, allowed sub keepers.
It might have had nothing to do with making for a fair game but it was funny and the fans and the players loved it. There was never any shortage of willing volunteers and, judging from the smile of the season from Bo on Saturday, the players still relish having a go in goal.
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