Gerry Peyton - remember him?

**TiocfaidhArmani** · 28/04/2011, 4:27 PM

He was the name you would throw at your pals when playing out on the street if someone was crap in goal. Ah, the memories

**Stuttgart88** · 28/04/2011, 4:30 PM

Packie's understudy at Euro 88 and Italia 90. Competent no. 2, not that bad at all. Fulham was his club, wasn't it?

Did he have the occasional spell as no. 1 choice under Eoin Hand?

Why the random Gerry Peyton thread?

**pineapple stu** · 28/04/2011, 4:37 PM

Had lots of clubs, didn't he? I remember him as a Bournemouth player. Played in a friendly against the USSR in 1991 (?); kept a clean sheet but was lucky when he kicked the ball against his own defender and it went in, but there'd been an offside already. Went off to coach in Sweden I think? Solid enough keeper I always thought, but then that was back in the day when I thought anyone playing for Ireland was at worst solid by definition.

And a wiki.

**Crosby87** · 28/04/2011, 5:01 PM

Any relation to the NBA's Gary "The Glove" Payton?

**Fixer82** · 28/04/2011, 6:28 PM

Peyton was a very good keeper if I remember correctly. Was unlucky not to get more caps other than the odd friendly against Wales here and there. Last i saw was coaching in some decent club in England...Sheffield United? Arsenal? Can't remember

**Eminence Grise** · 28/04/2011, 6:50 PM

33 caps from a career that went through from the '70s to the 90s? There have been very few second-choice keepers who lasted as long, or who won as many caps. He had a bit of a protracted swansong at the end of his career, bouncing around a few top flight clubs, having spent most of his career in the lower divisions. I think it was belated recognition that he was a decent keeper, maybe not quite top level, but a strong enough understudy. If I recall rightly, didn't he keep a clean sheet on his debut as a teenager for Burnley against Liverpool?

I think he's coaching at Arsenal these days. Glad to see he stayed in the game, and in a very decent capacity. Always one of my favourite players for some odd reason.

**BonnieShels** · 28/04/2011, 7:17 PM

It's funny how we do remember him and yet Is say that there's not one kid out there who will treat any of our current understudys the same way.

**EastTerracer** · 28/04/2011, 9:48 PM

He is still the current goalkeeping coach at Arsenal - he was in the background on Sky when Jens Lehmann signed for Arsenal a few weeks ago. You can frequently see him sitting on the bench at the Emirates (or nearby) - he was in the shot a number of times during the League Cup Final at Wembley recently.

Some might say that goalkeeping coach at Arsenal would not be a mark of great distinction given their recent problems but I think that would be unfair.

**BonnieShels** · 28/04/2011, 11:06 PM

Originally Posted by EastTerracer

Some might say that goalkeeping coach at Arsenal would not be a mark of great distinction given their recent problems but I think that would be unfair.

In fairness look what Arsene gives him to work with.

**pineapple stu** · 29/04/2011, 8:22 AM

Originally Posted by Crosby87

Any relation to the NBA's Gary "The Glove" Payton?

Seeing as how it was pointed out two posts previously that his named is spelled differently, I doubt it.

**drummerboy** · 29/04/2011, 8:25 AM

He was a very decent keeper.

**Dodge** · 29/04/2011, 8:37 AM

I'm fairly ceratin we were the only European country to have only 2 keepers in Italia '90. On the couple of friendly appearances Peyton got around the 88-90 mark I'm not even sure I could guess his back up.

Think I remember reading he was Bournemouth's most capped player too

**pineapple stu** · 29/04/2011, 8:48 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

I'm fairly ceratin we were the only European country to have only 2 keepers in Italia '90.

Yeah, you're right. Colombia did it too. Niall Quinn was our "third choice" keeper then.

**Royal rover** · 29/04/2011, 8:48 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

I'm fairly ceratin we were the only European country to have only 2 keepers in Italia '90. On the couple of friendly appearances Peyton got around the 88-90 mark I'm not even sure I could guess his back up.

Think I remember reading he was Bournemouth's most capped player too

His back up was either Kelham o'Hanlon or the older brother of Alan Kelly i can't remember his first name

**pineapple stu** · 29/04/2011, 8:49 AM

Gary Kelly was Alan's brother. Think he made the bench once?

**Lionel Ritchie** · 29/04/2011, 9:04 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

I'm fairly ceratin we were the only European country to have only 2 keepers in Italia '90. On the couple of friendly appearances Peyton got around the 88-90 mark I'm not even sure I could guess his back up.

Think I remember reading he was Bournemouth's most capped player too

We were also the only country who didn't have a goalkeeping coach -a situation that persisted through USA 94 and was only rectified when Mick came in.