Peter Shilton, a myth twenty years in the service of the English goal

Last update 14 March, 2018 por Alberto Llopis

Peter Shilton is talking about talking about big words. Refer to this man is for those who do not know, especially for younger, refer to one of the best goalkeeper in the history not only of England, but about football. A myth, an icon, that their 63 years can boast proud to be the player with the most international matches with Pross (125), being the goalkeeper with more games in history (1.390) or having played 100 or more league games with up to five different.

Heir Gordon Banks in the selection, Shilton has little or nothing to envy the first. Fast, intuitive, charismatic, and ultimately secure a genius or names are adjectives that could define the brilliant career of a man who dedicated himself for more than 30 years to keep the goals of many of the best English stadiums of the time.

And it is that talking about Shilton is talking about a connection between the distant past and the most recent fruit of the fifth longest football career across the UK. A connection between several generations the same listened to the Beatles who learned to use computers forever with him in the damn goal. Nacido en 1949 a Leicester, with scarcely 16 years would make his debut in his hometown team, trasncurriría where the first part of his long career and the end of Banks. Because it would be at Leicester where he would play Shilton 243 games over eight seasons, it would be in the same computer where the absolute internationality come in 1970 and where he would begin the beginning of the birth of a legend that would end up having to emigrate Banks, ironies of life when it was he himself who had recommended to get in the first team.

Because if something can sum up Shilton is the word legend. Just the fact that like Gordon Banks will not play in a great team of the Premier puts some shade to a truly spectacular career. Of course it would not be quite true to say that Shilton did not play in one of the greats of English football, because many will remember that Peter was a good surprise that Nottingham Forest goalkeeper to the overnight went from being in the English second division to become European champion for two consecutive years. A Nottingham where would a brilliant way and where the hand of Brian Clough achieved the greatest successes of his life (one that Clough showered on her clothes to down a peg on the grounds that it had become too star).

But if anything defines the career of Shilton is the England team. Twenty years serving the “Ross” go far good and bad. Between good, participation in five World, including Italy 90 where he agreed to the semifinals as in Germany 74. Among the less good, its clamorous mistake against Poland that cost him third place in the World Cup 74 and be famous goalkeeper Argentina-England 86, the goalkeeper scored the hand of God and the best of both World Cup history.

Por supuesto, it would be unfair to keep those bad or the last moments of his career in which errors are happening, perhaps by age (he retired to the 47 in the Leyton Orient, or lack of reflexes and strength, that prevented inter alia midfield overcome the kick. Shilton was a myth, a man capable of the best at the best time. A magician knew gloved save hundreds of games in the eleven teams that was, in which he also made his mark of genuine footballer.

Member of the Order of Merit of the British Empire and component of the Hall of Fame football “british”, Shilton if something highlighted in addition to its keenness on the field was his character. A personality that led him to retire after giving motivational talks to large groups but has also cost him a divorce 40 years after marrying and withdrawal of license for 18 months.

En definitiva, a man close, a leader for his teammates always had in it a reference. An eternal reference, as is eternal remembrance, pleasant and happy to honor them from Colgados for football.