The Five Keepers
Commemorating an Unusual Match Fact !
Liam Mitchell – Despite gaining the second choice jersey for the season, Liam spent very little time actually on the bench, losing his place to the young German goalkeeper Fabian Speiss before being released. The youngster did play one match for Notts though, an FA cup clash at home against Rotherham, which the Magpies lost 3-0.
Notts County v Walsall 25th August 2012
was just another ordinary match day to most fans but closer examination of the team sheet revealed an unusual (and it has to be said, totally worthless) bit of footballing trivia. The four goalkeepers in both squads as well as the Notts coach were all past or present Pies.
Bartosz Bialkowski - The current number one shot-stopper started this game for Notts having signed in the summer from newly promoted Premiership side Southampton. Though fans knew little about him apart from his mistake v Blackpool for Southampton, he went on to have a tremendous season for the club, where 14 clean sheets gained the attention of some championship clubs.
David Grof – started the day as Walsall number one having signed for them the previous season from Mansfield. He was the third choice keeper for Notts in the 2010/2011 season, although he never actually made a first team appearance for the Magpies
Kevin Pilkington, the Notts County goalkeeping coach that day, although retired, was required to sign up in order to sit on the bench when Speiss was injured and Liam Mitchell was on loan at Tamworth. Even though he last played for Notts nearly four years ago, he actually went on to play away at Brentford when Bart had to come off at half time due to illness. The unlucky chance meant Pilko could reach the milestone of 150 appearances for the Magpies !
Jimmy Walker, like David Grof, never made a senior appearance for Notts County but was a trainee at Meadow Lane for two seasons between 1991 – 1993. He went on to Walsall where he became a cult hero, playing 475 appearances in 11 years. Although he went on to West Ham and had a season at Tottenham Hotspur, Jimmy eventually came back to Walsall and, for this season became a player/coach.
...and if you still haven't had enough goalkeepers, the author of this article (and much of this site) was Notts County Ladies first team goalkeeper during the 150th anniversary season. Hazel Clark joined the Pies in 2011 and spent two seasons between the sticks before the merger with Lincoln Ladies at the end of the 2013 season.
