Today’s Blast from our Recent Clarets Past (XII) - Nik Michopoulos

[jdrobbo]

Some incredible games (at the very beginning) and some not so brilliant performances from NtG

What are your memories of our former Greek ‘keeper?
M

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[ClaretCliff]

A really exciting signing, a great start with some brilliant performances and rumours Manure were looking to take him off us.

There was a piece on local tv about him, can’t remember whether bbc or Granada where he was interviewed in a cafe I think.

[footballdiedin92]

Was his debut on a dreadful Tuesday night league cup match? The highlight being when bertie bee escaped from an advertising hoarding he had been stuck in for 5 mins?

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Debut was Huddersfield away wasn’t it? Sure he was a late replacement for Crichton who was late due to being stuck in traffic?

[Papabendi]

Debut was Huddersfield away wasn’t it? Sure he was a late replacement for Crichton who was late due to being stuck in traffic?

Started Ok. By the end, the less said the better. He and Beresford were as bad as each other that final season.

I hadnt realised he had played a few full internationals for Greece.

[wilks_bfc]

Debut was Huddersfield away wasn’t it? Sure he was a late replacement for Crichton who was late due to being stuck in traffic?

Palace was his debut, which was a league cup game

Huddersfield was his league debut which I think was the following game, and he started that when as you say, Critchton was stuck in traffic

[Bordeauxclaret]

He played the Tuesday before v Palace in the cup but wasn’t due to play at Huddersfield.


A bit like Andy Lonherhan at Preston, I’m not convinced he could see shots coming from long range.

[claretonthecoast1882]

I thought he was a world beater after Huddersfield away, by the end I was relieved he decided to basically jack it in and quit on the pitch against Sheff Weds

[Fretters]

Didn't he save a penalty in the Palace game?

Crichton must have been kicking himself that he didn't travel with the rest of the team to Huddersfield.

[ClaretTony]

Debut was Huddersfield away wasn’t it? Sure he was a late replacement for Crichton who was late due to being stuck in traffic?

That was his second game, played at home against Palace in League Cup on the previous Tuesday. Crichton was on the pitch warming up that day.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

He played the Tuesday before v Palace in the cup but wasn’t due to play at Huddersfield.


A bit like Andy Lonherhan at Preston, I’m not convinced he could see shots coming from long range.

Lonerhan always remembered fondly by Burnley fans in the Jimmy Mac stand!

[jedi_master]

Wasn't the story that Crichton was due to start at Huddersfield but got caught in traffic and arrived late, hence Stan started Nik and Crichton (I don't think?) ever played for us again.

Crichton was a far better goalkeeper - albeit Nik had a great debut that day in a 1-0 win that I think Payton scored in. That was my only visit to the McAlpine, as it was, until that glorious day last year on the 29th July.

[ClaretTony]

That throw one in season of 2002/03 - him and Beresford.

He hadn't been in the side long when the alarm bells should have been ringing that night at Forest when we lost 5-0.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Wasn't the story that Crichton was due to start at Huddersfield but got caught in traffic and arrived late, hence Stan started Nik and Crichton (I don't think?) ever played for us again.

Crichton was a far better goalkeeper - albeit Nik had a great debut that day in a 1-0 win that I think Payton scored in. That was my only visit to the McAlpine, as it was, until that glorious day last year on the 29th July.

Payton did score that day. As you say Crichton was the better keeper.

[jedi_master]

That throw one in season of 2002/03 - him and Beresford.

He hadn't been in the side long when the alarm bells should have been ringing that night at Forest when we lost 5-0.

The 'goalkeeping' that season really was something else. I know the defence was poor (what an understatement!!!) with the likes of the hapless McGregor, Branch, Gnohere, West and a very much past it Davis but they barely made a save in my recollection. Hard pressed to decide the worst performance with the likes of 2-5 against Reading, 2-6 against Rotherham, 4-7 against Watford, the 6-5 loss at Grimsby or the farcical final day 2-7 against Wednesday. I'd probably go for that last day because both Beresford and Nik were equally crap, and Wednesday had a keeper of their own (Stringer) who was just as bad!

I still laugh when I think of that superb quote from Stan after Grimsby away: "Well, when you score 5 away from home you'd hope for at least a point".

[claretonthecoast1882]

The 'goalkeeping' that season really was something else. I know the defence was poor (what an understatement!!!) with the likes of the hapless McGregor, Branch, Gnohere, West and a very much past it Davis but they barely made a save in my recollection. Hard pressed to decide the worst performance with the likes of 2-5 against Reading, 2-6 against Rotherham, 4-7 against Watford, the 6-5 loss at Grimsby or the farcical final day 2-7 against Wednesday. I'd probably go for that last day because both Beresford and Nik were equally crap, and Wednesday had a keeper of their own (Stringer) who was just as bad!

I still laugh when I think of that superb quote from Stan after Grimsby away: "Well, when you score 5 away from home you'd hope for at least a point".

Grimsby n Sheff Utd got relegated that season, we were very charitable to crap teams

[jedi_master]

Grimsby n Sheff Utd got relegated that season, we were very charitable to crap teams

Indeed - We made Steve Kabba look like Ruud Van Nistelrooy at Grimsby.

[ElectroClaret]

What a disaster that night at Forest was, finished work early to get down there.

Awful stuff.

[Inchy]

I was at Huddersfield that day and he was brilliant. A bit like the Beast at Chelsea or reading at home. Totally inspired performance followed by a lot of crap performances after.


People seem to like to debate who was our better keeper during those pre Dyche times. Nik the Greek or PJ pants or the beast.

Basically they were all crap. We have been very fortunate to have some great keeper since

[Rowls]

His debut was brilliant. Made several great saves to stop Huddersfield and then Andy Payton knicked it for us to win 0-1 (and he really did knick it - Micky Mellon's shot was rolling in the goal anyway).

The other game that really stands out is when Robbie Blake inspired Notts Forrest to thrash us 0-5. We learned that night that our Greek 'keeper wasn't so good at dealing with long shots.

We once saw him on the way the way to the Turf. Even though he must've been on a decent wage, he was driving a clapped out old Vauxhall.

[Bosscat]

Debut was Huddersfield away wasn’t it? Sure he was a late replacement for Crichton who was late due to being stuck in traffic?

We were walking off that Huddersfield game back to the car and we were sure we saw Crichton in the Car Park carrying a huge sports bag back to his car with his head hung low....

[Herts Clarets]

Another shocker he had was at Grimsby in 2002, when Gascoigne played. Well i say played, was on the pitch in a Burnley shirt. Grimsby had a player who was an ex tennis player (Boulding possibly) and made our defence and in particular what passed for a goalkeeper that day look absolute mugs. Lost 3-1 and I was sat behind a few of our followers who appeared on the Danny Dyer documentary. They spent a large part of the game on their phones, pointing to others sat in the home stands. 10 minutes before the end they left the ground and as we walked past a McDonalds on the way to the car after the game, it kicked off with them and some Grimsby lads.

[spt_claret]

I was at Huddersfield that day and he was brilliant. A bit like the Beast at Chelsea or reading at home. Totally inspired performance followed by a lot of crap performances after.


People seem to like to debate who was our better keeper during those pre Dyche times. Nik the Greek or PJ pants or the beast.

Basically they were all crap. We have been very fortunate to have some great keeper since

Jensen and Kiraly were very much not crap, they just had shortcomings- for Jensen his handling mostly, occasionally his indecisiveness, for Kiraly his erratic concentration levels. It meant that while both, especially Jensen, could be matchwinners, they were also capable of howler errrors. Coyne was decent but too small to command his area and injury prone. Grant was alright too, never saw the fuss some saw in him- no glaring weaknesses but no great strengths either, rarely a matchwinner keeper.
They weren't crap though - we've just been incredibly blessed with keepers since signing Heaton.

Nik....he was very likeable but some distance behind the 4 of them.

[Croydon Claret]

I recall that he used to frequent the El Greco café. Whether that affected his performances on the pitch will forever be speculation

[gandhisflipflop]

Kiraly was bloody awful. Anyway my overriding memories of Nik The Greek was his supreme ability to stand still and watch the ball float past him into the goal. Used to do it a lot from free kicks.

[Walton]

There's a famous goal which Christian Vieri scored for Atletico Madrid which does the rounds on social media every now and then.

The goalkeeper looking silly is familiar in both appearance and mannerisms...

https://youtu.be/p13q234_blQ

[Eyesofblue2]

He played the Tuesday before v Palace in the cup but wasn’t due to play at Huddersfield.


A bit like Andy Lonherhan at Preston, I’m not convinced he could see shots coming from long range.

Totally agree, I think his long distance vision was shot, anything from outside the area he rarely even moved. I can remember Stan trying to talk him into the Greek national team, it didn't work.