Oldest Living England International

[MT03ALG]

Whilst talking with Mike Hodkinson, who wrote the book No Nay Never, the other day, Mike mentioned that Bryan Douglas is the second oldest England International to be still alive. Bryan is 91. He asked if I could name the oldest which I eventually did. An easy question for many Clarets......

[Buxtonclaret]

Colin

[Tricky Trevor]

Colin McDonald at 94 and counting.

[Buxtonclaret]

I never saw him play, but my dad really rated him.

[Spike]

Bryan Douglas End - been a place of fun for us for over a decade

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

Remarkable that the oldest two are from Burnley and Blackburn. Cool fact!

[exilecanada]

I never saw him play, but my dad really rated him.

I was around to see Colin McDonald play, great goalie, had one flaw in his game. Once in awhile when he thought a shot was going wide he'd raise his arms and one or two would sneak in the bottom corner

[ClaretTony]

I heard a while ago that Colin hadn’t been very well.

But mention of him allows me to put a link on to the day we took him to Gawthorpe in 2018. Absolute gentleman and it was a privilege to spend a few hours with him and his wife Anne.

https://youtu.be/2jyGa7Qg5Ds?si=0ntnxAL4A2tqzE_F

[Buxtonclaret]

I heard a while ago that Colin hadn’t been very well.

But mention of him allows me to put a link on to the day we took him to Gawthorpe in 2018. Absolute gentleman and it was a privilege to spend a few hours with him and his wife Anne.

https://youtu.be/2jyGa7Qg5Ds?si=0ntnxAL4A2tqzE_F

Was it you who posted a pic of all the keepers, that day? Joe, Nick, Tom and Colin?

[ClaretTony]

Was it you who posted a pic of all the keepers, that day? Joe, Nick, Tom and Colin?

I took the pic and just dug it out.

018.jpeg (461.57 KiB) Viewed 1022 times

[Frenchclaret]

I remember Colin playing for the Clarets and I don’t remember any goals being scored against him with his arms in the air. I also remember him playing for England in the World Cup and he was one of the best players there. He was a quiet man for a goalkeeper but was one of the best I have ever seen. Eventually he was replaced by Adam Blacklaw another favourite of mine.

[ClaretTony]

I remember Colin playing for the Clarets and I don’t remember any goals being scored against him with his arms in the air. I also remember him playing for England in the World Cup and he was one of the best players there. He was a quiet man for a goalkeeper but was one of the best I have ever seen. Eventually he was replaced by Adam Blacklaw another favourite of mine.

I saw him play for the reserves when he was trying to make a comeback from the broken leg so never saw him play first team football. My dad always told me he was the best goalkeeper he ever saw and Jimmy Mac told me he was the best he ever played with or against. That'll do for me.

[Buxtonclaret]

I took the pic and just dug it out.


018.jpeg

That's the one!
I couldn't find it.
Cheers.

[Goliath]

I took the pic and just dug it out.


018.jpeg

Who's the best. Having never seen Mcdonald I'd go Heaton. He was the most rounded.

[ClaretTony]

Who's the best. Having never seen Mcdonald I'd go Heaton. He was the most rounded.

It was always Adam Blacklaw for me but Tom Heaton & Nick Pope have to come into the reckoning too.

[FCBurnley]

Met Bryan Douglas on a cruise. Once he knew I was from Burnley he made his excuses and left !!! Worked with Colin when he was at Oldham and saw him play. Certainly a great keeper but not sure he would be tall enough for today’s game (see pic )

[ClaretTony]

Met Bryan Douglas on a cruise. Once he knew I was from Burnley he made his excuses and left !!! Worked with Colin when he was at Oldham and saw him play. Certainly a great keeper but not sure he would be tall enough for today’s game (see pic )

He was 6ft 2ins when he played

[Frenchclaret]

He was 6ft 2ins when he played

Yes, I remember him being quite tall and very slim but remarkably agile. If Jimmy Mac said he was the best I would have to agree with him.

[ClaretTony]

Yes, I remember him being quite tall and very slim but remarkably agile. If Jimmy Mac said he was the best I would have to agree with him.

His wife was stood next to me when I took the photo further up the thread and she said it highlighted just how much he’d shrunk in height.

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

Who's the best. Having never seen Mcdonald I'd go Heaton. He was the most rounded.

Hart obviously had the best career. For Burnley I would go Heaton just above Pope.

[Goliath]

Hart obviously had the best career. For Burnley I would go Heaton just above Pope.

He had the easier circumstances. Heaton and Pope had to work there way back up.

[Woodleyclaret]

I'd have Tom Heaton back if we sell Traff

[Mike47]

I remember Colin as a very good safe goalkeeper. I don’t remember him ever dropping the ball and he didn’t have the special gloves that goalkeepers have today.

[Longford Claret]

Colin McDonald is the oldest surviving England International Footballer. The second oldest is not Brian Douglas but former West Ham player Ken Brown, who is 3 months older than Brian.

[Quicknick]

Colin McDonald is the oldest surviving England International Footballer. The second oldest is not Brian Douglas but former West Ham player Ken Brown, who is 3 months older than Brian.

Well spotted.

[ClaretTony]

I'd have Tom Heaton back if we sell Traff

Tom is 39 now and hasn't played any league football in over five and a half years.

[Somethingfishy]

I remember Colin playing for the Clarets and I don’t remember any goals being scored against him with his arms in the air. I also remember him playing for England in the World Cup and he was one of the best players there. He was a quiet man for a goalkeeper but was one of the best I have ever seen. Eventually he was replaced by Adam Blacklaw another favourite of mine.

Isn't this attributed to Alan Stevenson? One of my earliest memories was as a small child and being taken on by my grandfather in the late 70s. I remember him waving it past the post in front of the CF and it nestled in the bottom corner. Newcastle at home I think.

[Longford Claret]

Well spotted.

The moral of the story is , don't believe anything told to you by a Blackburn Rovers supporter without first checking up on the facts.

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

He had the easier circumstances. Heaton and Pope had to work there way back up.

Not necessarily, Hart started at Shrewsbury, then multiple lower league loans before working his way up and dislodging one of the premier leagues best Goalkeepers in Prem History in Shay Given. And then stayed at Number one at City for years when they could literally have signed anyone.

Hart had an incredible career (and rise) from Shrewsburys youth team. Heaton started in United academy.

All three were top keepers in their own right. For Burnley I would order them Heaton, Pope and Hart a long way third (although he didnt actually do badly in his half season starting for us. Just the results weren't good!)

[boatshed bill]

Incredibly, Colin was the first ever player I got with a chewing gum . Wish i'd kept it.

[Goliath]

Not necessarily, Hart started at Shrewsbury, then multiple lower league loans before working his way up and dislodging one of the premier leagues best Goalkeepers in Prem History in Shay Given. And then stayed at Number one at City for years when they could literally have signed anyone.

Hart had an incredible career (and rise) from Shrewsburys youth team. Heaton started in United academy.

All three were top keepers in their own right. For Burnley I would order them Heaton, Pope and Hart a long way third (although he didnt actually do badly in his half season starting for us. Just the results weren't good!)

United were one of the best teams in Europe when Heaton came through. City were a bit crap and Hart was probably a bit lucky in terms of timing with Given coming to the end.
They were all very good at there best but I'd still have Hart third. I thought there were huge weaknesses In his game even at his peak.

[MT03ALG]

The moral of the story is , don't believe anything told to you by a Blackburn Rovers supporter without first checking up on the facts.
I will inform my friend Mike about his mistake

[mdd2]

I was around to see Colin McDonald play, great goalie, had one flaw in his game. Once in awhile when he thought a shot was going wide he'd raise his arms and one or two would sneak in the bottom corner

Spot on and I saw one at the Turf when he did his outstretched arms at the CF end and the ball nestled in the left hand corner-cant remember the game or result. But he was a great keeper and Blacklaw wasnt fit to lace his boots when he took over, but he grew with game time.

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

United were one of the best teams in Europe when Heaton came through. City were a bit crap and Hart was probably a bit lucky in terms of timing with Given coming to the end.
They were all very good at there best but I'd still have Hart third. I thought there were huge weaknesses In his game even at his peak.

There is no way City would have kept him as long as they did. They would simply have shipped him out!

If you are saying he came in when they were crap, and then got better - surely he gets credit for that too?

As I say. He was third best for us. But overall the best of the three.

“I’ve been watching his game for a few years now, and Joe Hart is now for me one of the top three goalkeepers in the world," said the legendary Buffon, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006 and a man with 150 appearances between the sticks for his country.

[Goliath]

There is no way City would have kept him as long as they did. They would simply have shipped him out!

If you are saying he came in when they were crap, and then got better - surely he gets credit for that too?

As I say. He was third best for us. But overall the best of the three.

“I’ve been watching his game for a few years now, and Joe Hart is now for me one of the top three goalkeepers in the world," said the legendary Buffon, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006 and a man with 150 appearances between the sticks for his country.

May as well agree to disagree. His shot stopping was outstanding and City gave away a lot of shots to save at that time so it flattered him IMO. As they got better and he had less to do it became more obvious that he wasn't cut out of be at the very top

His mentality was a problem, he was weak from crosses and his distribution was poor. Remember the first thing Pep did pretty much was to tell him he didn't have any role to play and replaced him with a pretty average keeper in Bravo.
Southgate was also really quick to leave him out and he didn't really shine anywhere after he left City.

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

I am out

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_L ... lden_Glove

Joe Hart is the joint highest winner of the Golden Glove award with four along with Petr Cech.

[CyrilEbokiPoh]

The bulk of them were from when 'City Were ****'.

[BurnleyFC]

Surely it’s Jordan Henderson.