Former Luton goalkeeper Tony Godden has sadly died - pic: Hatters Heritageplaceholder image
Former Luton goalkeeper Tony Godden has sadly died - pic: Hatters Heritage
Hatters’ survival hero passes away
Former Luton Town, West Bromwich Albion and Chelsea goalkeeper Tony Godden has sadly died at the age of 70.
The shot-stopper began his career with Ashford Town (Kent), before moving to the Hawthorns in 1977. It was during his time with the Baggies that he headed to Kenilworth Road on a short-term loan deal in March 1983 after a finger injury to Town number one Jake Findlay. Godden went on to play 12 times for the Hatters, including the famous 1-0 victory at Manchester City on the final day of the season that saw Town survive in Division One.
He returned to the Midlands afterwards and then had spells at Chelsea, Birmingham City, Bury, Peterborough United and Wivenhoe Town. Godden also had a brief managerial career with King’s Lynn and Bury Town before a spell on the coaching staff at Brighton & Hove Albion in 2009.
A club statement from the Hatters read: “News has reached Kenilworth Road of the death of Tony Godden, the goalkeeper who was in the Hatters side which secured safety at Manchester City in that never to be forgotten game in 1983. Gillingham-born Tony was snapped up by West Brom from Ashford Town in 1975 and, after breaking into the first team, 18 months later the safe and agile goalkeeper went on to smash the Baggies’ record with 226 consecutive appearances.
“After eventually losing his place at the Hawthorns, he accepted a loan move to Luton in March 1983 to replace Jake Findlay who had broken his thumb and remained ever present until the end of that campaign starring in the magical 1-0 win at Maine Road on the final day to ensure Division One survival. Tony finished his league career at Peterborough at the age of 35 and after managing several non-League sides became goalkeeping coach at Rushden before joining the coaching staff at Brighton. Our condolences go out to his family and friends.”
Meanwhile, a statement from the Baggies continued: “It’s often the lot of the goalkeeper to be the unsung hero of a football team. When you are the goalkeeper behind what was, by any measure, Albion’s best side of the last 50 years, a team that played football so thrilling it could make Pele and Cruyff blush, what chance have you got, especially when you get to make your Albion debut on the same day that we first unleashed Laurie Cunningham on the First Division.
“That was the hand dealt to Tony Godden who, in addition to all of that, had to live up to being John Osborne’s successor. That he did so in such impressive fashion says plenty about a goalkeeper who resides among the finest of our post-war custodians, just shy of Osborne and Ben Foster perhaps, but right up there in the conversation about the best of the rest.
“Towards the end of his second and final season at The Hawthorns, John Giles decided that Godden, 21, was ready. As we travelled to White Hart Lane on March 12, 1977, Godden was given the number 1 shirt for the first time. He kept a clean sheet but, as noted, everybody was looking the other way, at the feet of the sorcerer that was Laurie Cunningham. Four days later, he made his Hawthorns bow. Against Ipswich Town, he posted another clean sheet. At the opposite end, Bryan Robson scored a hat-trick and Cunningham got his first Albion goal. You get the picture.
“The 1977/78 season started with Ronnie Allen as manager. On the opening day, August 20, 1977, we beat Chelsea 3-0 at The Hawthorns, Tony Godden between the sticks. That was the start of a frankly ridiculous run of 228 consecutive appearances that did not end until November 7, 1981 when, ironically, Godden was missing as we met Tottenham at White Hart Lane. There would still be the better part of 100 games to come for the Albion prior to his departure in March 1986 at the dawn of the Great Sadness, but that run of 228 games was where he built a reputation that remains undimmed.
“Godden played a big part in the FA Cup run of 1977/78, by which time Ron Atkinson was Albion’s manager. It should not be underestimated just how tough it was to be a goalkeeper in Atkinson’s side either. Giving his side more and more licence to pour forward – “Go and entertain me” – it did inevitably mean that from time to time, Albion would be exposed at the back. On those occasions, Godden was the last line of defence and one that was rarely found wanting.
“Because while the talk of that side will be forever of Regis, Cunningham, Statham, Robson, Tony Godden was every bit as central to what it achieved as anyone. Great sides are built on solid foundations, and he was that alright. In the mind’s eye, TG will always be there at the back of that side, clad in that bright red jersey, bowling the ball out into the path of Derek Statham, sending Albion off on another blistering attack. The goalkeeper of that side. That’s some epitaph. Rest easy, Tony.”
Meanwhile, a statement from Chelsea added: “Chelsea Football Club is greatly saddened to learn of the passing of our former goalkeeper Tony Godden at the age of 70. Godden, who made 38 appearances for the club, enjoyed the undoubted high point of his time at Chelsea in a match at Old Trafford in September 1986, having joined towards the end of the previous season in the wake of a serious knee injury to regular keeper Eddie Niedzwiecki.
“During that live televised game at Manchester United, a penalty was conceded but Jesper Olsen’s attempt was saved by Godden, who, after his team had unbelievably been penalised with another questionable spot-kick just two minutes later, then kept out Gordon Strachan’s shot with an even better flying save in front of the Stretford End. In doing so, Godden became one of only three Chelsea goalies to have saved two penalties in one match.
“He kept 12 clean sheets during his time playing for his boyhood club, including in a home win over title-chasing Arsenal towards the end of his time at Chelsea. A young goalkeeper, Roger Freestone, had just been signed and Godden moved back to the West Midlands to sign for Birmingham City. Chelsea FC sends our deepest condolences to Tony’s family and friends at this difficult time.”
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