Everything you've ever wanted to know about
goalkeepers and a little bit more

1 May 2025
With the regular Football League season in England about to come to an end, it's time for a May Day update that features all the goalkeeper oddities you've come to expect, from the goalie who was forced to get another shirt after ripping his own in frutstration to the England international who found himself in trouble with the law no less than four times. There's also the keeper with the surname Bond who was asked to wear the 007 shirt for publicity reasons, Peter Shilton's uncle and some more outfield players who had to don the goalkeeper gloves due to their keepers being otherwise indisposed.

Getting Shirty, Getting Personal, I Fought the Law, Emergency Measures

7 April 2025
Having avoided for the best part of 25-years, this month's update sees an attempt to track the progression of the British transfer record for a goalkeeper. There's bound to be a mistake somewhere so welcome feedback in case someone has been overlooked. In addition to that, there are some more Sporting Masters, a couple of goalkeeper glove anecdotes, some more debuts - good, bad and quirky - plus a few loose lips and outrageous statements. There's also the tale of how Nigel Martyn was discovered by a tea lady on holiday in Cornwall.

Quirky Facts, Hands in Gloves, Goalkeeping Debuts, Words of Wisdom

21 March 2025
A few weeks ago the question was asked on Social Media as to who people think was missing from the Goalkeeping Greats section. Naturally, this sparked a lot of suggestions and discussion. Not every nominee could be included but following this ad hoc poll three new names have been added to the pantheon of greats. Two were nominated, one was already in mind. They may be contentious inclusions, but hopefully the arguments for why thy have been added will soothe the anger felt by some!

Goalkeeping Greats

23 February 2025
You would have got good odds on Everton midfielder Kevin Ratcliffe keeping a clean sheet in a game that featured his Welsh teammates Eddie Niedzwiecki and Neville Southall but it happened back in 1985. It's just one of the fascinating titbits in this month's update that also includes Olivier Giroud's stint in goal, the only goalkeeper ever to win a major trophy in England as a manager, the West Ham keeper who broke a mirror before a game then conceded six, some more nicknames and quirky middle names plus Kevin Keelan's views on wearing tights to protect his knees against the elements.

Quirky Facts, Getting Personal, Emergency Measures, Words of Wisdom

24 January 2025
To celebrate the New Year, there's a brand section on the site - Cultural Pursuits - detailing the attempts of the finest and not so finest goalkeepers in the history to achieve glory in the fields of literature, pop music, and film & television (okay, okay, we've just moved those sections from Quirky Facts into a page of their right)! Never fear, this month's update includes Willie McFaul's appearance on a popular kids show, the goalkeeper hit by a bucket during a derby clash, Tamworth's netting coming loose before their FA Cup clash with Spurs and the Indie Thrash Metal band that named themselves after a Hull City goalkeeper...

Quirky Facts, Quirky Injuries, In the Net, Cultural Pursuits

Goalkeepersaredifferent.com came to life in the summer of 1999. A treasure trove of goalkeeper facts, trivia and a whole lot more, it has kept football fans and goalkeepers alike amused and entertained with its collection of goalie titbits ever since. But don't just take our word for it...

"Educational and charming" - Oliver Kahn

"Excellent and well-written" - When Saturday Comes

"Excellent" - Guardian Unlimited

"Goalkeepers are the drummers of football... Great quirky facts, a great website" - Website Wasteland, The Gideon Coe Show, BBC Radio6 Music