Saints goalkeeping legend Peter Shilton is to be honoured bu FIFA at the forthcoming England Friendly with Belgium on June 2nd for being one of the select group of World players who have hit a great milestone.
Shilton is part of a FIFA initiative to honour every player in the World who has won more than100 caps for their respective countries and Shilton will be presented with a special cap to recognise the achievement, also present on the day to receive theirs will be David Beckham and Bobby Charlton along with the widows of Bobby Moore and Billy Wright to recieve their caps posthumously.
The ex Saints keeper won 125 full England caps in an International career that stretched for 20 years between 1970 when he won his first full cap at the then young age of 21 until his last the third place play off game against hosts Italy in the 1990 World Cup, he would have surely won more had it not been for a mid 70's blip after a mistake in a 1973 World Cup Qualifyer against Poland at Wembley that contributed to England not managing the win they needed to qualify for the 1974 finals.
Ray Clemence got ahead of him in the pecking order, Shilts would play just three games for his country between 1975 & 78 and even though Shilton came back to his best for Nottingham Forest, he found that Ron Greenwood the then England boss could not decide between either keeper and tended to alternate them each game, to put this in perspective of how many caps Shilton could have won, it was March 1980 nearly ten years after his debut before he won his 30th cap at the half way point in years of his International career, in the next ten years he would win 95, yes International games were increasing in the 80's and of course we didnt qualify for either the 74 or 78 World Cup, but it shows just how many he could have won.
Shilton joined Saints in July 1982 just after the World Cup in Spain where he had finally won his battle against Clemence and been installed as the undisputed first choice, Saints fans rejoiced, we had signed the best keeper in the World, it was tuly a big signing and supporters spoke of the title being within grasp, however nobdy was aware that Kevin Keegan had fallen out with Lawrie McMenemy and would be out of the door almost as soon as Shilton was in.
In his five seasons at the Dell Shilton would win 49 of his England caps, by far a bigger number than he won at any of his other clubs.
His Saints career was magnificent in his five seasons he was truly the World's greatest keeper, he played 242 games in all competitons for Saints, missing only a handful of games in the process at a time when Saints were considered one of the top sides in the country, regular finishers in the upper echelons of the table including 2nd in 83/84 as well as two FA Cup semi finals and a League cup semi.
Peter Shilton whether it be at Saints or in football in general was always a respected character, but it would be fair to say he was never liked, to get to the top of his profession he had become very intense and driven, a man who didnt suffer fools gladly be it in games or otherwise, when he left for Derby County in 1987 there was a bitter taste left in the mouths of Saints fans and he never recieved a warm welcome back at the Dell when he returned for his new club, in fairness the storm clouds were brewing and players were becoming mercenary, it was just that supporters had not seen that yet, when he left Shilton was about to tun 38, he had given Saints good service, perhaps it was only right that having played through a time when footballers were well [paid but not the millionaires of today, on reflection who could blame him for seeking one last big pay day, it was just that 25 years ago it wasnt the done thing.
Good luck to Shilton, he deserves his honour, along with Gordon Banks he remains the greatest keeper this country has had the pleasure to put in an England goalkeepers shirt.