Until Shay Given appeared on the scene, many of us had to live with the groans from the 'Old Timers' bragging about the days of Ronnie Simpson and Jack Fairbrother ... "proper goalkeepers"!

And many fans of my age went through the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's watching below-par goalkeepers (playing for Newcastle) who would struggle to keep goal for the Black Bull Sunday League Second XI!

Even the best of them, Iam McFaul and Pavel Srnicek were never going to make it at Arsenal, Man Utd or Liverpool.

But at last we've got it right, and Shay Given suddenly finds himself No 2 behind Steve Harper.

Allardyce: "The performance of Steve leaves me in a position where I say to myself: 'For what reason can I leave this player out?' And there isn't one.