THE DEFENDER WHO STARTED A GAME In GOAL

Not only did David Webb deputise in goal for Chelsea in their 1971 Boxing Day game against Ipswich Town, he played the full 90 minutes. And kept a clean sheet!

HOW DID YOU END UP STARTING IN GOAL?

In the previous game match at Coventry, our No.1 Peter Bonetti ruptured his spleen so I’d gone in goal. We did have two more keepers: John Phillips got out of bed on the morning of the Ipswich game and slipped a disc in his back and Steve Sherwood had gone home for Christmas up north – there was a mad rush to get him back for kick-off. The Ipswich boss, Bobby Robson, agreed we could put in two team-sheets – one with me in goal and one with Steve, in case he made it back in time. However, when Steve finally arrived [just before kick-off] Robson said we had to stick with the team with me in goal.

DID YOU GET ANY SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE MANAGER OR COACHING STAFF?

I got a ‘good luck!’ but that was about it. In truth, I was a bit of a showman – I ran onto the pitch to the goal in front of the Shed End and went on my knees and started praying!

HAD YOU EVER PLAYED IN GOAL BEFORE?

Never as a child or in training, but once when I was at Southampton. Earlier in my career, our goalkeeper had broken his leg in a game against Liverpool and I was thrown the jersey. The manager just thought that I would be enthusiastic and do my best.

DOES ANY SAVE PARTICULARLY STAND OUT?

Very early on in the match, Clive Woods was one-on-one with me. I ran at him like a lunatic, kamikaze-style. He had a shot and I don’t know where it hit me – elbow, hip, knee – but it went over the bar. Once I had made that first save it gave me and everyone else confidence. We felt it was going to be our lucky day. The only whistle I remember after that was the final whistle, and then all of the press running on, trying to take photos of me in my goalkeeper kit.

HOW NERVOUS WERE YOU TOWARDS THE END OF THE MATCH – KNOWING THAT YOUR CLEAN SHEET WAS ON THE LINE?

I wasn’t nervous at all, to be honest. It was all very pantomime – will he let a goal in? Oh no he won’t! It was like a comedy skit. I would have been a bit peed off if they had scored, but it’s unequivocal. I have the best goalkeeping record ever for Chelsea Football Club: played one, won one, no goals against. Not even Petr Cech has a record that good!