The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Looks familiar: Keeper’s goal saved his club in last seconds
“I said to Louise ‘will you promise me something? If I’m on the TV in 30 years’ time talking about a goal then shoot me.’”
It’s 2019, some 20 years on from possibly the most famous goal ever scored by a goalkeeper, and Carlisle’s “Great Escape” hero Jimmy Glass is recording a documentary for Sky Sports.
It’s the kind of media circus he has become accustomed to ever since that fateful afternoon on May 8, 1999 – almost 22 years to the day.
That day Glass netted an injury-time winning goal for Carlisle against Plymouth Argyle.
The goal saved Carlisle from relegation to the English Football Conference and became a defining moment in the life of Glass, who made headlines across the globe.
Millions have viewed the strike and the inevitable pitch invasion that followed.
Glass has adorned the sports pages of newspapers from Australia to the USA.
A radio station in Dubai held a special Jimmy Glass Day on the 10th anniversary of the goal.
Sky created their documentary, Jimmy Glass: The Great Escape, in 1999 and Glass has also released an autobiography entitled One Hit Wonder.
During a post-football spell as a taxi driver, he conducted several impromptu vlogs while ferrying customers across Dorset.
It’s the kind of lasting adulation that Glass believes would have been in store for St Johnstone’s Scottish Cup hero goalkeeper Zander Clark had last month’s dramatic 122nd minute header against Rangers been credited as his goal.
On first viewing it looked like Clark, who will face St Mirren in the Scottish Cup semi-final on Sunday, had netted a historic goal to take the game to a penalty shoot-out.
But replays clearly prove Chris Kane prodded the ball over the line.
Glass said: “Every time a keeper scores anywhere I know I’m going to be contacted by someone to ask me about my goal. I’ll never tire of speaking about it.
“One goal can change
your life forever.” Glass, who now works as a player liason manager for English Championship side Bournemouth, added: “Zander Clark’s life would never have been the same had that been his goal.
“It’s 22 years since I scored and people still talk to me about it.
“Every time a keeper scores – anywhere in the world – people are trying to get in touch with me to find out about my story.
“My goal was from a different era. Social media wasn’t a thing back then but news of my goal still travelled far.
“I was on TV stations everywhere.
“My story was written about in newspapers in Australia and a radio station in Dubai even held a special day to celebrate my goal.
“People on the street want to talk to me about it all the time.
“When I finished playing and had my taxi people filmed me on their phones while I was dropping them off so they could upload the story on to social media.
“I loved doing the documentary for Sky. They made a fantastic job of pulling the story together.
“In many ways, this is what could have been in store for Zander. He has avoided it all but should still claim the goal as his own.
“He had such a brilliant game for St Johnstone that day. He made save after save during the game and made brilliant penalty saves.
“He deserves the fairytale ending but I’m
sure he’ll still watch that moment over and over again and cherish it.
“People will remember it for decades to come but the record books will never have his name down as the goalscorer – which I think is a real shame for him.”
Like Glass, Clark has been known to play outfield in training and scoring a goal was perhaps less of a surprise to the Mcdiarmid Park player than to everyone else.
Clark will take the field again at Hampden on Sunday as St Johnstone aim to keep alive their hopes of a cup double and Glass believes the final chapter may not yet be written for the Perth number one.
“The day before my goal for Carlisle, I scored a hattrick in training,” said Glass.
“I loved playing outfield and from what I hear Zander often takes a break from his goals.
“I always dreamed that one day I’d score a goal but never imagined for a second it would be in such an important game.
“It was the final 10 seconds of the game. We were going down and I had absolutely nothing to lose so I bolted into the penalty box.
“It was a phenomenal feeling when the ball hit the back of the net.
“Football creates these kind of moments and that goal is not for me, it’s for the game.
“Maybe that goal against Rangers was Zander Clark’s moment or maybe football has something else in store for him.”