Hero goalie Woodman hails Killie
FREDDIE WOODMAN believes his time at Kilmarnock provided the perfect schooling for him to deliver heroics as England won their first World Cup at any level since 1966.
The Under-20 goalkeeper’s stunning one-handed penalty save against Venezuela in last Sunday’s final secured a 1-0 victory — and the competition’s Golden Glove for best No 1.
Newcastle stopper Woodman, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Killie, reckons playing in front of a boisterous Parkhead crowd basking in the glow of Celtic claiming their sixth consecutive league title primed him for such frenzied occasions.
’It was such a great atmosphere,’ said the 20-yearold. ‘Celtic had won the title the week before, so it was amazing in the stadium. It helped me massively, playing in that atmosphere just before the World Cup where I was playing in similar big stadiums with a lot at stake.
‘I came away from Kilmarnock having learned so much and I enjoyed every minute of being at that football club. It was fantastic.’
Former Rugby Park manager Lee Clark’s close ties with Newcastle were instrumental in bringing the prodigious young keeper north of the border.
While Clark’s tenure at Rugby Park came to an abrupt end shortly after Woodman’s arrival, he still managed to leave a distinct impression on his signing.
‘What a guy! I only got to work with him for a fortnight at Kilmarnock but those two weeks were quality,’ said Woodman.
‘He is a brilliant manager, who gave me the chance to go up to Scotland and get some game time in a competitive league. I will forever be grateful to him for that.
‘Now I want to go back to Newcastle and try to impress — just as I have every other season,’ he added. ‘I want to get into the manager’s (Rafa Benitez) thoughts and push for a place in the team.’