Who's been our best ever number 2?

charlenefan

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With the news that it looks like the best number 2 in the world is leaving the club a look back at who else is in with a shout of being our best ever number 2. In my time the contenders have been;

1996-2002 Raymond van der Gouw
2001-2005 Roy Carroll - though he was clearly undisputed number 1 for a period as well
2006-2012 Tomasz Kuszczak - or PIG as he was so often known as
2010-2015 Anders Lindegaard
2015-2020 Sergio Romero

It's actually not even in doubt that Romero has been our best ever is it?

I haven't included Howard or Foster as they never really had the role of a number 2 for any real period of time
 
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Did we only start playing in 1996?

I don’t think there’s much dispute from that list is there? Van der Gouw was a very decent back up.
 

Josh 76

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Les Sealey.
Great shout.
I can remember watching the 1990 cup final (and the games running up to that) and shitting myself every time the ball came into our box. Then after drawing 3-3 in the final. Fergie shocked the footballing world and dropped the Scottish no.1 (No loyalty when it comes to winning) for the replay.
What a master stroke. Les was awesome and kept his place the following season to win us the European Cup Winners Cup.

RIP Les.
Always a Utd great!
 

Eckers99

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Great shout.
I can remember watching the 1990 cup final (and the games running up to that) and shitting myself every time the ball came into our box. Then after drawing 3-3 in the final. Fergie shocked the footballing world and dropped the Scottish no.1 (No loyalty when it comes to winning) for the replay.
What a master stroke. Les was awesome and kept his place the following season to win us the European Cup Winners Cup.

RIP Les.
Always a Utd great!
Yeah, it was a big call by Fergie and put Les under the spotlight in a very big game. He responded with a great performance and was a very good stopgap until we signed Schmeichel.

Top pro.
 

Jericho

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Lindegaard was very highly rated when he was here.
 
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That's irrelevant I clearly said in my time, if there are other contenders then by all means bring them to the table without being a dick about it
If anyone is being a dick it’s you, why not be polite when you quoted me? Why not call out everyone else.

Let’s move on.
 

acnumber9

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Romero has had the easiest job in the world for the last five years. Clean sheets against lower league and Europa League teams has elevated him way above his actual ability. His actual level will be badly exposed if he becomes a number 1 in the Premier League.
 

Carl

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Raymond van der Gouw. Easily, in my opinion.
 

davidmichael

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Les Sealey.
Beat me to it, I remember Leighton having a few bad games in 1990 and Sealey looked great anytime I saw him play. Romero is certainly up there too though and arguably the best back up keeper we’ve had, hasn’t he got something like 30 clean sheets in 60 starts or something ?
 

Eckers99

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Beat me to it, I remember Leighton having a few bad games in 1990 and Sealey looked great anytime I saw him play. Romero is certainly up there too though and arguably the best back up keeper we’ve had, hasn’t he got something like 30 clean sheets in 60 starts or something ?
We've been blessed with goalies for fairly long periods. Romero and Van der Gouw are/ were both very reliable deputies who could have easily been the number one elsewhere. Sealey edges it for me though as I don't recall either of the others playing in a game of that magnitude and performing. Replacing Leighton was a huge deal at the time and he performed very well the following season. Plus he seemed a genuinely likeable guy.
 

ZupZup

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I’m not sure Les Sealey should really count... he was our first choice keeper during his first stint at United. During his second stint as a number 2, he only played twice before Gary Walsh became our preferred second option. Walsh was a decent keeper at that time to be fair.
 

lex talionis

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With the news that it looks like the best number 2 in the world is leaving the club a look back at who else is in with a shout of being our best ever number 2. In my time the contenders have been;

1996-2002 Raymond van der Gouw
2001-2005 Roy Carroll - though he was clearly undisputed number 1 for a period as well
2006-2012 Tomasz Kuszczak - or PIG as he was so often known as
2010-2015 Anders Lindegaard
2015-2020 Sergio Romero

It's actually not even in doubt that Romero has been our best ever is it?

I haven't included Howard or Foster as they never really had the role of a number 2 for any real period of time
I can't speak to "best ever", but my God van der Gouw was fantastic. Near the end of his days at OT he made a courageous goal line save, face out and a knee met his face. A consummate professional and a fantastic keeper.
 

Falcow

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Romero has had the easiest job in the world for the last five years. Clean sheets against lower league and Europa League teams has elevated him way above his actual ability. His actual level will be badly exposed if he becomes a number 1 in the Premier League.
Could not agree more, honestly dont get what people see in him, he has kept clean sheets against FC Mitjyland and the likes but that's it. If the opposition shoot low and it's on target then its a goal.

If he moves to another prem team and is given number 1 position, he will be dropped after 5 or 6 games.
 

Bogga

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Van der Gouw was a great option behind Schmeichel, but Romero is a division above. Coming season with DDG and Henderson could be fun, but I doubt any of those would accept playing second fiddle in the long run
 

RashyForPM

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Could not agree more, honestly dont get what people see in him, he has kept clean sheets against FC Mitjyland and the likes but that's it. If the opposition shoot low and it's on target then its a goal.

If he moves to another prem team and is given number 1 position, he will be dropped after 5 or 6 games.
Nah, he didn’t :smirk:
 

Web of Bissaka

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Romero has had the easiest job in the world for the last five years. Clean sheets against lower league and Europa League teams has elevated him way above his actual ability. His actual level will be badly exposed if he becomes a number 1 in the Premier League.
Is it really that easy though? Just wondering.. the same "low level" teams which De Gea couldn't get clean sheets from, even with our better defenders playing.
 

Tiber

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Tough one.

Romero is certainly amongst the most overrated though