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Shay Given (now retired)


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I still question his decision to leave mid-relegation battle tbh. That point isn't answered in that section there unfortunately.

 

Man City were rich and wanted a keeper. If he'd said no at that point they'd have just spent £8-10m on another keeper and he'd have probably missed his chance

At Man City maybe, but Given was hot property and would have easily found another club in the summer.

 

At the time though Man Utd had van der Sar and always likely to sign someone better anyway, Arsenal were doing there usual 'happy with 4th' routine, Liverpool had Reina, Chelsea had Cech...

The point being he'd have found a club with ambition, easily.

 

But City were just starting their spending and pushing big. He'd have been a mug to turn it down. :lol:

 

Especially when the other main title rivals were sorted in that department.

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Guest firetotheworks

I still question his decision to leave mid-relegation battle tbh. That point isn't answered in that section there unfortunately.

 

Man City were rich and wanted a keeper. If he'd said no at that point they'd have just spent £8-10m on another keeper and he'd have probably missed his chance

At Man City maybe, but Given was hot property and would have easily found another club in the summer.

 

At the time though Man Utd had van der Sar and always likely to sign someone better anyway, Arsenal were doing there usual 'happy with 4th' routine, Liverpool had Reina, Chelsea had Cech...

The point being he'd have found a club with ambition, easily.

 

But City were just starting their spending and pushing big. He'd have been a mug to turn it down. [emoji38]

 

Especially when the other main title rivals were sorted in that department.

That's a different point you're making really. Could he have easily gone to another club in the summer having gone through the relegation fight with us? The answer to that is undoubtedly yes. That's the entirety of the point about it being a bit shit that he left in January.
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Probably a reasonable decision in hindsight. Tbh I thought he was a great keeper at the time, but he probably wasn't as good as I thought, just a good player with serious strengths and serious weaknesses. It was summed up when I was watching Gary Neville's soccerbollocks with Ryan Giggs, Giggs was saying he felt good putting crosses in with Given in goal because he knew he wouldn't come for any of them.

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Guest neesy111

Probably a reasonable decision in hindsight. Tbh I thought he was a great keeper at the time, but he probably wasn't as good as I thought, just a good player with serious strengths and serious weaknesses. It was summed up when I was watching Gary Neville's soccerbollocks with Ryan Giggs, Giggs was saying he felt good putting crosses in with Given in goal because he knew he wouldn't come for any of them.

 

Aye, I don't rate him as highly as I did at the time.  Very good shot stopper but other parts of his game were poor.

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I remember the 5-1 hammering we took against Liverpool and knew at that point he was on his way, he looked sick as f*** with the whole thing.

 

Yep, remember that game vividly

Me too. Could have been double figures without Given.
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I remember the 5-1 hammering we took against Liverpool and knew at that point he was on his way, he looked sick as f*** with the whole thing.

 

Yep, remember that game vividly

 

Gerrard absolutely cannoned a shot off the post for one of the first goals, I think.

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Remember  as a 14 year old boy opening  the back page of the daily mirror  and seeing him standing there in an orange city keeper  jersey and I remember  Welling up trying  not to cry.... end of the day given is a typical donegal man, they're obsessed  with  money.... he would  of signed for Sutton  United  if they offered him enough

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I remember the 5-1 hammering we took against Liverpool and knew at that point he was on his way, he looked sick as f*** with the whole thing.

 

Yep, remember that game vividly

 

He was sick as a pig that day. If you were anywhere near the pitch in the the middle of the Gallowgate, you could hear him shouting "We're f*cking shiiiite!" on he ran up to take goal kicks.

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I still question his decision to leave mid-relegation battle tbh. That point isn't answered in that section there unfortunately.

 

Man City were rich and wanted a keeper. If he'd said no at that point they'd have just spent £8-10m on another keeper and he'd have probably missed his chance

At Man City maybe, but Given was hot property and would have easily found another club in the summer.

 

At the time though Man Utd had van der Sar and always likely to sign someone better anyway, Arsenal were doing there usual 'happy with 4th' routine, Liverpool had Reina, Chelsea had Cech...

The point being he'd have found a club with ambition, easily.

 

But City were just starting their spending and pushing big. He'd have been a mug to turn it down. [emoji38]

 

Especially when the other main title rivals were sorted in that department.

That's a different point you're making really. Could he have easily gone to another club in the summer having gone through the relegation fight with us? The answer to that is undoubtedly yes. That's the entirety of the point about it being a bit s*** that he left in January.

 

But one of the things he mentions was ambition. We had none, City had plenty, and there were no other clubs in this country likely to challenge for the title who would have signed him. For him it was a no brainer.

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Remember  as a 14 year old boy opening  the back page of the daily mirror  and seeing him standing there in an orange city keeper  jersey and I remember  Welling up trying  not to cry.... end of the day given is a typical donegal man, they're obsessed  with  money.... he would  of signed for Sutton  United  if they offered him enough

 

:lol: Jesus. Is that a typical Donegalian trait?

 

I have no issue with him leaving when he did anymore. Did at the time but I don't blame a single player leaving this shitshow anytime until Ashley's gone.

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Guest firetotheworks

I still question his decision to leave mid-relegation battle tbh. That point isn't answered in that section there unfortunately.

 

Man City were rich and wanted a keeper. If he'd said no at that point they'd have just spent £8-10m on another keeper and he'd have probably missed his chance

At Man City maybe, but Given was hot property and would have easily found another club in the summer.

 

At the time though Man Utd had van der Sar and always likely to sign someone better anyway, Arsenal were doing there usual 'happy with 4th' routine, Liverpool had Reina, Chelsea had Cech...

The point being he'd have found a club with ambition, easily.

 

But City were just starting their spending and pushing big. He'd have been a mug to turn it down. [emoji38]

 

Especially when the other main title rivals were sorted in that department.

That's a different point you're making really. Could he have easily gone to another club in the summer having gone through the relegation fight with us? The answer to that is undoubtedly yes. That's the entirety of the point about it being a bit s*** that he left in January.

 

But one of the things he mentions was ambition. We had none, City had plenty, and there were no other clubs in this country likely to challenge for the title who would have signed him. For him it was a no brainer.

I totally get that, I'm just saying that the timing was terrible for us and the relegation battle we were in.
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Given was an outstanding shot stopper.  He would make saves that not many (if any) other keepers could make, his reactions and agility really were that good.  Not just that, but he made saves at vital times in matches.  I remember one season (01-02 i think) where he seemed save us in the dying moments of almost every game we narrowly won.  His distribution was poor for years but he eventually sorted it out towards the end of his time with us, it was annoying watching him shank it for years then leave as soon as he rectified it.  He didn't command his area very well but in my opinion his shot stopping made up for that.

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That article about why he left rings of everything we already know of Mike Ashley and the people who've helped him mismanage this club the last ten years. An absolute c***.

 

Fully believe he done things on purpose just to wind fans up too as Shay suggest. I mean just remember the stadium name change for example.

 

Bet if he had of p*ssed Rafa off enough into him resigning this summer he'd probably laugh half his excessive body fat off only to put it back on again the next day the fat c***.

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Remember  as a 14 year old boy opening  the back page of the daily mirror  and seeing him standing there in an orange city keeper  jersey and I remember  Welling up trying  not to cry.... end of the day given is a typical donegal man, they're obsessed  with  money.... he would  of signed for Sutton  United  if they offered him enough

 

:lol: Jesus. Is that a typical Donegalian trait?

I have no issue with him leaving when he did anymore. Did at the time but I don't blame a single player leaving this shitshow anytime until Ashley's gone.

Especially  where he is from lad (lifford) they keep the same  clothes for years man just so they don't have to spend money

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Guest milburn990

I was annoyed by the timing of his departure.......but I suppose he is another casualty of ashley's reign.

If the fat lad was my boss and I had an offer to leave, and to an ambitious club, if I wasn't from Newcastle I'd be away.

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I just don't think this can explain why left at mid season.

 

Man City had spent £135 million after being taken over including smashing the British transfer record and would have simply signed another goalkeeper!

 

How anyone can blame Shay for leaving the shambles we were under Joe Kinnear for them is beyond me!

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