If Shay Given is feeling frustrated at being on Manchester City’s bench this season, he will get a sympathetic ear from Andy Dibble.
Given has found himself on the sidelines at Eastlands so far this season thanks to the remarkable progress of Joe Hart.
Dibble is full of praise for Hart – who he reckons can be an England keeper for years to come.
But at the same time, he can fully understand why Given wants to be in the thick of the action too.
Dibble has been there, albeit in a different City era. Twenty years ago, he found himself edged out of the first team when Howard Kendall brought in Tony Coton from Watford.
Up until that point, the Welshman had been first choice at Maine Road and he did not like finding himself out of the side.
Dibble recalled: “I was battling with Tony for a long time when he came to the club.
“The difference back then, I suppose, was that if I wasn’t in the team, then I could go out on loan.
“I wasn’t one to sit on the bench. I always wanted to be playing and found it very frustrating if I wasn’t. I know Joe and Shay, and they’re both great lads. There’s a great rivalry between them and yet they get on really well.
“But then you always find that with two goalkeepers at the same club. Keepers are a different breed, and they recognise that.
“Shay was unfortunate in that he damaged his shoulder at the end of last season and Joe has come back from his loan spell at Birmingham and taken his place.
“But it’s great for City that they’ve got two international keepers fighting it out – and you can guarantee that Shay will keep Joe on his toes.
“Shay is one of the best keepers about. He’s proved that over more than a decade with Newcastle and City.
“But Joe is an up-and-coming keeper who has got what it takes to be an England regular for years to come.
“I certainly wouldn’t want to be in Roberto Mancini’s shoes having to make the decision as to which one plays.”
The 45-year-old, who is the goalkeeping coach at League Two side Rotherham these days, still enjoys pulling on the gloves.
He said: “I still play for the City veterans as often as I can – and I still have a lot of affection for the club.
“I have to say that City are great with all the ex-players. We still get invited the games and we’re really well looked after.”
Dibble spent nine years at City after arriving fresh from helping Luton to beat Arsenal in the 1988 Littlewoods Cup final with a man-of-the-match display.
His time with the Blues included one famous incident which, even now, he cannot escape being reminded about.
In March 1990, during a game at Nottingham Forest, Dibble had the ball resting on the palm of his right hand, ready to throw it out after collecting a Garry Parker cross.
Then, all of a sudden, Gary Crosby nipped in from behind him, headed the ball off his hand and tapped it into the net for the winning goal.
“At the time, I was miffed,” Dibble said. “I do know that the goal shouldn’t have stood. I think the next time someone tried to do it, they got booked.
“I can still picture myself running after the referee, Roger Gifford. I’ve bumped into him a few times since then and we always have a chat about it.
“My kids see the footage of it now and they laugh about it. There is no getting away from it. We’ve been away on holiday and it always seems to crop up on the sporting bloopers video on the plane.”
What are your memories of Dibble? Have your say.
Ex-City keeper feels for Given
September 06, 2010
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What are your memories of Dibble? Gary Crosby + burning himself on the white lines somewhere. Oh and saving a penalty in League Cup Final for Luton.
One thing Andy is you never threw the toys out of thre pram though did you, you never said if i dont play every week im leaving, no you stood your ground & fought for your place like a MAN, as much as i love City & football, the players today are like babies SOFT & that attitude needs to change especialy if we are to feild a strong national side, for me thats what is missing from our game the English game that is, a strong fighting mentallity, we have two of if not the best PL keepers the only doubt i have with these two is there fighting mentallity, id love to see them both stay & fight it out im sure they will both get games its a long hard season, i know its difficult but thats all part of being a real Footballer !!! CTID BELIEVE.
I'm sure Joe's Mum Dad & all his family are very proud of him & I think everbody will feel sorry for Shay, even Joe. Shay you never know what's round the corner, keep your chin up & your pecker.
Dibble was the most nerve enducing keeper ive ever watched and that included margetson and even on one occassion (villa away 1-1, Uwe with the equaliser) Budgie - who was about 50 at the time............
I remeber every time the opposition was in out half they had a chance to chip Dibble because his positioning was so so bad. All you'd ever see him do was scramble back towards his line as the ball looped over his head towards the net - a truly awful keeper..........funny to watch though, if you hadn't had a heart attack that is...............
now im down under im not gonna get to see what is, in my opinion, the best team we've ever had, but ive seen some shockers - if i had to pick the worst 11 ive seen with my own eyes Dibble would definatly be in goal..............
DIBBLE
CHARVET KERNAGHAN METTOMO I.BRIGHTWELL
WHITLEY NEGOUAI BRENNAN
CREANEY BRADBURY BENJANI
Benjani gets in because of those back stab comments and because he was never onside. My captain - step forward Mr Ian Brightwell, a true liability if ever there was one - and you guys thought we had LB problems last season.....................wouldnt change it for a second though, look at that team above (im sure some of you will point to some even worse players ive missed) and tell me we dont deserve the good fortune we've got at the moment.................
No one forced Given to leave Newcastle
I don't feel sorry for anyone at City-they have the best facilities,management,squad,opportunities and owner in our history-the upside is incredible....then on top of this most earn between 10-20% more with City than anywhere else in this World -IMHO arriving at Eastlands must be like arriving in Heaven...
ha ha class.
Anyway its only been 4 games I don't think Shay's crying too much just yet.
Given is not stupid !! he would have been on his bike if the incentive to stay was not so good. Why cant CITY give him a new 5year deal as player / goal keeper development coach sending him to do his badges this would maybe keep him interested
Hope he stays or if we loan him out lets hope that COOK has woke up to a thing called a 24hour recall clause !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thx for the memories, Andy........Good Luck !
Type your comment here...i remember being behind the goal away at Brentford in the FA Cup and Andy Dibble had his shorts on back to front!! we lost 3-1 that day and we spent most of the half trying to tell him that his shorts were on the wrong way!! still rated him,but,then he seemed to lose all confidence!!
Dibble was to blame for the Crosby goal. He held the ball out, balanced on one hand like a drinks waiter balancing a tray. The ball isn't dead in the 'keepers hands, he's simply in possession as any outfield player is with the ball at his feet. If an opponent can dispossess him without committing a foul then he's perfectly entitled to do so. Crosby approached Dibble from behind, ran around him, stooped to nod the ball off his hand and rolled it in to the net. He didn't touch Dibble once in doing so and couldn't therefore have committed a foul.
I was stood on the open terrace behind Dibble's goal with steam coming out of my ears and it was Dibble I was blaming!
It's true Dibble seems like a lovely bloke but they needed to put a bell in the ball for him to have any hope of gathering a cross. My abiding memory if Dibs is him getting a bad back picking the ball out of the net when Oldham trounced us at home and Roger Palmer got a hat trick. Ah the good old days.
Compared to him, Wayne Rooney is a saint.