Albion mourn death of goalkeeping great Tony Godden | OneFootball

Albion are mourning the death of former goalkeeper Tony Godden, a mainstay of their late 1970s side. According to ExpressAndStar.com, he has died aged 70.

Kent-born Godden joined from non-league Ashford Town in 1977, succeeding John Osborne at The Hawthorns. He made 329 Albion appearances through to 1986 and still holds the club record of 228 consecutive games.

He debuted aged 21 at Tottenham’s White Hart Lane in March 1977, the day Laurie Cunningham also made his bow in a 2-0 win. Godden followed that first clean sheet with another on his Hawthorns debut, a 4-0 victory over Ipswich capped by a Bryan Robson hat-trick.

Albion finished seventh that season, then sixth, third and fourth across the next four campaigns. Ever-present from 1977/78 under Ronnie Allen and Ron Atkinson, he played 51 times that term and did not miss another fixture until Tottenham in November 1981.

He kept goal in the iconic 5-3 win at Manchester United in December 1978 and produced sprawling saves to thwart Mario Kempes as Valencia were beaten in the UEFA Cup.

Loans followed at Luton, Walsall and Chelsea, before a permanent move to Stamford Bridge in 1986. With Chelsea he memorably saved two quickfire penalties in a 1-0 win at Manchester United.

He later represented Birmingham City, Bury, Peterborough United and Wivenhoe Town, retiring in 1991. Godden went on to manage Kings Lynn and Bury Town, then served as goalkeeping coach at Rushden & Diamonds in 2006, taking caretaker duties, and at Brighton.

Source: ExpressAndStar.com