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Birthdate:
06.10.1957
Birthplace: Durban, S-Africa
Other clubs: Vancouver Whitecaps, Crewe (loan), Stoke (loan), Southampton, Plymouth, Oxford, Sheff Wed, Oldham, Chesham (amateur), Bury, Lincoln, Northwich Victoria (amateur)
Bought from: Vancouver Whitecaps
Signed for LFC: £250000 17.03.1981
International debut: 12.10.1980 vs Cameroon
International caps: Zimbabwe 32/0 - 27.09.1998 + 1 cap for Rhodesia
Liverpool debut:
29.08.1981
Last appearance: 19.02.1994
Contract expiry: 11.08.1994
LFC league games/goals: 440 / 0
Total LFC games/goals: 628 / 0
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Player Notes:
An athletic goalkeeper who kept virtually unstoppable shots at bay and is remembered as one of the all-time greatest goalkeepers in Liverpool's history. Grobbelaar took over from the great Clemence which was a big challenge for anyone. Clemence decided to leave Liverpool for Tottenham once Grobbelaar arrived so he was thrown in at the deep end. Grobbelaar made some errors along the way, but grew into his role as Liverpool's custodian. He had seen some ugly scenes when he was fighting in the jungles of Africa and claimed that football was only a game not to be taken too seriously, but he took his craft close to heart. When he made an error his teammates claim he was furious with himself afterwards, striving for perfection. It speaks volumes for Grobbelaar's talent that he kept his place in goal from his Liverpool debut on the 29th of August 1981 to 16th of August 1986, playing 310 consecutive games.
Grobbelaar was Liverpool's number 1, apart from missing several games in the 1988/89 season due to a bout of meningitis, until England's u-21 goalkeeper David James took over in 1993. Grobbelaar had dared him in the newspapers to try to take his place. James did so and Grobbelaar went out on loan to Stoke. Grobbelaar reclaimed his place in the 1993/94 season, but James made the number one jersey his own from February 1994 onwards and Grobbelaar left for Southampton before the start of the 1994/95 season. |
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