By Joe Bernstein. Wednesday, 14 January 2004.
David Seaman retired on Tuesday night with a shoulder injury after 22 years in professional football in which he served Peterbrough United, Birmingham City, QPR, Arsenal and Manchester City with great distinction. Along the way, he also became England’s second most-capped goalkeeper with 75 appearances for his country. These are some of the memories he leaves behind…
1990/91 – JUST CHAMPION
Seaman’s first season at Arsenal ends with a league championship winners medal. With ‘Safe Hands’ in goal, George Graham’s Gunners lost only once in the entire season – a record.
"John Lukic was a great goalkeeper but David was better. That’s why I signed him" George Graham
1994 – BRAVE WARRIOR
Despite painfully bruised ribs, Seaman plays in the Cup-Winners Cup Final for an understrength Arsenal side missing Ian Wright and John Jensen against a Parma team boasting Zola, Brolin and Asprilla at their peaks. Seaman performs miracles to keep the Italians at bay and a goal from Alan Smith at the other end is enough to give Arsenal their first European trophoy for 24 years.
"I don’t know how David played in that game, he must have been in real pain" – Alan Smith
1996 – THE KING OF ENGLAND
Seaman became A-list celebrity material with his heroics against Scotland, when he saved a Gary McAllister spot-kick, and then in the penalty shoot-out against Spain which took England to the Euro 96 semi-finals. Everything about him became front and back page news including his laugh and facial hair. For a brief while he was more famous than both Gazza and David Beckham
"You can’t keep goal with hair like that" - Brian Clough
1998 MINE’S A DOUBLE
If anyone thought Arsene Wenger’s arrival would spell the end for the likes of David Seaman at Arsenal, they were gravely mistaken. Seaman and the famous ‘Arsenal back four’ blended in with Wenger’s brave new world at Highbury so well the club won the championship and FA Cup in the same season for the first time in their history – and repeated the feat four years later.
"David is an Arsenal legend and deserves only the highest recognition" – Arsene Wenger
2001 – MUNICH MAYHEM
Arguably the greatest one-off result of Seaman’s life. Germany 1 England 5. In all the celebrations nobody forgot that Seaman’s one-handed save from Bohme when the score had been 1-1 had been critical
"It was great to score a hat-trick but David Seaman also made a world-class have" – Michael Owen
2003 – DEFYING GRAVITY
At the age of 39, there were plenty who thought David Seaman was a spent force. But he proved in his 1,000th first-class game – an FA Cup semi-final for Arsenal against Sheffield United – that he could still be a match-saver. Paul Peschisolido’s header from point blank range was a certainty to go in until Seaman turned, hung in the air, virtually juggled the ball one-handed and then somehow clawed it away
"That was the best save I’ve ever seen" – Peter Schmeichel
Can you remember Seaman's England debut ?
Saudi Arabia 1 - 1 England, 1988
England Team: Seaman*, Sterland*, Pearce, Michael Thomas* (sub Paul Gascoigne), Adams, Gary Pallister, Bryan Robson, Rocastle, Beardsley (sub Alan Smith*), Lineker, Chris Waddle (sub Brian Marwood*)
*England debut