So who was Saints best ever penalty taker

Ok. Which was the match in which Wotton missed two?

He didn't. That was the only game (in recent times anyway) that we've missed two penalties in.

Im interested in their techniques. Saw an interview where Rickie says he knows where he's going to place it and then hits it believing the keeper will guess the right way. He claims that he hits it so hard that even when the keeper guesses right, he'll never save it. Whereas I heard matt on the radio saying he ran (well ambled) up to it, knowing where he'd put it but watching the keeper. He said that if the keeper moved towards where he was hitting it, he had the ability to "roll " or "open " his foot quickly to go the other way. That's why it sometimes appeared that the keeper would have saved it had he gone the right way ,as it was never right in the corner. It was only placed in the corner if the keeper waited until it was struck. If he waited then he had no chance and if he went early Matt stuck it the other way. Based on that I would say that Matt took a better penalty, but as the great Brian Clough used to say "I've yet to see a bad goal, they all count as 1". Interesting that both players at various times have said they love taking them as its a "free" shot at goal .

Both Le Tiss and Lambert were very good but the 2 kicks with real pressure were Dave Peach's in FA Cup semi and Neil Ruddock against Newcastle

Both Le Tiss and Lambert were very good but the 2 kicks with real pressure were Dave Peach's in FA Cup semi and Neil Ruddock against Newcastle

And Terry Paine at home v Forest 66-67. It guaranteed us staying up. I have that game on film and many Saints players could not watch as Terry ran up.

What a great debate. I never thought either would miss when they stepped up to the spot. Has to be MLT though because they were top flight and in high pressure relegation battles most of the time. Both legends

And Terry Paine at home v Forest 66-67. It guaranteed us staying up. I have that game on film and many Saints players could not watch as Terry ran up.

I was there and had a job to watch. Would love to see the film.

SRL for me - Just a feeling of confidence I always had that he would never, ever miss - And for us he did'nt.

If I had to have someone take a penalty, life or death, it would be Le Tiss without a second thought.

But in terms of technique, I rated Beattie better. It's not about the number he took, it's the way he took them. Total belief.

The football gods are cruel and mischievous......

I see Rickie missing a penalty in front of the Kop, or even one in the World Cup.

If I had to have someone take a penalty, life or death, it would be Le Tiss without a second thought.

 

But in terms of technique, I rated Beattie better. It's not about the number he took, it's the way he took them. Total belief.

I had the pleasure of taking part in a Sky promotion roughly 12 years ago (might have been more, god where have the years gone) at Staplewood that was all about penalties. MLT was the main man there that afternoon taking penalties and playing in goal. He spoke how he always knew exactly where he was going to place his penalties and how he watched to see if the keeper made an early move. He described how he would just make a slight flick with his foot at the last moment if the keeper made a comittment one way to early. The man was a genius from the spot and i never had any doubt he would score when we got a penalty.

I won't be able to watch if Rickie takes one in the World Cup. I reckon all this never miss puts him under extra pressure & I would have such bad feels if he sky'd one

But he wont sky one.

Both Le Tiss and Lambert were very good but the 2 kicks with real pressure were Dave Peach's in FA Cup semi and Neil Ruddock against Newcastle

That Neil Ruddock one was still one of the most mental celebrations i can remember at the dell, pretty much guaranteed us staying up that season (after a fairly grim few months too)

Hard to argue against Rickie - what more could he have done?

I'll go for Rickie due to his 100% record.

We've always had good pen takers - seem to remember Dodd, Magilton and Pahars never missing either.

More to the point, who's going to take our pens now? Would hazard a guess JRod

We've always had good pen takers - seem to remember Dodd, Magilton and Pahars never missing either.

 

More to the point, who's going to take our pens now? Would hazard a guess JRod

JRod isn't the best at pens, you'd like to think one of our new strikers we should sign will be on penalty duty

Lambert for me - the past 5 years it's been brilliant to have the confidence that a penalty is a guaranteed goal with that man on the pitch.

Due to recent memories and not being old enough to have vivid memories of Le Tiss in his prime I have gone for Rickie. What a choice to have though!

We've always had good pen takers - seem to remember Dodd, Magilton and Pahars never missing either.

 

More to the point, who's going to take our pens now? Would hazard a guess JRod

Magilton definitely missed a pen (memory says v West Ham) at The Milton Rd end, was right behind the goal. Think Dodd was also sent off in that game - sometime around 1996.

Magilton definitely missed a pen (memory says v West Ham) at The Milton Rd end, was right behind the goal. Think Dodd was also sent off in that game - sometime around 1996.

yes that's absolutely right - the 96/97 Souness season. Mickey Evans won it for us, Magilton should have made it an easy win but missed from the spot and Dodd took one for the team by preventing a breakaway goal

Was at the Forest game where he missed the pen (the follow-up was even worse). It didn't do anything to his confidence after that. Le Tiss was the last player in the world to dwell on anything -was the epitome of nonchalance and serenity- whereas I could see Lambo dwelling on a miss.

As Le Tiss himself says he didn't miss the keeper saved it.

As Le Tiss himself says he didn't miss the keeper saved it.

Crossley was irritating, the only man to not only save a penalty but also score against us?

[video=youtube;9dut-uGCO-8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dut-uGCO-8

We've always had good pen takers - seem to remember Dodd, Magilton and Pahars never missing either.

 

More to the point, who's going to take our pens now? Would hazard a guess JRod

Yes - Dodd was very good too.

And Terry Paine at home v Forest 66-67. It guaranteed us staying up. I have that game on film and many Saints players could not watch as Terry ran up.

I remember Tony Knapp crouching down and watching the reaction from the Milton instead of looking at the action. That was some win against the side that finished runners-up (I think) that year. From memory, Big Ron started taking pens for us after that game - don't think he missed many either.

We've had a few good players quite capable of missing them though. I don't think Paine's record was that great and Alan Ball always looked like he'd miss and usually did. Channon was hit or miss.Chivers probably took the worst one ever early in his career. More recently Billy Sharp missed his one and only. I go back to John Page who was ok until he missed one and was never the same which is usually the case. If Rickie and Le Tiss ever had their own penalty shoot out competition it might last days.

The best we can now hope for is that whoever gets the duty to take penalties next season has learned from watching Rickie Lambert; no strolling up off 3 strides or trying to make the keeper look silly, just run up and smack it hard into the corner. Would like to see J Rod take them, boost his tally, give him confidence and some more responsibility. Either him or Jack Cork…..you never know!

it's fairly clear from the above poll who is the fans favourite on this one. But there are other players who deserve an " honourable mention" but you need to go back a bit...and look at...In that Number.

Throughout the 1950's CB John Page was the designated penalty-taker and put away 23 in his career and seemingly missed only 2.

After he left the club George O'Brien took up the task and netted 17 times , incl. 6 in one season . After he had one saved, he was injured and also lost his league place to the up-and-coming Martin Chivers.

At this time Terry Paine took over and actually scored 10 penalties in 1963-64 (which included 2 in a game twice. and ended with a career tally of 20 pens.

For all his many goals Ron Davies managed only 8 in his time with Saints, until Mick Channon took up the task and also ended with a career total of 20.

David Peach's tally has already been reported on an earlier post.

Before MLT appeared on the scene...... Kevin Keegan managed 7 in his second (and last) season with Saints.

There's little doubt that Matt has the highest % of penalties to goal tally as well as the largest number scored.

I don't have historical stats for other club, but I believe he probably has the highest number of converted penalties of any English League player.

Although MLT and RL have to be the top two, I can still remember George O'Brien's superb penalty taking from my early teens.

I have no stats but as I remember there was no messing about, a good run up and then the ball hit the corner of the stanchion and bounced down giving the goalkeeper absolutely no chance. The perfect penalty repeated many times. And remember this was with sodden heavy leather footballs, not the light ones of today.

Although MLT and RL have to be the top two, I can still remember George O'Brien's superb penalty taking from my early teens.

I have no stats but as I remember there was no messing about, a good run up and then the ball hit the corner of the stanchion and bounced down giving the goalkeeper absolutely no chance. The perfect penalty repeated many times. And remember this was with sodden heavy leather footballs, not the light ones of today.

and you're not the only one cambsaint.

George's stats are quoted in the prev. #79. He scored 17 times and had one saved, after which he lost his place in the team to the young Martin Chivers. (you remember him, of course?)

Chivers didn't take many penalties, because that task then fell to Terry Paine who slotted in 20 in the space of 4 seasons.

George was one of my favourite players, too.

Despite his slight build (5' 6") he was one of the best goal-poachers I've seen in a Saints shirt; whether it was a tap-in or a 30 yard volley he could score with either foot, and even the occasional header.