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Pigman wrote:I don't dispute he's a very good keeper - but IMO Finners is better !! He has done nothing to deserve to be dropped, that's why I say the suggestion is nonsense. If/when he messes up its great to have a good keeper as back up - because we have that I think it's ensuring Finners is kept on his toes and performing at his best !!

Agreed - I can't think of many times in those 149 appearances to date that Finners has let us down - but can easily remember mistakes by his predecessors.

Formic wrote:

Pigman wrote:I don't dispute he's a very good keeper - but IMO Finners is better !! He has done nothing to deserve to be dropped, that's why I say the suggestion is nonsense. If/when he messes up its great to have a good keeper as back up - because we have that I think it's ensuring Finners is kept on his toes and performing at his best !!

Agreed - I can't think of many times in those 149 appearances to date that Finners has let us down - but can easily remember mistakes by his predecessors.

I can only think of the odd goal where maybe he could have done better, but he's never let in a howler, never drops a cross or does a poor kick. Been one of our best signings since the club began.

Pigman wrote:I don't dispute he's a very good keeper - but IMO Finners is better !! He has done nothing to deserve to be dropped, that's why I say the suggestion is nonsense. If/when he messes up its great to have a good keeper as back up - because we have that I think it's ensuring Finners is kept on his toes and performing at his best !!

Having watched and compared the two, IMO it's the other way around, but hey, we're entitled to our opinions. That is not to say Matt has not been and continues to be a great servant, my point is that Ben has staked a case to be playing a lot more than the odd Northern Premier League Cup game. Stockbridge is key example of this that is given, but I thought he put another good performance last month against a strong Spalding side in the cup.

Happy to agree to disagree on this, as long as we're prepared to respect each other's opinion on this. : )

I can't be bothered to check, but how many games has Ben played? Vs 149 by Finners? I'm sorry, but Ben hasn't earned the right to usurp him .... just yet!

You're right of course, it is all about opinions, and maybe this is Finners' last season as our first choice keeper - but at this moment in time, he's my main man and Ben will have to wait his time.

Finners will make the odd mistake, that's why he's playing step 4 football, and when the time is right Ben will take over, if he bides his time! For now Finners is our no 17!!

Some of the best goalkeepers in the world reach their peak in their thirties and Finners is no exception, he could even go on into his forties!!!.
Can anyone tell me when a mistake he has made has cost us a point or points?

Even Dolman and Bunting have made mistakes that cost us goals but does anyone advocate dropping them?

Pigman wrote:I can't be bothered to check, but how many games has Ben played? Vs 149 by Finners? I'm sorry, but Ben hasn't earned the right to usurp him .... just yet!

You're right of course, it is all about opinions, and maybe this is Finners' last season as our first choice keeper - but at this moment in time, he's my main man and Ben will have to wait his time.

Finners will make the odd mistake, that's why he's playing step 4 football, and when the time is right Ben will take over, if he bides his time! For now Finners is our no 17!!

Again, without taking anything away from what he's done, at some point there will be a time to change, and in my opinion this may be the time.

You have your opinion on this. I have mine.

I had one issue with the Heath/Finlay situation. Peaks has operated an 'if you play well you'll keep the shirt' policy throughout his tenure even if it's been to the detriment of the team. I remember Parky being torn a new one away at Thurnby Nirvana in our UCL days when we had Jack Ashton sat on the bench because he missed a previous game. I mentioned on this thread that leaving Sam Brown out yesterday for a similar reason was risky although fortunately it didn't cost us.

Ben Heath played well when he had the shirt. In fact, he was better than that, he was unbelievable at both Spalding and Stocksbridge making top class saves that undoubtedly won us both games. We draw away at Rugby which was by no means his fault and Finlay's straight back in. Don't get me wrong, I have no issue at all with Finlay and for all I know Heath could have just played well above himself on a few occasions. I just thought it was unfair on the lad and potentially demoralising. Maybe he sees it differently.

Personally I don't think that anyone could confidently say that one is better than the other and therefore suggestions that one view either way is nonsense is a tad harsh. What is great is that we're even having this discussion because I imagine most teams at Step 4 don't have this luxury. I bet some clubs don't have a reserve goalkeeper.

I'd imagine Mr.Heath has had to sit on the bench and twiddle his thumbs plenty of times in his youth career before, so this probably won't be anything new for him. Realistically, Finners is at the age where any serious injury could call time on his career, heaven forbid, and I'm sure Ben will get more chances in the future. Presumably he would have known about the situation he would be in when he signed on, and hopefully he's happy with it, because when he is out on pitch he seems like a damn fine keeper.

James Beil wrote:I'd imagine Mr.Heath has had to sit on the bench and twiddle his thumbs plenty of times in his youth career before

Unlikley as most pro club academies will give equal playing time