Godden was a goalkeeper at a time when Peter Shilton in particular was changing the physical archetype for the role. Although he was six feet tall, Godden was not the physical giant that Shilton was and that the likes of Schmeichel would be. At the Albion, he did not need to be, for in front of him were invariably John Wile and Alistair Robertson. The three built such an understanding that it verged on the telepathic.
As a consequence, TG got a reputation for being a ‘stay at home’ goalkeeper, but that was not through any deficiency. Instead, it was a reflection of the disparate skills of the trio. If a cross came into the box, you could put your life savings on Wile or Robertson winning the header, so why complicate things by getting in their way? Instead, Godden was bouncing on the balls of his feet, like a tennis player about to receive a Djokovic serve, in a perfect state of readiness to dive in either direction, at any height, and to complete a save that not many others would make – and this in an era when the First Division featured Clemence, Shilton, Jennings, Corrigan, Parkes, Bailey and plenty of other magnificent goalkeepers.
Godden played a big part in the FA Cup run of 1977/78, by which time Ron Atkinson was Albion’s manager. It should not be underestimated just how tough it was to be a goalkeeper in Atkinson’s side either. Giving his side more and more licence to pour forward – “Go and entertain me” – it did inevitably mean that from time to time, Albion would be exposed at the back. On those occasions, Godden was the last line of defence and one that was rarely found wanting.
Like any goalkeeper, he made his mistakes. But like the best of them, he was able to put them behind him. Literally, in the most famous case of them all when, against Liverpool in September 1978, having caught the ball, he started to roll it out, as goalkeepers had to in those days. What he hadn’t noticed was that Kenny Dalglish was behind him, the Scot needing no further invitation to pop the ball into the gaping goal. Typical of the abiding sensitivity that footballers have for one another’s fragile mental health, in the dressing room later in the week, Godden was presented with a goalkeeping cap that had wing mirrors attached to the sides.
He took it in good part and, underlining the resilience of his character, three months later, in that same Birmingham Road end goal, Godden produced a save that defied description to deny Valencia’s Mario Kempes a goal and put Albion on course for the win that helped define that team. It’s as much a signature moment of that Albion side as Tony Brown’s volley that night or Laurie Cunningham drifting over the Old Trafford turf. Because while the talk of that side will be forever of Regis, Cunningham, Statham, Robson, Tony Godden was every bit as central to what it achieved as anyone. Great sides are built on solid foundations, and he was that alright.
In the mind’s eye, TG will always be there at the back of that side, clad in that bright red jersey, bowling the ball out into the path of Derek Statham, sending Albion off on another blistering attack. The goalkeeper of that side. That’s some epitaph.
Rest easy, Tony.