Unforgiving position goalkeeper to many clangers and your toast, always remember Docherty bringing in Paddy Roche in for Stepney at man u and ruining his career, won the first game but then let in 10 against Liverpool , Man city and Arsenal and was dropped for the rest of the season.
I don’t think it’s right to say those three games ruined Paddy’s career, AWG, he was at United for 9 years 73-82, first as understudy to Alex Stepney who retired in ’78, then Gary Bailey 78-87.
Roche didn’t play in the season they got relegated (1974-75), when the defence was like a sieve. Then, he only played a couple in Div. 2, aged 24 when the team was at the top of their game, and only a handful the season after, in the 1st Division (the games you mention).
But, in 1977/78 he played 23 games for United, and the jersey was his into the following season when Gary Bailey took over.
So overall, his career wasn’t ruined at United, or by the games you mention, but he was a bit error-prone.
United in the 70s – it’s my ‘special interest’ haha!
But you’re right about bringing in a keeper too early. It’s a position which depends a lot on confidence, and in a struggling team with a crap back line it can disappear quickly and make a bad defence even worse, as well as ruin a young lad’s development. I think that’s the risk with Watson.
