Happy birthday, Joe!: The stories of Palace’s youngest-ever 'keepers

Club

29 Feb 2024

Joe Whitworth celebrates his 20th birthday today (29th February) – happy birthday, Joe!

The Crystal Palace fan realised a boyhood dream last year – and at Brighton & Hove Albion, no less – when he became the club's youngest-ever Premier League goalkeeper.

Making the first senior appearance of his career last March, at the age of 19 years and 15 days-old, Whitworth impressed in defeat at the Amex Stadium, making particularly fine saves from Pervis Estupiñán and Alexis Mac Allister in particular.

The then-teenager’s tender years saw him go down in the record books as Palace’s fifth-youngest 'keeper of all-time.

A second appearance a few days later against Arsenal might have ended in defeat, but marked him out as the first Palace goalkeeper to play their first two games in front of 30,000- and 60,000-strong crowds.

Here, with thanks to club historian Ian King, we delve into the record books to explore the story of Palace’s five youngest-ever goalkeepers…

5. Joe Whitworth

Debut: v Brighton & Hove Albion (Wednesday, 15th March, 2023)

Age: 19 years, 15 days-old

A night at The Amex he’ll simply never forget. Injuries to Vicente Guaita and Sam Johnstone handed Joe Whitworth an unlikely, but fully-merited, chance – and the shot-stopper duly did himself, the Academy and Crystal Palace Football Club proud.

4. Bill Glazier

Debut: v Halifax Town (Saturday, 13th January, 1962)

Age: 18 years, 164 days-old

Another young ‘keeper who took his opportunity when it arose, Nottingham-born ‘stopper Bill Glazier joined Palace on trial in October 1961 by virtue of his family’s bread delivery man being a personal friend of Palace captain Johnny McNichol.

Having signed for the club after an impressive appearance against Dover, a reportedly poor performance from Vic Rouse – who had been Palace’s first-choice ‘stopper for more than four seasons – in a 4-3 loss to Aston Villa the previous week opened the door for Glazier’s competitive debut, a home win by the same scoreline over Halifax Town.

Glazier went on to start 12 of his team’s remaining 19 league matches and established himself as first-choice. He was an ever-present during Palace’s 1963/64 season, in which they finished runners-up to secure promotion to the Second Division, and made 113 appearances for the club in total before departing for Coventry City for a world-record fee for a keeper - £35,000 – with a young John Jackson ready for his opportunity at Palace.

3. David Fry

Debut: v Aston Villa (Saturday, 29th April, 1978)

Age: 18 years, 115 days-old

An appearance on the final day of the 1977/78 season – with Palace already assured of a mid-table Second Division finish under Terry Venables – for hot prospect David Fry was perhaps a surprise to all, given there was no mention of the young shot-stopper in the game’s match programme beforehand.

It would prove, however, a fitting reward for Fry’s prowess in the club’s consecutive FA Youth Cup victories of 1977 and 1978: a 5-0 win over Blackburn Rovers at Selhurst Park, in which fellow Academy product Dave Swindlehurst scored a hat-trick.

Initially understudy to John ‘Budgie’ Burridge and subsequently Paul Barron, Fry only enjoye fleeting appearances in the first-team until taking on the regular No.1 mantle in the second-half of the 1982/83 season. He transferred to Gillingham the following summer with 45 appearances for Palace in all competitions under his belt.

2. Ray Potter

Potter in action for West Bromwich Albion in 1959

Debut: v Leyton Orient (Thursday, 8th April, 1954)

Age: 17 years, 336 days-old

Hailing from south London’s Beckenham, and signed from Beckenham Town, the late Ray Potter was another ‘stopper whose chance arose following an injury to first-choice Roy Bailey – but more on him in a moment…

Sadly for Potter, however, an appearance in a 2-0 defeat away at Leyton Orient in April 1954 in Division Three South was not enough to displace Bailey. Potter’s next appearance in Palace colours came against in November 1955 – a 3-1 defeat at Norwich City – after Bailey had been sold to Ipswich Town.

Potter would go on to play the next 18 games in Division Three South as Palace finished second-from-bottom, and was first-choice for the opening half of 1956/57 before the recruitment of Rouse from Millwall. Potter departed for West Bromwich Albion in 1958 having played 49 games for Palace in all competitions.

1. Roy Bailey

Debut: v Torquay United (Saturday, 11th March, 1950)

Age: 17 years, 289 days-old

Born in Epsom in Surrey prior to the onset of the Second World War, and later father to Manchester United and England ‘keeper Gary, Roy Bailey was originally on the books of Tottenham Hotspur but, to shorten his journey, joined nearby Crystal Palace as an amateur before signing professional terms as a 17-year-old in June 1949.

The teenager was forced into action perhaps than expected, however, when first-choice Dick Graham and back-up Charlie Bumstead were both sidelined with injury later that season. Bailey’s first game was a 3-1 defeat at Torquay United, but the requirement to fulfil National Service – which he did so in Germany – prevented the youngster from building on that opening appearance.

Upon its completion, Bailey returned to matchday squads and was called upon again in March 1953. The goalkeeper was undisputed first-choice from there-on out, playing the final 14 league games of 1952/53; all-but-one the following season; and all-but-nine the next.

Bailey was signed by Alf Ramsey’s Ipswich Town in March 1956, where he would win three league titles, having played 119 times for the Glaziers.

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