Where is Gerve's cap?

AS LOCAL sporting memorabilia go, Gerve Brazier's famous checked cap takes some beating. It's more than 30 years since he donned it and if you want to catch a glimpse of the battered, tattered old piece of cloth, well you can't.

The man himself was under the impression it could be seen as part of the Red Onion bar's sporting memorabilia presentation. But it is not and as you read this an investigation continues as to the exact whereabouts of the famous old cap.

Sixties English football had Nobby Stiles' s teeth to treasure, we had a cap which sat atop the head of the island's best ever keeper.

Former Saints and Guernsey teammates, Henry Davey and Colin Renouf are pretty sure on that.

'He was that commanding,' said striker Davey. 'I have never seen a keeper come over from the UK who is better.

'He is head and shoulders above everybody else, I'd say.'

Renouf had even closer view of Colin Gervaise-Brazier's excellence, to give the man his full name.

His lapses were few and very far between.

'I don't think his kicking was brilliant but for saves, coming out, talking and organising, he did that very well,' said the legendary centre back.

For the record, Brazier holds the record for the most Muratti appearances for a keeper.

Between 1962 and his farewell appearance as captain in the 1975 replay win at Springfield, 'Gerve' played 14 times in Murattis.

Only when the distraction of powerboating took over did the Saints stopper lose his place temporarily.

All told, he made 296 appearances for the Saints' first team and played a key role it what many experienced observers will tell you was the best ever local side.

Rain or shine, the vast majority of those matches Brazier played with the black-and-white-checked cap which, he revealed this week, was given to him to wear by a Saints fan of the time.

'It came from Barry Lloyd who used to watch all the Saints games from behind the goal.

'I wore it whether I was playing for Saints or the island. It was a bit of a trademark. In some ways I was a bit eccentric.'

Brazier, I'm glad to say, agreed with my choice of Chris Hamon as the best No. 1 post Gerve.

Hamon played only one fewer Muratti than Brazier, replacing the great man for the 1976 game and dominating the jersey for the next 13 years, occasionally losing his place to Froome.

Sitting at three in the all-time list, though, is a man who must have been excellent as he became the first professional keeper we produced.

Belgraves great Bill Farmer played five times between 1948 and 1951 after which he left for the UK where he played for and made 58 appearances in Nottingham Forest colours in the mid-50s.

Another pro is at No. 4 on the all-time list.

Priaulx football may never see Chris Tardif between the sticks but to be taken on by, initially, Portsmouth and to have been at Oxford United for so long, is enough proof of his excellence.

His huge potential was there for all to see in the 1995 schoolboy Muratti when he kept a clean sheet at the Corbet Field to help sink Jersey.

It was a fine performance akin to that of the best schoolboy keeper I ever saw and think ever will.

Aged 15, I remain convinced to this day that Grant Williamson (St Peter Port School and Rovers) was as good as any keeper in the island with the exception of Brazier, then in the twilight of his career.

Phil Corbet, who has managed a few keepers in his time with North and the island, also enjoyed the experience of playing with the youngster who, well before he was out of youth football, had upped and left the island not to be seen on a local pitch again.

'He was the best goalkeeper who never went beyond youth football,' said Corbet, who often played in front of him in Rovers' colours.

'He was 6ft plus, probably about six-four with superb handling and was brave to a fault.

'I remember one day he came diving out at a players' feet. He kicked Grant in the head, Grant got up and the bloke who kicked him had to go off with a bad foot.'

In some ways Williamson, whose younger brother, Dave, went on to play regularly for the Bels' Priaulx side, was a freak.

An outstanding basketballer, he had hands like buckets. Why use two when one would do? could have been his motto.

His mitts were massive. So was his hair. Straight and brown, it went beyond his huge shoulder blades.

And then there were the tight, bell-bottomed denim jeans.

He played in shorts only when at school and in the 1972 schoolboy Muratti when he had three things to do all game: pick the ball out of the net three times.

Before the 1973 Old Vic Cup final at the Track, the Rovers' keeper was told by the referee he would have to take off the belt which had a large buckle in front.

That was Williamson for you. Crazy, but amazingly talented.

In the opposite goal that early spring evening was my No. 6, Froome, seen by many as the heir apparent to Brazier.

Froome, tall, big hands, brave and left-footed, was good and of those listed today, was the best outfield player.

Sadly, he was prone to the odd mistake in big games, but six Muratti caps at a time when Hamon was king, is sufficient proof of his class.

At No. 7, Guernsey's version of Lev Yashin, the Soviet legend.

Like Yashin, Vale Rec keeper Mick Falla wore all black and had remarkable reflexes.

Had his career not coincided with that of Brazier, he would have featured in many a Muratti but he had to wait until his rival had all but hung up his boots, to get a game.

And, when he did in 1973, Guernsey lost 4-1 at home to Jersey.

At No. 8 is Ian Drillot with Steve Ingrouille and Jody Bisson, at nine and 10 respectively.

Of the three, Ingrouille had the star quality while never quite having the long-term reliability of the others.

On his day there was nobody better than the curly-haired big man who played for Vale Rec and North, but you have to look at his representative career record and wonder why he was restricted to just four Murattis.

Drillot, whose career overlapped with Ingrouille's, was just a natural and simply very reliable which is all you really want from a keeper.

Bisson, until very lately the incumbent keeper, has matured into a fine player and for pure reflexes is among the very best.

Were he six-two and not several inches shorter, a professional career would surely have beckoned.