David Webb – Chelsea’s Surprise Goalkeeper

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Goalkeeper black and white

In the world of football, it’s not uncommon for players to be thrust into unfamiliar positions, often due to injuries or forced tactical changes. Typical examples include a striker being instructed to play on the wing or a left back being asked to cover at centre half. Very occasionally though, an outfield player will be asked to go in goal, and it is a sight football fans love to see!

An outfield player standing in for a goalkeeper is not a remotely new phenomenon either as there have been many examples over the footballing decades. One of the best instances though comes from the 1971/72 season when David Webb, a man who was a defender by trade but could also cover as a centre forward, played an entire game in goal for Chelsea. Let us take a closer look at how Webb ended up in this unique position and how he fared between the sticks.

Who Was David Webb?


Chelsea signed Webb from Southampton in February 1968 and he remained at the club for more than six years. In this time, the Essex-born man made 299 appearances for the Blues, scoring 33 goals. One of his main strengths was his versatility, something that saw him wear almost every number between 1 and 12 while at the club, the only exception being number 11. He was most often found at right back but was adept at covering in the centre of defence and was occasionally deployed as a striker when needed. This is why his goalscoring rate (better than 1 goal every 10 games for Chelsea) is far better than that of your average defender.

Chelsea’s Goalkeeping Crisis

The 1971/72 season was not a particularly strong one for Chelsea who collected no silverware and had to settle for a seventh-place finish in the league. Although there was not too much to celebrate, fans will have no doubt enjoyed the surprising sight of seeing Webb play a full match in goal. This bizarre incident occurred when Chelsea hosted Ipswich on 27th December, 1971. Webb was not asked to play in goal because it was a secret talent of his, but it was rather the outcome of a series of unfortunate events.

Regular Goalkeeper Injured

Chelsea’s regular goalkeeper Peter Bonetti was already out having been forced off with an injury in the draw with Coventry City on 17th December 1972. Webb filled in for Bonetti on this occasion, gaining his first taste of goalkeeping experience and helped his side secure a 1-1 draw. Although the injury was not too serious, Bonetti was never in contention for the Ipswich game and made his return on 5th January, 1972.

Backup Goalkeeper Pulled His Back

With Bonetti out injured, second-choice keeper John Phillips stood in to cover for the League Cup win over Tottenham on 22nd December. Phillips was again expected to fill in for Bonetti for the Ipswich clash on the other side of Christmas Day but he pulled his back getting out of bed on the morning of the contest.

Third Choice Keeper Unable to Make It in Time

Now without their two first-choice keepers, Chelse desperately scrambled to get in contact with their third and final goalkeeper, Steve Sherwood. The problem was Sherwood was with his family in Yorkshire for Christmas and could not make the journey to London in time for the 3pm kick-off. With no available goalkeepers in the squad, manager Dave Sexton had to pick a willing volunteer from his outfield players. Naturally, the incredibly versatile Webb was the obvious pick, especially as he had taken up the role less than two weeks earlier replacing Bonetti against Coventry.

Webb as Goalkeeper


Among the examples of outfield players having a stint in goal, it is exceptionally rare for them to have played a full match. Most try and spend five or 10 minutes without conceding a goal but in Webb’s case, he had to spend a full 90-minutes keeping the Ipswich attack at bay. Not feeling overly confident about the prospect, Webb jokingly dropped to his knees to say a prayer inside his penalty box before kick-off. As you might expect, much of the Chelsea support thought this was all some sort of joke but as time went on, the reality of what they were witnessing sunk in.

By today’s standards, Webb’s 5ft 11in frame makes him short for a goalkeeper but in 1971 this was not out of the ordinary. Indeed, Chelsea’s first-choice keeper, Bonetti, was only 5ft 10in so Webb’s height was not seen as much as a vulnerability. Ipswich were probably more relieved than anything else just to see Webb playing so far from their own goal. Three years earlier Webb bagged himself a hat-trick against the Tractor Boys at Portman Road. Truly a nemesis of the Sussex side, he also scored both goals in a 2-1 win when the sides met again later in the 1971/72 season.

Webb Managed a Clean Sheet with 2-0 Win

The conditions at Stamford Bridge were poor and December rain had turned the pitch into a complete mudbath. Not ideal for a keeper but nevertheless, Webb put in an assured performance. His all-round athleticism enabled him to sweep up danger when the ball was played in behind and jump up to clear high balls played around the six-yard box. The 25-year-old was also helped out by his defence who ensured that Ipswich did not have too many efforts on goal.

Through a combination of solid defensive work and genuinely competent goalkeeping, Webb managed to claim a clean sheet during a 2-0 win for the hosts. Given the circumstances, this was a particularly good result as Ipswich were far from the worst team in the division (finished 13th of 22). It’s even more impressive when considering the Blues conceded five goals in the three games that followed in all competitions. Webb was never called upon to cover between the sticks again for Chelsea but it must have been comforting to know he was around if ever there was another goalkeeping crisis.