How history will rate David Seaman 20 years after retiring from football

The footballer has a cupboard groaning under the weight of the trophies and achievements won over a formidable career.

The Rotherham-born custodian remains an immediately recognisable face for most modern-day football fans.

That's despite the fact he retired 20 years ago when a shoulder injury - the curse of goalies - made life between the posts impossible for him at elite level.

The one-time Kimberworth Comprehensive School is now 60 years old, but keeps in shape and doesn't look his age.

So how will history view Seaman over the generations to come?

And how did he merit alongside football's all-time greats?

Here, we have a look at David Andrew Seaman MBE - the pony-tailed goalie with one heck of a back story.

EARLY DAYS

Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday, as well as Rotherham United and Barnsley, all scouted him as a youngster. He was also courted by Yorkshire Cricket Club as a fast bowler.

CAREER:

He won 75 caps for his beloved England, and is our second-most capped goalkeeper, after Peter Shilton.

Seaman kept goal in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, as well as Euros 96 and 2000.

His career spanned from 1981 to 2004, his best moments with Arsenal winning three league championships (1991, 1998, 2002), four FA Cups (1993, 1998, 2002, 2003), the League Cup in 1993 and the European Cup Winners Cup (1994.)

BEST PREMIER GOALIE?

This is subjective but the best five keepers since the inaugural 1992–93 FA Premier campaign, in my humble opinion are: 1: Peter Schmeichel, 2: Petr Cech, 3: Edwin Van Der Sar, 4: David Seaman, 5: David James.

BEST ENGLAND KEEPER?

Similarly subjective, but maybe: 1 Gordon Banks, 2: Peter Shilton, 3 David Seaman, 4: David James 5: Ray Clemence.

HIGH POINTS

Seaman's acrobatic, right-handed save from Sheffield United's Paul Peschisolido in an FA Cup semi-final (at the age of 39, in his 1,000th match in professional football) was rated one of the best ever.

It was a heart-breaker for the Blades' fans, but even Paddy Kenny, in the opposite goal, agreed with that tribute. Four million people have viewed the save on Twitter, alone.

Seaman holds the record for the most clean sheets for Arsenal, during more than 400 appearances.

In 1997, he was awarded the MBE for services to football.

After just eight days of preparation, he and Zoia Birmingham won TV's Strictly Ice Dancing, which showed versatility if nothing else.

LOW POINTS

You can't review David Seaman without mentioning Ronaldinho's freak goal against him in the 2002 World Cup.

The Brazilian was so far out he was almost in the stands, yet his free kick looped over our hero's despairing hand and into the top corner.

To this day, nobody really understands that goal. Was it a shot? Or a cross? Or a horribly, lucky mis-hit?

Loyal fans had sympathy; Seaman's postbox received 5,000 letters of support.

For me, though, Ronaldinho saw him off the line and was simply good enough to punish him.

Other down sides?

David's career went on a year too long.

The Independent also described him once as having a "pathological hatred of the written media" which isn't great for people in my job.

Hello magazine referred to his "cellar of wine and collection of Davidoff and Monte Cristo cigars kept in a humidor at his Hertfordshire mansion."

In fairness, that apparent extravagance contrasts with the football website 365.com which described him: "Down-to-earth, as befits a working-class man who didn’t have an indoor toilet until he was 14."

Worse than anything else, Seaman is a lifelong Leeds United fan. There's no forgiving that. And he uses the nickname “Safe Hands” to this day.

With a name like Seaman, though, it could be worse.

THAT PONYTAIL

He once explained: "My Dad had long hair. I just fancied it but then it got in my eyes a couple of times and I was like, ‘Well, I need to keep it back.’

In training, Arsenal team-mates like Dennis Berkgamp took the Micky, once all sporting headbands with ponytails sticking out the back.

Sense prevailed in 2005.

The offending ponytail was chopped off on live television for charity, which ended the interest of L'Oréal who wanted to sponsor his locks as they had with David Ginola.

As for the dodgy moustache: “I was born with a 'tache,” Seaman laughed. “It was always there even as a 14 or 15-year-old, it grew out and I was like ‘phwoar’ and I just kept it. I had to shave it off once for a Leeds United team photo because none of the apprentices were allowed any facial hair."

ODDITY

Not just the ponytail.

Seaman is left-handed, but threw the ball with his right arm and kicked with his right foot. It's hard to work that one out.

He also received a standing ovation from the crowd as he took his seat at before a tennis match at Wimbledon. And he hadn't even touched a ball.

OFF THE FIELD

He has been married three times and has four children.

He met his third wife Frankie when they were paired together on the ITV show Dancing on Ice.

He's minted - one website suggested he has a net worth of $14 million, but that could be complete guesswork.

David is a committed charity helper, his good causes include mental health, the British Heart Foundation and Willow, an organisation creating one-off experiences for people with life-threatening illnesses.

He even helped Rotherham Council promote the importance of hand-washing during Covid.

Safe Hands indeed!