Tottenham supporters have had the opportunity to witness some heroic goalkeeping over the years, with some being legends at the club.
The Lilywhites current goalkeeper is Guglielmo Vicario, who joined the club from Empoli back in 2023. The Italian shot stopper has made 93 appearances for Spurs since. He’s been criticised at times, though when called into action, he can pull off stunning saves.
To celebrate the trusted hands of some of the best keepers English football has seen, ReadTottenham has put together a Top 10 list of keepers with the most clean sheets in between the sticks for Spurs using Transfermarkt.
5th – Ted Ditchburn – 1939-58: 62 clean sheets
His almost two-decade stint at White Hart Lane saw him become one of the first post-Second World War heroes at the club.
He played a few games during the war years yet became a true icon in the years following.
Ditchburn was part of the 1949-50 side, which won the Division Two title, and the 1950-51 team that immediately rose through the league to clinch the Division One title the following year.
A broken finger in a game against Chelsea brought his career to a stop.
4th – Ian Walker – 1989-2001: 84 clean sheets
Walker was a product of Spurs’ academy, winning the FA Youth Cup, before he made a step up to the first team in 1989. He featured for the Lilywhites during the final days of Division One and the beginning of the Premier League era.
He was part of the side that beat Leicester City at Wembley in 1999 as they lifted the League Cup, where he played a big part that season.
Walker made 312 appearances for the White Hart Lane outfit before leaving due to the newly signed Neil Sullivan taking the No 1 position.
3th – Ray Clemence – 1981-88: 114 clean sheets
The legendary keeper at Anfield, who was the club’s main man under Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley, said goodbye to Liverpool in 1981 following the signing of Bruce Grobbelaar, which led to him moving to North London in a £300,000 deal.
He won the FA Cup in 1982 with the Lilywhites, though he would lose the final in 1987 to Coventry City.
He played an influential part in the club’s UEFA Cup success in 1984, but missed the final through injury. It was an Achilles injury that forced him into retirement before joining the Spurs coaching team.
2nd – Hugo Lloris – 2012-24: 149 clean sheets
The Frenchman was part of a new generation at the club led by Mauricio Pochettino. They came agonisingly close to Premier League and Champions League success, with the keeper playing a huge part in the strides the club took after joining from Lyon.
In 2015, he was named the club’s captain and would continue making spectacular saves for the Lilywhites.
He would make his 400th appearance for the club in 2022, though his last appearances aren’t fondly remembered, being subbed off at half-time in a 6-1 defeat to Newcastle; however, he is a legend at White Hart Lane.
1st – Pat Jennings – 1964-77/1985-86: 168 clean sheets
After making the switch from Watford in 1964, he became the new No 1, and he helped the team win a plethora of trophies as he went on his way to becoming their all-time clean sheet record holder. He won the Football Writers’ Association award in 1973 and the PFA version in 1976.
| Rank | Goalkeeper | Clean Sheets |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pat Jennings | 168 |
| 2 | Hugo Lloris | 149 |
| 3 | Ray Clemence | 114 |
| 4 | Ian Walker | 84 |
| 5 | Ted Ditchburn | 62 |
| 6 | Erik Thorstvedt | 58 |
| 7 | Bill Brown | 52 |
| 8 | Paul Robinson | 50 |
| 9 | Heurelho Gomes | 43 |
| 10 | Guglielmo Vicario | 29 |
He did the unthinkable, joining Arsenal after his first stint, where he played for eight years before making a return to White Hart Lane, though it was mainly a place in the reserve side.
His final Spurs appearance was in the Football League Super Cup against Liverpool in early 1986.
