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Joe Corrigan defined the expression 'third choice keeper'. Naturally, fans of Manchester City would promote their man at all costs, but England's loud majority would nevertheless conclude that Don Revie and Ron Greenwood got it pretty much right when placing the enormous City stopper behind Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence in the pecking order. That said, Corrigan was nothing but reliable - and stoutly professional - during an England career which saw lots of trips and tours and encompassed six years but only nine actual ventures on to the field of play. With Shilton sulking over his regular omission in favour of Clemence in 1976 and refusing to be considered for Revie's squad, Corrigan and Arsenal's Jimmy Rimmer accompanied Ray Clemence from the goalkeepers' union to the USA for the bi-centennial tournament, though the other two started games while Corrigan came on as a sub for Rimmer in a memorable 3-2 win over Italy during which England had been two down - Corrigan didn't concede either of the Italian goals. Rimmer wouldn't be back, but Shilton soon would after a change of heart and a spot of growing up, and Corrigan would dependably turn up for England duty in most squads over the next six years, knowing that his chances of playing in any competitive match were nil while Shilton and Clemence were receiving the shirt on an alternate basis from Greenwood, who was infamously undecided as to who was the best.
A patient Corrigan made his first England start in 1978 when England drew 1-1 with a rapidly declining Brazil at Wembley and then kept a clean sheet as England tediously fought out a goalless draw with Wales in the 1979 Home International tournament. As England qualified for the 1980 European Championships, Corrigan maintained his dignified watching position from the bench and was expectedly given the No.22 shirt for the tournament itself - the traditional shirt for all third choice keepers. Inevitably he didn't feature, but he was given two starts in the immediate warm-up stage including a long-haul jaunt to Sydney where England beat Australia 2-1, a fortnight before the finals. Corrigan got two consecutive starts for the only time in his England career in 1981, one of which was a 1-0 loss to Scotland in the Home Internationals at Wembley - his only England defeat. His eighth cap earned him his third and final international clean sheet as England beat Wales 1-0, again in the Home Internationals, before his swansong appearance in 1982 as England drew 1-1 in Iceland prior to the World Cup. Corrigan was duly elected for the squad - bizarrely he was given the No.13 shirt even though Clemence and Shilton were still the dominant forces - and he was not considered for his country again after England's exit, with new coach Bobby Robson anxious to find new blood to challenge or replace three goalkeepers all well into their 30s. (Matthew Rudd)
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