The hands lead the way and the head follows. The six yard box is always the scene of skirmishes, scuffles and flying bodies - this is the melee that the keeper must launch themselves into.

The scars of battle are vividly exposed, it's a wonder their face doesn't resemble a patch work quilt. Mistake and costly error are never far away. In victory there is rarely more than a look of quiet satisfaction, and in defeat a mixture of anger and self-recrimination. Great saves may be overlooked but the keepers who made them are not forgotten.

The old adage that the keeper must be slightly insane to accept their role on the pitch is a myth brought on by the desperate courage that keepers must possess to make their body respond instinctively to a speeding ball. The individuals who choose to perform beneath the crossbar may be cross pitch rivals but belong to a fraternity like no other.