SPL trivia: goalkeepers who have turned out for three or more clubs

Craig Samson, one of the players to have played for three SPL clubs©SNS Group

Goalkeepers are quite often the most well-travelled of players, particularly if you think of the career of John Burridge.

The man between the sticks is always seen as a lonely job, not least because there is only ever one position available for them. The life of the substitute goalkeeper is quite an inactive one, so anyone wanting to be number one may have to move around to get in the first team.

So who are the goalkeepers since the start of the SPL who have played for three (or more) teams? We've only included players who have actually played league matches in the SPL - no bench warmers or guys who were on the books - and only counted appearances since the start of the SPL in 1998/99. Who are the nine?

Mark Brown (Rangers, Motherwell, Inverness CT, Celtic, Kilmarnock, Hibernian)

Brown has reached an almost Jim Hamilton-like level of goalkeeping nomadery by moving around the league more than most. Starting his career at Rangers, Brown made just four appearances before moving to Motherwell in 2001/02. After a season at Fir Park he was again on the move, this time to Inverness, who he helped to promotion in 2003/04. He spent a further two-and-a-half seasons in the Highlands before making a surprise move to Celtic in January 2007. After 13 appearances for the Hoops it was off to Rugby Park on loan and another 14 appearances, before travelling to Easter Road with Hibernian in 2010.

Paul Gallacher (Dundee United, Dunfermline, St Mirren)

Gallacher won acclaim (and a Scotland call-up) while at Dundee United, making 121 SPL appearances. After spells at Norwich, Gillingham and Sheffield Wednesday he returned to Scotland with Dunfermline. This was the first of two spells sandwiched between two years at St Mirren.

Mark Howard (Falkirk, St Mirren, Aberdeen)

Howard made his SPL debut on-loan at Falkirk from Arsenal. After a season at Cardiff and Swansea (in the same season, a record?) he moved to St Mirren for three seasons before making nine appearances at Aberdeen in 2010/11.

Jamie Langfield (Dundee, Partick Thistle, Aberdeen)

Langfield made his debut as a young goalkeeper in the inaugural season of the SPL, coming on as a substitute for Rab Douglas in a 2-2 draw with Aberdeen. He moved to Partick Thistle in 2004 after a spell at Raith Rovers, making ten appearances for the Jags in their ill-fated top flight stay. Despite being on the books at Dunfermline, he didn't play and was taken north by Jimmy Calderwood in 2005, making 187 appearances for the Dons.

Roddy McKenzie (Hearts, Livingston, Dunfermline)

After starting his career at Hearts, McKenzie moved along the M8 to Livingston and made exactly 100 SPL appearances for the Almondvale club. McKenzie then moved to Dunfermline, playing 14 times for the Pars.

Colin Meldrum (Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell)

Meldrum is best known for his time at Kilmarnock, but also made five appearances for Livingston before four seasons and 24 appearances at Motherwell.

Ludovic Roy (St Mirren, StJohnstone, Livingston)

The curve ball! The Frenchman started his SPL career at St Mirren before making a very sneaky two appearances for St Johnstone on loan. After moving to Ayr he returned to the SPL with Livingston and played a further six matches.

Craig Samson (Kilmarnock, Dundee United, St Mirren)

Samson played a single game for Kilmarnock, against Aberdeen in 2004. A three year stay at Tannadice was slightly more lucrative, with Samson making eight appearances for Dundee United. He signed for St Mirren at the start of 2010/11 and has been a stand-out ever since, earning a call-up to the Scotland squad.

Derek Stillie (Aberdeen, Dunfermline, Dundee United)

Stillie made eight appearances in the inaugural SPL for Aberdeen, but moved to Wigan after finding first-team opportunities limited. He returned to Scotland three years later with Dunfermline, spending three years with the Pars before moving north to Dundee United.

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