Tiny Keeper

Steve Death, Record Breaker, Shy Genius and Maverick

Tiny Keeper is the extraordinary story of Steve Death, once the shortest goalkeeper in the Football League. He was good enough to keep Peter Shilton out of the England Schoolboys side, yet spent his career in Divisions Three and Four and became a lower-league legend. His league record of 12 consecutive clean sheets still stands.

The extraordinary story of Steve Death, once the shortest goalkeeper in the Football League – at just 5ft 7in. He was good enough to keep Peter Shilton out of the England Schoolboys side, yet spent his career in Divisions Three and Four and became a lower-league legend.

This tale of a shy genius, record-breaker and maverick covers:

• Death’s time as part of the legendary West Ham United academy under Ron Greenwood when he trained and played alongside World Cup-winning trio Sir Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters and Bobby Moore
• How only his lack of height stopped him playing at the highest level
• How he carved out a brilliant career in Divisions Three and Four, playing 537 games for Reading and winning Player of the Year four times, on the first occasion while still on loan
• How in 1979 he set a Football League record for the longest run of clean sheets – that record still stands!
• His modest life outside of football, living quietly with his family in a club house at the old Elm Park ground
• Exclusive first-hand accounts from West Ham and Reading players, journalists, supporters and family members

Described on his debut as ‘an insignificantly built bundle of daredevil energy’, Death played without gloves, caught crosses one-handed and saved penalties instinctively. His remarkable story provides a fascinating insight into the lost world of 1970s lower-league football.

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.