Gerard Keizer
Encyclopedia
Gerard Pieter Keizer (August 8, 1910 – December 5, 1980), also known as Gerard Keyser, was a Dutch
football
goalkeeper. As well as being highly successful in his native country, he was also one of the first players from outside Great Britain
or Ireland
to play in English football
.
Keizer joined Ajax Amsterdam
at the age of 16, and two years later made his debut for the side, against Stormvogels on April 1, 1929. For the first few years of his career he deputised for Ajax's No. 1 Jan de Boer
, and in 1930 he moved to England
, in order to improve his English
.
Keizer first played as an amateur for Kent
side Margate
; at the time, Margate acted as a "nursery" club of sort for London giants Arsenal
, and soon Keizer was spotted by Arsenal's manager, Herbert Chapman
. Keizer was immediately pitched into the Arsenal first team, and played in Arsenal's first twelve First Division
matches of the 1930-31
season, making his debut against Blackpool
on August 30, 1930. He also played in the Gunners' Charity Shield victory over Sheffield Wednesday
that season.
While playing for Arsenal, Keizer was still on the books of Ajax, and would resort to flying
between England and the Netherlands after a Saturday match for Arsenal, so that he could play for Ajax's reserve side on the Sunday. This earned him the nickname Flying Dutchman from his team-mates and the press alike.
Keizer's playing style was distinctly flamboyant, to the point of erratic; he truly lived up to the "crazy" stereotype of the goalkeeper. He never kept a clean sheet in his first-team matches at Arsenal, and with stiff competition from Arsenal's existing 'keepers, Bill Harper
and Charlie Preedy
, Keizer was dropped in October and never played for the first team again. He left Arsenal in July 1931 for Charlton Athletic
, and later played for Queens Park Rangers
.
He finally returned to Amsterdam
in 1933, and became Ajax's number one for the next fifteen years; he played 302 matches for the club, despite the Second World War
intervening. He also played for the Dutch national side
twice, his debut coming in a 1934 FIFA World Cup
qualifier against Belgium, a 4-2 win that saw them reach the finals; Keizer did not make the squad for that tournament, however.
After the war, Ajax were in deep financial trouble and could not even afford their own kit
. Keizer flew to London
to ask his old club Arsenal for any help, and Arsenal obligingly donated a set of kit and some footballs. Ajax thus played their first matches after the war in Arsenal's red and white shirts, rather than their own. Keizer continued to make repeated trips across the Channel
, but in 1947 he was discovered to be smuggling British banknote
s amongst the sportswear; he was fined 30,000 guilder
s and sentenced to six months' imprisonment
.
After his release from prison, Keizer went into business and went on to become one of Amsterdam's leading greengrocer
s. In 1955 he returned to Ajax, this time as a member of the club's board. He died in 1980 aged 70.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
goalkeeper. As well as being highly successful in his native country, he was also one of the first players from outside Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
or Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to play in English football
Football in England
Association football is a national sport in England, where the first modern set of rules for the code were established in 1863, which were a major influence on the development of the modern Laws of the Game...
.
Keizer joined Ajax Amsterdam
Ajax Amsterdam
Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax , also referred to as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam or simply Ajax , is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands...
at the age of 16, and two years later made his debut for the side, against Stormvogels on April 1, 1929. For the first few years of his career he deputised for Ajax's No. 1 Jan de Boer
Jan de Boer
Jan de Boer was a Dutch gymnast who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.He was part of the Dutch gymnastics team, which finished seventh in the team event....
, and in 1930 he moved to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in order to improve his English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Keizer first played as an amateur for Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
side Margate
Margate F.C.
Margate Football Club is an English football team based in the seaside resort of Margate, Kent, currently playing in the Isthmian League Premier Division. The club was known for a number of years during the 1980s as Thanet United....
; at the time, Margate acted as a "nursery" club of sort for London giants Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, and soon Keizer was spotted by Arsenal's manager, Herbert Chapman
Herbert Chapman
Herbert Chapman was an English association football player and manager. Though he had an undistinguished playing career, he went on to become one of the most successful and influential managers in early 20th century English football, before his sudden death in 1934.As a player, Chapman played for...
. Keizer was immediately pitched into the Arsenal first team, and played in Arsenal's first twelve First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
matches of the 1930-31
1930-31 in English football
The 1930–31 season was the 56th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Of note this season was Manchester United's record of the worst start in a major European league – they lost their first twelve games of the season and went on to be relegated....
season, making his debut against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
on August 30, 1930. He also played in the Gunners' Charity Shield victory over Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
that season.
While playing for Arsenal, Keizer was still on the books of Ajax, and would resort to flying
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
between England and the Netherlands after a Saturday match for Arsenal, so that he could play for Ajax's reserve side on the Sunday. This earned him the nickname Flying Dutchman from his team-mates and the press alike.
Keizer's playing style was distinctly flamboyant, to the point of erratic; he truly lived up to the "crazy" stereotype of the goalkeeper. He never kept a clean sheet in his first-team matches at Arsenal, and with stiff competition from Arsenal's existing 'keepers, Bill Harper
Bill Harper
William "Bill" Harper was a Scottish goalkeeper who played for, among others, Hibernian, Arsenal, Fall River Marksmen and Plymouth Argyle. He also represented Scotland in 11 full internationals.-Early years:...
and Charlie Preedy
Charlie Preedy
Charles James Fane Preedy was an English football goalkeeper.One of six children, Preedy was born in Neemuch, Madhya Pradesh, India, where his father was serving with the Royal Artillery. The family returned to Eltham, London, in 1907 where he attended Gordon School...
, Keizer was dropped in October and never played for the first team again. He left Arsenal in July 1931 for Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
, and later played for Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
.
He finally returned to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1933, and became Ajax's number one for the next fifteen years; he played 302 matches for the club, despite the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
intervening. He also played for the Dutch national side
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
twice, his debut coming in a 1934 FIFA World Cup
1934 FIFA World Cup
The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
qualifier against Belgium, a 4-2 win that saw them reach the finals; Keizer did not make the squad for that tournament, however.
After the war, Ajax were in deep financial trouble and could not even afford their own kit
Kit
-Animals:* kit, a young ferret* a short form of kitten, a young cat* Kit fox, a relatively common North American fox* Kit, a group of domestic pigeons trained to perform together in competitions-Companies and organisations:...
. Keizer flew to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to ask his old club Arsenal for any help, and Arsenal obligingly donated a set of kit and some footballs. Ajax thus played their first matches after the war in Arsenal's red and white shirts, rather than their own. Keizer continued to make repeated trips across the Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
, but in 1947 he was discovered to be smuggling British banknote
Banknote
A banknote is a kind of negotiable instrument, a promissory note made by a bank payable to the bearer on demand, used as money, and in many jurisdictions is legal tender. In addition to coins, banknotes make up the cash or bearer forms of all modern fiat money...
s amongst the sportswear; he was fined 30,000 guilder
Guilder
Guilder is the English translation of the Dutch gulden — from Old Dutch for 'golden'. The guilder originated as a gold coin but has been a common name for a silver or base metal coin for some centuries...
s and sentenced to six months' imprisonment
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
.
After his release from prison, Keizer went into business and went on to become one of Amsterdam's leading greengrocer
Greengrocer
A greengrocer or fruiterer is a retail trader in fruit and vegetables; that is, in green groceries. Greengrocer is primarily a British and Australian term, and greengrocers' shops were once common in suburbs, towns and villages...
s. In 1955 he returned to Ajax, this time as a member of the club's board. He died in 1980 aged 70.