Derek Forster: Record-breaking Sunderland goalkeeper who was the youngest to ever play for his club, dies at 75

Former Sunderland goalkeeper Derek Forster has passed away at the age of 75. Derek is best remembered among the club's supporters as its youngest ever player. On August 22, 1964 he played at Roker Park in the season's opening fixture against Leicester City aged just 15 years and 185 days. The record still stands. The game ended 3-3 and was watched by 45,465. Derek had conceded three goals, but at the other end of the pitch England legend Gordon Banks had done the same thing. He would make a total of 19 first team appearances for SAFC.

He played because of an injury to Jimmy Montgomery and he was to remain Monty's understudy before moving to Charlton Athletic in July 1973. He also had a spell at Brighton and Hove Albion, whose manager Brian Clough had been a colleague at Sunderland. Derek, born in Newcastle in 1949, was unusually short for a goalie at 5ft 9in. But it didn't hold him back and he was also an England schoolboys international. After football he spent 30 years working for the City of Sunderland's Leisure department. He retired after losing his left eye to cancer in 2007.

Derek's passing comes soon after that of the great Charlie Hurley, who also played in that 1964 game against Leicester. Until September 2022, Derek also held the record as the top flight’s youngest ever player. The record was taken by Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri of Arsenal, who was four days younger. But Derek’s 60 year-old club record could be around for many years yet. SAFC said the club was ‘deeply saddened’ by the news of Derek’s passing.