Played for both: Former Sunderland and Watford goalkeeper Alec Chamberlain

As Sunderland have found out to their cost far too many times before, a good solid goalkeeper can be hard to find and absolutely invaluable. That is exactly what Alec Chamberlain was.

Chamberlain was signed on a free transfer in 1993 after playing more than 100 games for Luton Town. It was at Colchester United where he initially made his name, though. Some fine form there as a young player earned Chamberlain a big move to Everton, although there he was tasked with the impossible: displace Neville Southall.

He found a home at Luton, though, and he was able to establish himself as a number one at a first division club, which (for younger readers) was the equivalent of the Premier League.

When Sunderland were able to nab him on a free in 1993, then, they got something of a real bargain. He was brought in to replace fan favourite Tony Norman, who was suffering from a crisis of confidence. Norman was a brilliant shot-stopper, but prone to handling errors. Chamberlain was seen as a safer pair of hands – less spectacular, but more solid.

Chamberlain was one of five new summer signings by new boss Terry Butcher that summer, and the only one not involved in a pre-season car crash. The other four, Derek Ferguson, Phil Gray, Andy Melville and Ian Rodgerson were all in the same car when Ferguson attempted to drive around a roundabout the wrong way.

Sunderland started that season with 5-0 away defeat to eventual champions Derby County, for whom Marco Gabbiadini scored. It wasn’t a great debut for Chamberlain, but he kept his place and went on to make 90 appearances for Sunderland. It is legitimately difficult to remember a single mistake in any of them.

Chamberlain ended up staying at Sunderland for three years, and his final year was unquestionably his best. He was first choice for most of the Championship winning season under Peter Reid, although he was eventually displaced by Shay Given.

When Given’s loan deal expired (players could only spend a maximum of three months on loan then), Chamberlain stepped back in and helped secure the title. Before that, however, he popped over to Liverpool on an emergency loan to cover for David James. He was an unused substitute for the League Cup final, which they won, so he somehow managed to get a two winner’s medals out of that season.

That summer, Reid decided to strengthen in goal and signed Tony Coton. That meant the out-of-contract Chamberlain was free to leave, and he found a home at Watford, where he had the best spell of his career. In fact, he ended up spending 11 years at Vicarage Road and played in two promotion winning teams. He even made a Premier League appearance for them when just a month short of his 43rd birthday.

Alec Chamberlain’s professional career eventually spanned more than a quarter of a century, and it was Sunderland and Watford who unquestionably shared the best of him.