Gerrit Keizer

Gerard Pieter (Gerrit) 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 playing with AFC Ajax, he was also the original "Flying Dutchman" at Arsenal and contributed to their first league title 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 made the move to England.

Keizer then first played as an amateur for Kent side Margate. At the time Margate acted as a "nursery" club of sorts 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. Arsenal won the match 2–1.

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 as an amateur.

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