Spider-Man between the sticks
While discussing the topic of cult hero goalkeepers on last week’s show, Dan S introduced a name that, to be completely honest, none of us had heard of before.
St. Etienne goalkeeper Jérémie Janot.
Janot is a respected keeper in the French league and has been a mainstay between the sticks at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard for the last few years.
A one-club man, Janot is relatively short for a keeper, listed as being only five feet nine inches tall, but he’s become something of a cult hero to Les Verts, not least for his attire during one match in 2005.
The game in question, a home match against FC Istres, Janot decided to wear a full Spider-Man costume, complete with his name and squad number, as his goalkeeping kit for the match.
He posed for the pre-match team photo with the full attire, including the mask, which he later removed before the match kicked off.
Ahead of a match with Olympique Lyonnais – a club he reportedly despises – Janot considered wearing a full AC Milan kit to celebrate Lyon’s exit from the Champions League at the hands of the Rossineri.
Away from the game, Janot is a big fan of mixed martial arts and is a huge follower of MMA legend Wanderlei Silva, even going so far as having tattoos on his arms and the back of his head to match those of the Brazilian mixed martial arts fighter.
He’s an eccentric keeper, likes a bit of MMA and has a penchant for wearing interesting alternative kit. It’s just a shame he’s not playing in England…