#1 Jussi Jaaskelainen
Perhaps it’s the fact he never played for one of the ‘big’ clubs, perhaps it’s because he just got on with things and never caused a stir, but whatever the reason may be, Jussi Jaaskelainen has never really been given the credit he deserves.
From 1997 to 2012, the Finnish international would ply his trade for Bolton Wanderers, making well over 400 games for the Trotters, seeing them gain promotion to the English top flight and admirably guard their Premier League status for many years afterwards.
The now 38-year-old, playing out his career at Wigan Athletic, is a legend of the Premier League in every sense of the word and I’d like to see anybody argue otherwise.
Jaaskelainen demonstrated loyalty, footballing intelligence and commitment during his years at Bolton and it’s an awful lot harder to perform so well at a club likely to have its defence peppered every week than with a side where the back-line remains untouched.
Jaaskelainen began to fall out of favour with Owen Coyle in the 2011/12 season when the club got relegated from the top flight and Adam Bogdan would succeed him as first choice; perhaps the wrong decision in hindsight, as Jussi went on to rebuild his career with former boss Sam Allardyce at West Ham, where he helped the club secure a 10th place finish in their first season back in the Premier League, during which he recorded nine clean sheets.
The Premier League simply isn’t the same with Jaaskelainen’s ever-reliable presence.