Goodman on Loan Life at AFC Wimbledon

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6 hours ago

Going on loan is a golden opportunity for any youth player at the start of their career. It’s an introduction to first-team football, giving them the chance to develop themselves and their game at a rapid rate.

Goalkeeper Owen Goodman made the move across south London to AFC Wimbledon on loan back in July, ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

He was given the No. 1 shirt for the Dons and has since gone to established himself as their first-choice goalkeeper - playing in every senior game that he has been eligible for.

The 21-year-old shot stopper features as the second instalment of the brand new Palace TV series called Loan Life, where we had a chance to catch up with him and gain unprecedented behind-the-scenes insight into his time in SW17.

We also hear the thoughts of his manager Johnnie Jackson, goalkeeping coach Ashley Bayes and Crystal Palace Director of U21 Development Mark Bright midway through his loan spell.

“Owen had a great loan last season at Colchester United, it was a struggle for him, it was his first introduction as a teenager to league football. He coped really well, he’s learnt a lot and I think it’s showing right now in his loan at AFC Wimbledon,” Bright explained.

“Being a goalkeeper is a specialist position. He feels like he’s improving, he’s with a better team who are challenging at the top of the league, as opposed to the bottom, and knowing that they’re challenging to get promotion is the icing on the cake.”

Goodman spent 2023/24 on loan at Colchester, where he made 40 appearances in all competitions and kept four clean sheets. His efforts between the sticks helped the Us to survive on the final day of the season by three points.

“He's been brilliant since coming in the door, he's learning every day.” said AFC Wimbledon goalkeeping coach Ashley Bayes.

“He's getting better every day with the more minutes he's playing. Obviously, he's into his second loan and I'm really enjoying developing him, not only as a goalkeeper, but also as a person, as a man.

“Owen came in two weeks into our pre-season, so it took him a few weeks to get used to everything. As we’ve gone along, I feel like we've brought out his personality in him and he's now found himself in the group with the players, which is really pleasing from a coaching point of view.”

Since his arrival in the summer of 2024, Goodman has gone on to feature in every single game he has been eligible for, barring EFL Trophy fixtures, keeping over 15 clean sheets across all competitions.

His performances have kept AFC Wimbledon in and around the play-off and automatic promotion places this season, with the club aiming to return to League One.

Commenting on both of his loan moves, Goodman said: “Colchester was my first taste of men's football, so there was a lot of learning for me last season.

“The environment I went into, the way the season went as a team, I learnt how different the men's game is to the Under-21s game - whether it's off the pitch or on the pitch.

“I've been able to take the experience into this season and use it in a positive way. One thing I've learned is that the environment's a big thing. You need to be in a good environment, with good people, not just good footballers, it makes your world a lot easier.

“There’s a lot of communication at the clubs, it’s not like I’m in the dark out on loan. I know that I'm cared about, I'm worried about, coaches and staff want to know how I'm doing and how I'm feeling.

“I think the season itself so far has been a really positive one, we've played some massive games, we've played Ipswich Town and Newcastle United in the EFL Cup, and obviously we've done the franchise [MK Dons] twice this season so far, which is massive.”

Goodman has enjoyed some standout moments in AFC Wimbledon colours, including saving two penalties in that game against Ipswich Town and playing in front of a packed St. James’ Park. He recently kept eight league clean sheets in a 12-game unbeaten run for the Dons.

“We’ve done the franchise twice, home and away, full house, hostile atmospheres. He's thrived off it, gone to Newcastle, gone to Bradford.” Bayes elaborated.

“You know, he seems to thrive off the bigger games, but he's getting exposed to every scenario of being a goalkeeper, so it's great. Everyone forgets he’s a baby, he’s only 21, he’s playing week in week out and learning every day.

“The biggest compliment I can pay to him is he's come from Crystal Palace, where he obviously is a Crystal Palace goalkeeper, but he looks like a Wimbledon goalkeeper now - which is credit to him, as he's bought into everything.”

Watch the full episode of Loan Life above, and if you already have - click HERE for episode three with fellow goalkeeper Joe Whitworth!

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