Gerrit Keizer
Gerrit Keizer was a Dutch football goalkeeper born in Amsterdam in 1910 and who died in 1980. He became a legend at Ajax and was the original “Flying Dutchman” for Arsenal, helping them win their first English league title.
Keizer joined Ajax as a teenager and made his first-team debut in 1929, initially backing up Ajax goalkeeper Jan de Boer. In 1930 he moved to England, starting with Margate before being spotted by Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman. He made his Arsenal debut on August 30, 1930, against Blackpool and played in Arsenal’s 1930 Charity Shield win over Sheffield Wednesday. He appeared in the first twelve league games of the 1930–31 season and was part of Arsenal’s title-winning team, the club’s first-ever league crown.
Keizer’s flashy, sometimes erratic playing style and competition from other goalkeepers meant he eventually lost his regular first-team place at Arsenal. He left in 1931 to join Charlton Athletic and later played for Queens Park Rangers. In 1933 he returned to Amsterdam to become Ajax’s number one keeper, going on to play more than 300 matches for the club. A pair of his goalkeeping boots is kept in Ajax’s museum as a reminder of his legacy.
Internationally, Keizer earned two caps for the Netherlands. His debut came in a World Cup qualifying win over Belgium that helped the Netherlands reach the 1934 World Cup, though he was not selected for the final squad.
After World War II Ajax faced financial problems, and Keizer helped by appealing to Arsenal for kit support. Arsenal donated some kits and balls so Ajax could play in their colors for a time. In 1947 Keizer was found to have smuggled British banknotes inside leather footballs; he was fined and served six months in prison.
After his playing days, Keizer worked as a greengrocer in Amsterdam. He returned to Ajax in 1955 as a board member. He passed away in 1980 at the age of 70.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 23:38 (CET).