RAY CLEMENCE reckons he would have won 200 England caps if it hadn't been for Peter Shilton and the feeling is mutual.

But Clemence won't be able to hide his admiration when his old friend and rival steps out at Leyton Orient at lunch time tomorrow to make his 1,000th League appearance.

Shilton won 125 England caps to Clemence's 61, but their international bosses Don Revie and Ron Greenwood could never really make up their minds who was the better of the two.

Greenwood's solution was simple he just alternated between his pair of super stoppers from one match to the next.

But it was Shilton who went on to grab the glory by seeing World Cup action in Spain `82, Mexico `86 and Italia `90 under Bobby Robson.

And the former Liverpool and Tottenham star Clemence, now England's goal keeping coach at the age of 48, finds it amazing that Shilton is still keeping them out when he's just a year younger.

"We roomed together for seven years with England and naturally became great friends," said Clemence, but the rivalry was there as well of course.

Gordon Banks, England's 1966 World Cup hero who won 73 caps before injury cut short his career, admits he is still staggered by the competitive longevity of Shilton who succeeded him in goal for both Leicester and England as well as later following the same path to Stoke.

Banks said. "I've got to congratulate the man for sheer achievement. We always knew he was going to be something special when he was coming through the ranks as a young lad at Leicester.

"But to go on for this long is phenomenal. I take my hat off to him."

Packie Bonner set a record as the most capped Republic of Ireland goalkeeper, earning his 80th on tour in America this summer before becoming his country's goalkeeping coach, a position he also holds in Glasgow with Celtic.

He recalls "I first came across Peter when I was a kid of 16 having a trial in goal with an Irish club called Finn Harps. Stoke came over to play a pre season friendly and Shilton was already a big star.

"It was a great thrill, and a bit daunting to look down at the other end of the pitch and see him going through his ritual of preparation. I never dreamed I would one day be his counterpart in international games including the World Cup.

"I'm 36 now and can hardly believe Peter is still performing at professional level, more than 10 years my age. It says volumes for his dedication to fitness but that was always his forte.

"The great thing about him is that compared to, say, Gordon Banks and Pat Jennings, he was not a naturally talented goalkeeper but he worked so hard to make himself great."

Trevor Brooking, the former West Ham player said. "As soon as he came into a group he exuded an aura of command. He was always a figure of supreme confidence even when he joined me for the first time in the England youth squad.

"He was a year younger than most of the team and most newcomers in a situation like that are a bit shy. Not Peter, though. In training he was soon barking his orders and organising defenders.

"He always demanded high standards of himself and teammates too. And I don't think he has ever changed."