Footballer saving family car for landlady (12)

I believe the answer is:

saloonkeeper

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'footballer saving family' is the definition.
I don't know anything about this answer so I cannot tell whether it can be defined by this definition.

'car for landlady' is the wordplay.
'car' becomes 'saloon' (I've seen this before).
'for landlady' becomes 'keeper' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'saloon'+'keeper'='SALOONKEEPER'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for saloonkeeper that I've seen is " Yankee publican".)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Times.

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