Veteran St johnstone goalkeeper Stevie Banks is determined to be a safe pair of hands this weekend as he deputises for the injured Alan Mannus.
The Perth club were rocked this week with the news that their number one will be out for around six weeks following a shoulder injury, but boss Tommy Wright believes they have a more than able replacement in the shape of their 41-year-old goalkeeping coach.
Banks was signed as a player-coach and has been keeping himself in tip-top condition with that in mind.
And even though his last competitive game was for Dundee United against Ross County in a Scottish Cup tie more than two-and-a-half years ago, Saints’ number two is looking forward to stepping into the breach.
Banks told Courier Sport: “There are never any good circumstances because the only way a number two gets in is by injury, lack of form or being sent off.
“It’s unfortunate circumstances but hopefully Alan will be on the mend and will come back stronger and fitter and will be ready to take over again.
“My chance has probably come quicker than I thought but I feel as though I’m ready to go in.
“When I signed the manager wanted me to come in and train so he could have a look at me, and obviously he’s liked what he saw. I’ve got to go out there and do it on the pitch now.
“I’ve done the job I’m doing now for the last four years at Dundee United, and the previous two years at Hearts, so I’ve got into a routine of knowing what it takes to keep fit and keep sharp.
“That’s what I’ve continued here, signing as a player and a coach, and I feel as I’m 50/50 between a goalkeeper and a goalkeeping coach.
“I try to split my time equally to give the young lads coming through and Alan, who is obviously number one, as much time as I can, and then try to keep a bit of time to myself to keep myself fit.”
At 41, Banks will become one of the oldest first team players plying his trade north of the border against Ross County tomorrow, but the man of many clubs sees age as just a number these days.
“I always said I would like to play until I’m 40, which thankfully I’ve done that, and then it’s just gone on from there,” he continued.
“I can obviously understand when people focus on my age and it’s funny because I was watching a programme on TV this week about Clarke Carlisle, who I used to play with.
“I think he’s 33 and was retiring, and I thought to myself when I was 33, I felt I was just getting going.
“That’s when I came up to Scotland, when I was 32 or 33, and when I look back I’ve had two Scottish Cup wins and European football for the last five or six years since then, so I’m very, very lucky to be in the situation I’m in.
“There’s a huge generation gap between myself and some of the younger players here, and I’ve done more pre-seasons than some of the players have been alive. I’ve done something like 24 pre-seasons!”
Ross County were the opposition when Banks last played in a competitive game and he turned out to be the hero that night in January 2011, denying County’s Scott Morrison from the spot in Dundee United’s penalty shoot-out win in the Scottish Cup.
And although Banks is keen to shine again during his latest stint in goal, he admits there may be a few nerves to overcome pre-match.
“Of course I’ll get nervous ahead of the game this weekend,” he added.
“I set myself standards every day I set standards and I want to continue that.
“I don’t want to let the lads down and I want to perform. I think Alan has obviously set the bar quite high and he’s performed really well, so I want to go in and let that continue and when he comes back it carries on again.”
Boss Tommy Wright has every faith in Banks.
“He was signed as a number two and goalkeeping coach and if we didn’t think he was capable, that wouldn’t have happened so he’ll come in and play,” the Saints manager commented.
“He’s a model professional and it’s a credit to him that he’s as fit and agile and as sharp as what he is. I finished playing when I was 39, but I had a harder life than Steve!
“I think he’s been more fortunate with injuries in his career, and I would have loved to have kept going but my knee wouldn’t allow it.
“He’s going into a back four which is solid and a team that defensively have been fine.”