|
Yeah disappointed not to have made more appearances so far, but thats the managers decision. He brought Stu in during Feburary and he did well and helped us stay up, and the manager has stuck with him and its my job to push him and force my way back in, thats football and I have to get on with it.
Your form in the reserves has been good, are you pleased with your form in general?
Yeah I've done ok in the reserves, I let in 1 goal in about 5 games recently which was good but there is a big difference between playing in the reserves than with the first team. Am abit disappointed as well that I couldn't continue the form when I came in for the Wigan game.
Was it a massive disappointment to be left out last season and not force your way back in?
Massivly disappointed, I was left out after the game away at Wycombe where I had a total stinker of a game and I was at fault for 2 goals which cost us the game and I was left out after. At the time the whole team was playing badly, and we missed so many chances that game but with the mistakes I made, I felt responsible for the defeat.
Was it even worse for you later on when the team was doing so well?
Stu game in when we were doing badly and we did so for a while when he came in, so we were both in the same situation being stuck in a relegation battle.
I'd experienced it before with Swindon so I know what its all about, but Stu did well and kept his place. It was frustrating watching as a sub as the results got better and better and everyone was on a high, but I had to just get on with it really.
|
Indifferent really, we have had some good games and alos some bad ones. We need to find that bit on consistancy and we could get a little run going and go up the table. We are doing ok at the moment thought, we keep moving up the table and that is physologicly better for us and we have pulled away from the bottom 4 in recent weeks. There is a heck of a long was to go this season, we are not even half way yet.
And it was good to get a run out against Wigan in the LDV?
Yeah it was, it felt abit wierd really as I hadn't been in the first team since January, and it was a shame to lose. The first team games are alot sharper than the reserves and it was great to be back, but we had an awful first half and they scored some good goals from their point of view. We put the effort in during the 2nd half and we came back well, but we fell just a little bit short.
With Stuart Garden as your rival, what is your relationship like with him?
People won't believe it, but we get on really well. We live about 2 minutes from each other, and we come in together for training and we go out for meals together with his wife and my girlfriend. People find it hard to understand how we get on so well as we are fighting for the same position, but it's not like that you want each other to do well, and you don't want the other to have a bad game. We push eachother and we know we are fighting for the same spot, I get on with Stu the best out of all the other keepers I have worked with.
|
He's a young lad, no lack of confidence and he has great handling and kicking. Not many people will have heard of him as he hasn't been playing for the first team or reserve team, but he is on loan at Hull at the moment and that will be good experience for him. He has been picked for International games for the Irish U19's, he is a good keeper.
What is your greatest moment at Notts so far?
Scoring the goal at Mansfield Town, probably the best moment of my career really. As a goalkeeper you never really expect to score, and when the ball did go in the net I really didn't know what to do. I didn't realise it was me who scored until Mark Warren rans towards me, and then I saw Stall turning round running back, then it hit me I had scored. I was on the news and Radio 5 Live talking about it, but its something I don't really think about.
And your worst?
Without a doubt the Wycombe away game, when I had a mare. It was the worst I have ever played, and the manner in which I gave some of the goals away was just awful.
Which keeper do you admire most and why?
As a kid I always liked Bruce Grobbelaar, I know he was highlighted for all the bung things and all that, but as a keeper he was superb. He was the best keeper of his time, I studied his videos alot when I was younger.
|
Not alot of people know this but during the summer I had a bad acident with my finger which could have resulted me in not playing again, so I'm just glad to be part of the squad. I nearly cut my little finger off, and they had to sew my tendon back on and I am very lucky to be still playing. It was a risk as it could have messed up my hand and meant I might not have been able to catch a ball. I had to work hard to get back for pre-season, and now I have to work hard in the reserves and hopefully I'll get my chance soon.
Finally, do you have a message for the fans?
Stay behind the team, and keep supporting them and really getting behind them. Getting on the players backs does not help when things are going bad, thats why we need the fans to really sing up and cheer us on. I don't think the fans sometimes realise how big a impact they can have, fans can get you goals sometimes just by sticking with you. The last thing the lads need when things are going bad it fans on their backs, so stay with them and we will win games.