Exclusive Interview with Stuart Garden

Last updated : 21 July 2003 By Notts County Mad

What attracted you to come to Notts?

Well the main attraction was coming back to full time football and coming to a bigger club. But the full time football was probably the main reason.


What good attributes do you think you have to being a goalkeeper?

I think Consistency. As long as you're consistent, you don't have to play at a high level all the time as long as you're consistent.


When Jocky left it must have been harder for you than any player because of family ties.

It affected me more, obviously because he is my father in law. That's part of the game though you just have to get on with it and do your best for the club.


Did you know that you were coming to Notts as No.2 to start off with?

Yes I did, I was told at the start of the season. I was told that I'd get a fair chance and if I impressed I'd get a chance and that's what's happened and I hope it continues.


Why do you think it didn't work out for Gary Brazil as Boss?

I don't really know the reason. At the time the team weren't playing particularly well and confidence was low. We didn't get the results we wanted. I can't actually put my finger on what it actually was.


What are the main differences between playing in Scotland than in England?

Obviously playing full time again that's the main difference for me. I think teams down here tend to be alot bigger; the lads seem to be stronger. But you don't seem to get hit as much down here as you do up the road but when you do they're definately stronger.


What do you put the poor league position down to?

Basically, we didn't start off to well and confidence was low. When new players come in it takes sometime to get the players to gel, but confidence was the main thing. Now we have confidence we have started to get a good string of results together and I hope it continues.


What do you think your best save of the season is?

I think, probably against Stoke at home when I saved a header from a corner and I tipped it from underneath the bar.


Who is the practical Joker at the club?

Darren Caskey, you can never seem to shut him up.


So which teams do you think will go down from this division then?

Too be honest I don't really care aslong as we stop up. Cambridge and Wrexham are obviously down and it looks as if Bury will go down too so I'm not really bothered aslong as we aren't one of them.


The season on a whole has been a huge disappointment really, where do you think it all went wrong?

Like is said, I can't really put my finger on it. Obviously we've chopped and changed managers and that's a little bit unsettling for everybody. It takes time for players to gel together, but lack of confidence I think. We had a bad run of games and confidence was low. The crowd got on our back a bit and obviously you're a bit apprehensive about that. But I can't really put my finger right on the problem.


What job would you probably now be doing if you didn't make the grade as a professional footballer?

I don't really know. I worked for a while at the NCR, National Cash register so I'd still probably be doing that. I've never had any trade behind me so I don't really know.


What, as a goalkeeper, drives you on and gives you inspiration during a game?

I think obviously for a goalkeeper is keeping a clean sheet, because if you're keeping a clean sheet then you aren't going to lose games. That is the biggest thing that drives you on, and obviously winning games, you just want to win every game you play.


If the Notts County squad were in the Big Brother house who would you vote out first and why?

Definitely one of the Irishman, because as you know you can never seem to shut the Irish up, especially Saul Deeney, you can never get a word in. Saul Deeney would be the first to go because you just can't shut him up.


How did it feel when Billy told you that you were going to be in goal and that Steve was to be dropped, how did it feel?

It was against Northampton. It felt good that I was going to get a game, I hoped I performed well and hoped that I would keep my place in the side.


With ITV sport collapsing do you think that lower division football is under threat and do you feel the pressure of needing to belong to a profitable club?

Obviously every club wants to be profitable. It's a business now, so you have to be. I don't think it will affect as many clubs as people think because clubs always seem to survive. They always seem to survive somewhere along the line and hopefully they'll all survive and then take it from their.


Fans are already tipping you as a possible Player of the season, why do you think you have impressed so many people?

It's helped that I've started winning games. Obviously I've kept a few clean sheets in a row and pulled off some good saves at times in the game that I've had to pull off. There are players before me for Player of the season, definitely.


My Favourite Goalkeeper
Who is your favourite goalkeeper in the world at present?

I've always liked Peter Schmeichel. He's been the main one that people have liked over the last ten years. But at present, probably Fabien Bartez. He's got the similar sort of stature to me. He's another who pulls off good saves at important times in the game.


Where do you now think Notts will finish up this season?

Anywhere above the bottom four will do us aslong as we stay clear gainst relegation. Then we'll take it up next season.


Do you have a message for the fans?

Yes I do. I think the fans have been great the past seven or eight weeks. Hopefully on Saturday they'll all turn up. It does make a difference. The Bristol City game the other week made a big difference, when we won 2-0. The fans were great that day, there was an atmosphere already before we came out around the ground. And keep coming in numbers, that's all we are looking for.