DUTV
STORY OF THE MATCH | RANGERS (A)
25th November 2024
Dundee United today confirmed the signing of Steve Banks on a three-year contract as a player/coach, with effect from 1 June. The experienced goalkeeper has been signed as back up keeper for the first team and will also act as goalkeeping coach.
The 37-year-old keeper began his career at West Ham United in March 1990, before moving to Gillingham, Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers, where he was in the squad that won promotion to the Premier League in 2001. Steve then went on to play for a number of English clubs before joining Hearts in August 2005, originally as back up for Craig Gordon. He took over as first choice when Gordon left for Sunderland and made 40 first team appearances. He has also acted as first team and youth team goalkeeping coach at Tynecastle.
Manager Craig Levein said, "With Lukasz Zaluska, Michael McGovern and now Scott Thomson all leaving, I wanted to find an experienced goalkeeper who could still play at the highest level and had the necessary qualifications to act as goalkeeping coach. I had to act quickly to secure the services of Stevie Banks who meets these criteria in every respect.
"Stevie will act as back up keeper for our new first team keeper, but has such experience and ability that I'd have no hesitation in starting him in the first team, should the replacement for Lukasz take a little longer than anticipated to find."
The 37-year-old keeper began his career at West Ham United in March 1990, before moving to Gillingham, Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers, where he was in the squad that won promotion to the Premier League in 2001. Steve then went on to play for a number of English clubs before joining Hearts in August 2005, originally as back up for Craig Gordon. He took over as first choice when Gordon left for Sunderland and made 40 first team appearances. He has also acted as first team and youth team goalkeeping coach at Tynecastle.
Manager Craig Levein said, "With Lukasz Zaluska, Michael McGovern and now Scott Thomson all leaving, I wanted to find an experienced goalkeeper who could still play at the highest level and had the necessary qualifications to act as goalkeeping coach. I had to act quickly to secure the services of Stevie Banks who meets these criteria in every respect.
"Stevie will act as back up keeper for our new first team keeper, but has such experience and ability that I'd have no hesitation in starting him in the first team, should the replacement for Lukasz take a little longer than anticipated to find."
