Steve Banks
Personal information
Full name Steven Banks[1]
Date of birth (1972-02-09) 9 February 1972
Place of birth Hillingdon, London, England
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Blackpool (goalkeeping coach)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1993 West Ham United 0 (0)
1993–1995 Gillingham 67 (0)
1995–1999 Blackpool 153 (0)
1999–2003 Bolton Wanderers 21 (0)
2001–2002 → Rochdale (loan) 15 (0)
2002 → Bradford City (loan) 9 (0)
2002–2003 → Stoke City (loan) 10 (0)
2003 Stoke City 4 (0)
2003–2004 Wimbledon 24 (0)
2004–2005 Gillingham 39 (0)
2005–2009 Heart of Midlothian 36 (0)
2009–2013 Dundee United 1 (0)
2013–2015 St Johnstone 4 (0)
Total 380 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Steven Banks (born 9 February 1972) is an English football player and coach. Banks played as a goalkeeper for clubs in the English and Scottish leagues, including Gillingham, Blackpool, Wimbledon and Heart of Midlothian. He achieved the unusual feat of winning the Scottish Cup with three clubs, although he was an unused substitute in all three finals. Towards the end of his playing career, Banks started working as a goalkeeping coach. He is currently in that role at his former club Blackpool.

Club career

Born in Hillingdon, London, Banks began his career as a trainee with West Ham United. He made just one first-team appearance, in the Anglo-Italian Cup, for West Ham, before joining Gillingham on a free transfer in March 1993.

Banks was a regular for the remainder of the season, and in 1994–95 was named as the Kent Side's Player of the Season.[2] His form led to a £60,000 move to Blackpool in August 1995. He spent four years with the Seasiders, making over 150 league appearances for the club. He was the club's Player of the Year in his second season (1996–97).[3] Banks' son was born in Blackpool during his time at the club.[4]

In March 1999, Banks moved to Bolton Wanderers for a fee of £50,000. Although a regular at the start of his time with Bolton, he soon lost his place and had loan spells with Rochdale (December 2001 to May 2002)[5] and Bradford City (August to November 2002)[6] before joining Stoke City on loan in December 2002 for whom he played ten times.

Banks joined Stoke on a free transfer in February 2003.[7] He made four appearances and was released at the end of the season.

Banks joined Wimbledon in August 2003 and was a regular in their Championship side until returning to Gillingham on a free transfer in March 2004.[8] During his second run with Gillingham, he appeared in the film Green Street.[9]

In August 2005, Banks joined Heart of Midlothian on a free transfer as back-up for regular goalkeeper Craig Gordon.[10] He made his Hearts debut as a substitute in the 2–2 draw against Falkirk on 2 October 2005, after Gordon had been sent off. Two weeks later, Banks played in a 1–1 draw with Celtic at Celtic Park in which he made a number of saves to maintain the Jambos' unbeaten start to the season.[11] He made another rare start against Dundee United on 23 December 2006 and kept a clean sheet as Hearts won by a single goal at Tannadice. Banks repeated the feat on 10 February 2007, in a 1–0 win against Caley Thistle at Tynecastle.[12] Earlier in the day, Banks, who had recently become first-choice ahead of unsettled Gordon,[13][14] signed a contract with Hearts due to run until the end of the 2007–08 season.[15] Gordon returned to the starting line-up on 17 February in Hearts' 1–1 draw with St Mirren.[16] Banks was forced to take control of the Jambos during a 1–0 defeat to Kilmarnock on 27 October 2007, when Stephen Frail was sent from the touchline.

On 16 August 2008, Banks was omitted from the Hearts squad to face Rangers at Ibrox, with Jamie MacDonald selected to start and recent signing Marian Kello on the bench. Hearts lost the game 2–0 and afterwards owner Vladimir Romanov told the Hearts players that Banks "could no longer be trusted", comparing him to former captain Steven Pressley and fellow defender Andy Webster, who both left Tynecastle under controversial circumstances.[17][18] A statement on the club's official website stated that Banks was no longer available to play for the first team and he was no longer first-team goalkeeping coach, but he would take a similar coaching role with the youth team.[19]

Hearts announced on 1 June 2009 that Banks had severed all ties with the club, and he signed for Dundee United the next day.

On 8 July 2013 Banks signed for St Johnstone on a one-year deal.[20] Manager and fellow goalkeeper Tommy Wright played with Banks at Bolton in 2001.[21]

Banks was an unused substitute as St Johnstone won the 2014 Scottish Cup.[22] In May 2014 he signed a one-year extension.[23] Banks became only the second player to have won the Scottish Cup with three different sides, equaling the achievement of Steven Pressley.[24] His achievement was unique in that on all three occasions he was an unused substitute.[25][26] Banks left St Johnstone in August 2015 and retired from playing, aged 43,[27] to become goalkeeping coach at his former club Blackpool.[22]

On 4 July 2016 Banks was appointed as goalkeeping coach at Bradford City.[28] He left the role in November 2018.[29] In March 2019, Banks was working for Tranmere Rovers and the Scotland Women national team.[26]

Banks returned to Blackpool as goalkeeping coach in July 2019 under new manager Simon Grayson.[30] He was retained by Grayson's successor in 2020, Neil Critchley,[31] and Michael Appleton, who replaced Critchley in 2022.

Career statistics

Source:[32]

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
West Ham United 1992–93 First Division 0000001010
Gillingham 1993–94 Third Division 290300010330
1994–95 Third Division 380400010430
Total 670700020760
Blackpool 1995–96 Second Division 240301040320
1996–97 Second Division 460204030550
1997–98 Second Division 450204030540
1998–99 Second Division 350104010410
Total 1500801301101820
Bolton Wanderers 1998–99 First Division 90000030120
1999–2000 First Division 2020400080
2000–01 First Division 90302000140
2001–02 Premier League 1000100020
Total 210506030360
Rochdale (loan) 2001–02 Third Division 150000000150
Bradford City (loan) 2002–03 First Division 9000000090
Stoke City (loan) 2002–03 First Division 140200000160
Wimbledon 2003–04 First Division 240301000280
Gillingham 2003–04 First Division 130000000130
2004–05 Championship 260100000270
Total 390100000400
Heart of Midlothian 2005–06 Scottish Premier League 3000000030
2006–07 Scottish Premier League 4010100060
2007–08 Scottish Premier League 280103000320
2008–09 Scottish Premier League 1000000010
Total 360204000420
Dundee United 2009–10 Scottish Premier League 1000300040
2010–11 Scottish Premier League 0010000010
2011–12 Scottish Premier League 0000000000
2012–13 Scottish Premier League 0000000000
Total 1010300050
St Johnstone 2013–14 Scottish Premiership 4010100060
Career Total 38003002801604700

Honours

Heart of Midlothian
Dundee United
St Johnstone

Individual

  • Blackpool Player of the Season: 1996–97[3]
  • Gillingham Player of the Season: 1994–95[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Steve Banks". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  2. 1 2 "1994–95 Player Of The Year". gillinghamfcscrapbook.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Sucker punch". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  4. ↑ "Brett Davison, 05/09/2019" – BBC Radio Lancashire, 5 September 2019
  5. ↑ "Rochdale keep Banks". BBC Sport. 18 February 2002.
  6. ↑ "Banks joins Bradford". BBC Sport. 30 August 2002.
  7. ↑ "Stoke complete double signing". BBC Sport. 17 February 2003.
  8. ↑ "Gills sign Dons keeper". BBC Sport. 11 March 2004.
  9. ↑ "MARC ILES' TOUR DIARY: Coyle and Wanderers on film". The Bolton News. 24 July 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  10. ↑ "Hearts add Gills' keeper to squad". BBC Sport. 9 August 2005.
  11. ↑ "Celtic 1–1 Hearts". BBC Sport. 15 October 2005.
  12. ↑ "Hearts 1–0 Inverness CT". BBC Sport. 10 February 2007.
  13. ↑ Gordon, Phil (28 January 2007). "Rangers 0 Hearts 0: Banks lives up to Gordon's fine tradition". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  14. ↑ "Poor Hearts in debt to Banks". The Scotsman. 11 February 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  15. ↑ "Banks seals new deal with Hearts". BBC Sport. 10 February 2007.
  16. ↑ "Hearts 1–1 St Mirren". BBC Sport. 17 February 2007.
  17. ↑ "Banks just like Elvis and Webster, says Hearts chief Vlad". Edinburgh Evening News. 18 August 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
  18. ↑ "Steve can't bank on a star turn". The Scotsman. 27 May 2014.
  19. ↑ "Banks set for coach only role". Heart of Midlothian F.C. 16 August 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
  20. ↑ "St Johnstone sign keeper Steve Banks & defender Brian Easton". BBC Sport. 8 July 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  21. ↑ "interviews with Brian Easton and Steve Banks 9/7/13" – St Johnstone, YouTube, 10 July 2013
  22. 1 2 3 "Blackpool: St Johnstone coach Steve Banks joins Seasiders". BBC Sport. 16 August 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  23. ↑ "Stevie Banks agrees a new deal with St Johnstone". The Courier. DC Thomson. 22 May 2014.
  24. ↑ Robertson, Forrest H. C. (2014). How The Cup Was Won. The Scottish Cup Finals Story. Kirkcaldy: PM Publications. p. 135. ISBN 978-0-9534682-7-0.
  25. ↑ Robertson, Forrest H. C. (2014). How The Cup Was Won. The Scottish Cup Finals Story. Kirkcaldy: PM Publications. pp. 136–137. ISBN 978-0-9534682-7-0.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 Lamont, Alasdair (5 March 2019). "Scotland Women: Goalkeeper coach Steve Banks on life inside the camp". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  27. ↑ "Steve Banks – Joins The Seasiders" – Blackpool F.C.'s official YouTube channel, 17 August 2015
  28. ↑ "Banks appointed Bantams keeper coach". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  29. ↑ "UPDATED: Abbott leaves Bradford City".
  30. ↑ "Dundee 1-0 Blackpool: Simon Grayson's Seasiders begin pre-season with defeat at Dens Park" – Blackpool Gazette, 9 July 2019
  31. ↑ "Blackpool sign Manchester City goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw on two-year deal" – The Independent, 8 June 2021
  32. ↑ Steve Banks at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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