Steven "Steve" Banks (born 9 February 1972) is an English footballer playing as goalkeeper and is also goalkeeping coach for Scottish Premier League club Dundee United.

[edit] Club career

[edit] Early 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 his form the following season led to a £60,000 move to Blackpool in August 1995. He spent four years with the Seasiders, making more than 150 league appearances for the club. 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)^[1] and Bradford City (August to November 2002)^[2] before joining Stoke City on loan in December 2002 which he played ten times in his loan spell

Banks joined Stoke on a free transfer in February 2003.^[3] However, he played just four times after his free transfer and was released at the end of the season.

Banks joined Wimbledon in August 2003 and was a regular in their struggling Championship side until returning to Gillingham on a free transfer in March 2004.^[4]

[edit] Heart of Midlothian

In August 2005, Banks joined Heart of Midlothian on a free transfer as back-up for regular goalkeeper Craig Gordon.^[5] He made his Hearts debut as a substitute in the 2–2 draw against Falkirk on 2 October 2005, after Craig Gordon's sending 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.^[6] 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.^[7] Earlier in the day, Banks, who had recently become first-choice ahead of unsettled Gordon, signed a contract that will keep him at Hearts until the end of the 2007–08 season.^[8] Gordon returned to the starting line-up on 17 February in Hearts' 1–1 draw with St. Mirren.^[9] Banks was forced to take control of the Jambos during a 1-0 defeat to Kilmarknock 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.^[10] 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.^[11].

[edit] Dundee United

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

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Steve Banks career stats at Soccerbase
• Steve can't bank on a star turn - The Scotsman article
• Banks lives up to Gordon's fine tradition - The Independent article
• Poor Hearts in debt to Banks - The Scotsman article
• Profile at londonhearts.com