Steve Banks

Football player infobox
playername = Steve Banks


fullname = Steven Banks
nickname = Banksy
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1972|2|9
cityofbirth = Hillingdon, London
countryofbirth = England
height = height|ft=5|in=11
currentclub = Heart of Midlothian
clubnumber = 13
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1990–1993
1993–1995
1995–1999
1999–2003
2001–2002
2002
2002–2003
2003
2003–2004
2004–2005
2005–
clubs = West Ham United
Gillingham
Blackpool
Bolton Wanderers
→ Rochdale (loan)
→ Bradford City (loan)
→ Stoke City (loan)
Stoke City
Wimbledon
Gillingham
Heart of Midlothian
caps(goals) = 000 (0)
067 (0)
153 (0)
020 (0)
015 (0)
009 (0)
010 (0)
004 (0)
024 (0)
039 (0)
035 (0)
pcupdate = 04:29, 16 May 2008 (UTC)

Steven Banks (born February 9 1972) is an English footballer playing as goalkeeper for Scottish Premier League club Hearts.

Club career

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) [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rochdale/1827337.stm Rochdale keep Banks] ] and Bradford City (August to November 2002) [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bradford_city/2225350.stm Banks joins Bradford] ] 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. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/2772369.stm Stoke complete double signing] ] 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. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/3502564.stm Gills sign Dons keeper] ]

Heart of Midlothian

In August 2005, Banks joined Heart of Midlothian on a free transfer as back-up for regular goalkeeper Craig Gordon. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/4132196.stm Hearts add Gills' keeper to squad] ] He made his Hearts debut as a substitute in the 2–2 draw against Falkirk on October 2 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. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/4338788.stm Celtic 1-1 Hearts] ] He made another rare start against Dundee United on December 23 2006 and kept a clean sheet as Hearts won by a single goal at Tannadice. Banks repeated the feat on February 10 2007, in a 1–0 win against Caley Thistle at Tynecastle. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_prem/6344707.stm Hearts 1-0 Inverness CT] ] 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. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/h/heart_of_midlothian/6350865.stm Banks seals new deal with Hearts] ] Gordon returned to the starting line-up on February 17 in Hearts' 1–1 draw with St. Mirren. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_prem/6362053.stm Hearts 1-1 St. Mirren - BBC Sport] ]

Banks is now goalkeeping coach at Tynecastle.Fact|date=November 2007 He was forced to take control of the Jambos during a 1–0 defeat to Kilmarknock on October 27 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 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. [ [http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/football/Banks-just-like-Elvis-and.4400474.jp Banks just like Elvis and Webster, says Hearts chief Vlad] "Edinburgh Evening News", 18 August 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008] 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. [ [http://www.heartsfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/HeartsNewsDetail/0,,10289~1367844,00.html Banks set for coach only role] "Heartsfc.co.uk", 16 August 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008]

References

External links

*soccerbase|381|Steve Banks
* [http://sport.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=24&id=1931352005 Steve can't bank on a star turn] - "The Scotsman" article
* [http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/scotland/article2192931.ece Banks lives up to Gordon's fine tradition] - "The Independent" article
* [http://sport.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=24&id=223452007 Poor Hearts in debt to Banks] - "The Scotsman" article
* [http://www.londonhearts.com/scores/players/bankssteve.html Profile] at [http://www.londonhearts.com londonhearts.com]

Persondata
NAME=Banks, Steve
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=English footballer
DATE OF BIRTH=February 9, 1972
PLACE OF BIRTH=Hillingdon, England
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=