Steven Banks (born 9 February 1972) is an English football player and coach who is currently the goalkeeping coach of Blackpool. 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.

Club career Born in Hillingdon, Greater 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. 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). Banks' son was born in Blackpool during his time at the club."Brett Davison, 05/09/2019" – BBC Radio Lancashire, 5 September 2019

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) and Bradford City (August to November 2002) 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. 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. During his second run with Gillingham, he appeared in the film Green Street.

In August 2005, Banks joined Heart of Midlothian on a free transfer as back-up for regular goalkeeper Craig Gordon. 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. 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. Earlier in the day, Banks, who had recently become first-choice ahead of unsettled Gordon, signed a contract with Hearts due to run until the end of the 2007–08 season. Gordon returned to the starting line-up on 17 February in Hearts' 1–1 draw with St Mirren. 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. 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.

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. Manager and fellow goalkeeper Tommy Wright played with Banks at Bolton in 2001."interviews with Brian Easton and Steve Banks 9/7/13" – St Johnstone, YouTube, 10 July 2013

Banks was an unused substitute as St Johnstone won the 2014 Scottish Cup. In May 2014 he signed a one-year extension. Banks became only the second player to have won the Scottish Cup with three different sides, equaling the achievement of Steven Pressley. His achievement was unique in that on all three occasions he was an unused substitute. Banks left St Johnstone in August 2015 and retired from playing, aged 43,"Steve Banks – Joins The Seasiders" – Blackpool F.C.'s official YouTube channel, 17 August 2015 to become goalkeeping coach at his former club Blackpool.

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

Banks returned to Blackpool as goalkeeping coach in July 2019 under new manager Simon Grayson."Dundee 1-0 Blackpool: Simon Grayson's Seasiders begin pre-season with defeat at Dens Park" – Blackpool Gazette, 9 July 2019 He was retained by Grayson's successor in 2020, Neil Critchley,"Blackpool sign Manchester City goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw on two-year deal" – The Independent, 8 June 2021 and Michael Appleton, who replaced Critchley in 2022.

Career statistics Source:

ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsWest Ham United1992–93First Division0000001010Gillingham1993–94Third Division2903000103301994–95Third Division380400010430Total670700020760Blackpool1995–96Second Division2403010403201996–97Second Division4602040305501997–98Second Division4502040305401998–99Second Division350104010410Total1500801301101820Bolton Wanderers1998–99First Division900000301201999–2000First Division20204000802000–01First Division903020001402001–02Premier League1000100020Total210506030360Rochdale (loan)2001–02Third Division150000000150Bradford City (loan)2002–03First Division9000000090Stoke City (loan)2002–03First Division140200000160Wimbledon2003–04First Division240301000280Gillingham2003–04First Division1300000001302004–05Championship260100000270Total390100000400Heart of Midlothian2005–06Scottish Premier League30000000302006–07Scottish Premier League40101000602007–08Scottish Premier League2801030003202008–09Scottish Premier League1000000010Total360204000420Dundee United2009–10Scottish Premier League10003000402010–11Scottish Premier League00100000102011–12Scottish Premier League00000000002012–13Scottish Premier League0000000000Total1010300050St Johnstone2013–14Scottish Premiership4010100060Career Total38003002801604700

Honours Bolton Wanderers Football League First Division play-offs: 2001

Heart of Midlothian Scottish Cup: 2005–06

Dundee United Scottish Cup: 2009–10

St Johnstone Scottish Cup: 2013–14

Individual Blackpool Player of the Season: 1996–97 Gillingham Player of the Season: 1994–95

References

External links

Profile at londonhearts.com