Ben Herd / Ben Herd / 30 September 2009 / Leave a comment

Ben's back - on the pitch, on the page and bantering with Torquay's giant shot-stopper...

"I was told it was unlikely that I would play again - in an age when Premier League players moan about seemingly trivial things, I am just happy to still have a career."

It's been a long few weeks, but I was delighted to get my first start of the season after injury, even if I am lacking a bit of match sharpness. We played against a Torquay side that had lost the last six on the bounce, but it was far from an easy evening. This week's interview for betting.betfair is with "The Gulls" 6'7" goalkeeper Scott Bevan.

So Scott, what did you make of this evening's game?

Well, we have been on a really poor run of form, so this game was never going to be easy against a good Aldershot side. It was entertaining for the neutral, a game that had high intensity, open and conflicting styles, which made it an interesting encounter. I have to heap praise on my fellow goalkeepers as they were both in inspired form.

After a decent start to the season, you are now beginning to struggle a little bit. What do you think the reasons behind this slump in form are?

I would like to say that it's because I haven't been playing - only kidding! It's our first season back in the league and we are still learning, with a very young squad, all about this level. The biggest difference between this league and the conference is that mistakes tend to get punished more frequently. Hopefully, we can start to turn the corner and cut out some of the naive mistakes.

Your manager Paul Buckle recently declined the opportunity to talk to Colchester about the vacant managerial post there, were you surprised by his decision?

Well, he has had two years of success with Torquay, so invariably bigger clubs will be keeping tabs on him as he is still a young manager. He was an ex-player at Colchester, and with their new stadium and facilities, I thought his head may have been turned, but I am happy it wasn't. He is a very good, enthusiastic manager with innovative ideas, so I would expect even bigger clubs to come knocking for him soon.

After having a kidney smashed during a game, how much do appreciate being able to play football for a living?

It makes me quite humble, it's a shame it takes something so serious like that to basically give me a kick up the backside. I was at Southampton at the time and I was in a comfort zone. I was basically "living the dream", living at my parents' and spending all my money on flash motors, not really pushing myself or being ambitious enough, I was just content. When the injury happened, I was told it was unlikely that I would play again, and in a day and age when so many Premier League players moan about seemingly trivial things, I am just happy to still have a career.

Finally, are there any players worth keeping tabs on in the current Torquay side?

We have some decent young players but I would say Mark Ellis, he is a big, towering, old-fashioned centre-back. He reminds me of Martin Keown, centre-forwards hate playing against him, he will head through brick walls for you as well.

Football

Favourite Premier League Player? David James
Favourite player outside the Premier League? Iker Casillas
Manager you'd most like to work under? Jose Mourinho
Club you'd most like to play for? Arsenal

Best mate at the club? Chris Hargreaves
Messiest eater? Mark Ellis
Biggest ladies man? Tyrone Thompson
Who's best at putting away the pints? Martin Rice

Non-football

Dream date? Halle Berry
Favourite TV programme? Deadliest Warriors
Favourite shop? High and Mighty, the only place I can buy clothes that fit!
Worst vice? Chocolate
Pet hate? People with no manners!

50/50

Meat or fish? Meat
Wine or beer? Wine
Blondes or brunettes? Brunettes
"Friends" or "The Office"? The Office
PS3 or newspaper? Newspaper
Frank Sinatra or Fifty Cent? Neither

Tags: Aldershot, Ben Herd, Ben's Banter, football betting, Halle Berry, League Two Football Betting, Torquay United