Shared Shirts: Ben Amos

Keeping a clean sheet for new club Port Vale earlier this week in the EFL Trophy, we spoke to former City and Millwall loanee Ben Amos about his temporary spells at both clubs…

Joining Hull City on loan...

Featuring seven times for the Red Devils at senior level, Amos was a regular feature for Manchester United’s academy teams. Capped for England from Under-16 level all the way to Under-21 level, the goalkeeper already had previous loan spells at Peterborough United, Molde and Oldham Athletic prior to his temporary move to the Tigers on 31 July 2012.

“Hull City have had a number of players from Manchester United in the last kind of five to 10 years; the two clubs have done a lot of business,” said Amos. “I think they came to watch me a couple of times. A lot of transfers work on recommendations. I think the manager had asked the club who's one to go for, and it was just a couple of phone calls and it was done.”

First Appearances for City...

Flying out to Portugal to link-up with Steve Bruce’s Tigers for pre-season, the goalkeeper competed with fellow new signing Eldin Jakupovic and youngster Mark Oxley for the number one shirt.

Making his debut in the first round of the League Cup against Rotherham United, which saw the Tigers progress 7-6 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, Amos made his league debut for the club against Brighton & Hove Albion seven days later, keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 win.

“I remember a through ball very early doors, I think it was against Craig Mackail-Smith, but I came and smothered and that was first minute into the game. That was a big kind of action and involvement so from there, it was just you're in the game and enjoying it."

“The fans were always good,” Amos added when asked about playing in the then-named KC Stadium. “There's not too many clubs in that kind of catchment area so everyone in the surrounding areas were interested in Hull City. We had the rugby as well, but I always thought there was really good interest from the fans and everyone in that surrounding area. You could feel that when you were there, how important it was to everyone.”

Saving penalties for Millwall...

Saving two penalties on his Lions debut in the first round win over Gillingham in the League Cup, Amos’ first league appearance came away at Swansea City a month later. Featuring regularly for the months of September and October, the goalkeeper saved a further two penalties in his 15 appearances. Denying ex-Tiger Billy Sharp from the spot against Sheffield United, the goalkeeper saved again against top-of-the-league Norwich City.

“I remember the Norwich game, because we played well that day. I saved a penalty, and we still ended up losing 4-3. I think they scored two late goals and a bit of a fluke final goal where our defender has slid in and the striker hit it as we're both kind of going to block it, and it's gone over both of us. I remember little snippets from games. It’s not too much I can normally record from games.”