We catch up with Marine’s ever-present keeper to gauge his thoughts and opinions on the season so far and find out about his eventful gig at the Ryder Cup in 2002!!

Current age? “28”

Former Clubs? “Blackpool, Altrincham, Prescot Cables, Skelmersdale”

As an ever present this season how have you found the pace?

“Playing in goal its not as bad as playing outfield for fatigue and so on, I can play pretty much as many games as required, I’d certainly rather play than not, if the manager ever offered me the chance to sit one out and have a rest I wouldn’t take him up on the offer.”

What do you make of the team’s chances this season?

“I honestly think we’ll do it and get certainly into the play-offs. Last season I was with Skem, we finished a strong 2nd but Colwyn Bay who finished in 5th found form at the last minute and did us and went up. I reckon had we have had a settled back four at the start of the season we wouldn’t be trying to sneak in at the last minute, we would be looking good right now.”

Which players have stood out for you this season at Marine?

“I’ve really liked the impact Paul Henry’s made, he’s a clever player and of course there’s the likes of Jamie “Ronaldo” Rainford and Neil Harvey, the early injury to Neil Harvey really hit us hard early on.”

Which Opposition team have impressed you the most this season?

“Probably Halifax, we played them at a time that we were a bit out of sorts and they stuck six past us, something I don’t recall ever doing before now. Over the season though, they’ve been a stand-out.”

Who can you see being promoted this season?

“Behind Halifax I think FC United will have a good shout, as will Colwyn Bay, Matlock and Buxton but if we get into the play-offs none of these teams would give us any fear.”

Who is your favorite footballer both non-league and league at the present time?

“Favorite Footballer would be Steven Gerrard, after growing up in his proximity, Non-League players ive played alongside are Mark Duffy, Now at Scunthorpe and George Donnelly and Craig Noone.”

Sam D’Auvin asks: How do you find the band behind you, do you find it gives you some confidence in goal?

“The band are absolutely brilliant, they’re good kids and really enthusiastic about not just their local club but non-league in general and it’s good to see in an age where a lot of kids are obsessed with the glitz of the Premier League, it’s a real stand-out feature of Marine and when my family and mates have come to watch games its something that’s always commented on fondly.”

And: Who is the funniest member of the squad?

“Probably Browner, funny funny man, he’s just had a baby and it’s scary to think that people like that can reproduce. There’s a really good atmosphere about the place though, at Skem we travelled everywhere by car and sometimes it could be a bit sterile but at Marine we spend a lot of time on a coach and the banters quality.”

Phil Jones asks: After the Chorley penalty shoot out would he step up for another one if it comes around? Or even during a game?

“After Neil Harvey missed one the other week Kevin Lynch shouted out jokingly from the dougout that I’m on the next one! After the Chorley game I was looking around to see who was up for taking one but everyone was shattered and we didn’t want to get to a situation where someone would have to be forced into taking one, so I stepped up. I was absolutely gutted about missing it, whenever you miss a pen you re-take it in your mind time and time again. I would have no problem in taking one, now or in the future, I recall taking one against Glapwell, 20 mins left and the players were taken aback but I buried it so it’s certainly in my game.”

Mr Nodreads asks: as fans behind the goal we like a bit of banter with the opposition keepers, which clubs fans have been the funniest/worst?

“Probably the funniest were Chorley, I was growing a moustache for something at work but the banter from the Chorley fans was relentless but a lot of it was actually quite witty! Worst I would say is Barrow, they are extremely Partizan and it can be an intimidating place to be a keeper.”

Barry Murray asks: Out of the outfield players who is the best and worst in goal and if you played out field which position would you play?

“I’d say Spock (Thomas Moore), he’d been known to have a go in goal and he’s not actually too bad. As for me I’d be a central midfielder, I’m really a frustrated outfield player when I’m in goal.”

And: Who was your goalkeeping hero as a kid?

“Neville Southall, I’m a Red but keeper-wise Big Nev is right up there.”

Len Pentin asks: Which goalkeeping blunder (yours or another keepers) makes you wake up suddenly at night bathed in sweat?

“Massimo Taibi’s flap in 1999, I think it was at a Matt Le Tissue free kick. That’s the stuff nightmares are made of.”

Susan Nugent asks: Goalies are always classed as slightly crazy does that description fit Ryan.

“Some keepers can be quite wacky but that doesn’t apply to me, I’m extremely sensible.”

and: Worst injury sustained?

“I never really get injuries, apart from Niggles, im forever injuring my fingers, hazard of the job and all that, my fingers are all crooked, worst injury would probably be going over on my ankle a couple of seasons back and damaging ligaments.”

Paul Woodhouse asks: Ask Ryan how he split his forehead open when working at the Ryder Cup? It's a belting answer.

“Ahhh I’m sensing a stitch-up here! It goes back to 2002 when Securicor were doing some security work at the Ryder Cup, Myself and another local lad were asked if we wanted to go down there to work, oh aye, we’ll have a bit of that. We were working on the door of the VIP tent along with a South African and a lad from the US of A and I was explaining to the foreign boys how at that time (just after 3pm on a Saturday) that id be playing football and I was missing it. I decided to give them s demonstration of my heading ability, gracefully leaping to header a piece of loose marquee material, alas, this was not what I first envisaged and I ended up heading a metal pole cutting my head open with world celebrities and journalists looking at me as if I was an alien. What made it worse is that my mate had ran round to the boss and mischeviously said that I’d head-butted Rod Stewart as there had previously been a disagreement with him over a security issue with his phone and there’s me walking round at that point with my head cut open!”

Graham Cowperthwaite asks: Does Ryan listen to music and if he does who are his favourite artist(s)?

“I listen to a lot of wide ranging music, Stevie Wonder, Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, I’ve quite a wide palette when it comes to my music”.

Who is your all time football hero?

“Robbie Fowler”

Any match pre match superstitions?

“None really, not consciously anyway, I once wore 2 pairs of socks constantly when the team I was with were on a 20 game unbeaten run?”

What's the day job?

“I’m an Accounts Manager with Bacardi”

Many thanks to Ryan for his time!! We hope you enjoyed this interview and there will be more to come!!