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Ben Alnwick can’t remember what it feels like to play a game without pressure.
Tensions are high as Birmingham City come to the Macron Stadium tonight with both sides knowing a victory would significantly improve their chances of pulling away from the relegation zone, dropping the loser into trouble.
But as the Whites keeper points out, it’s just another day at the office at a club which has been in a scrap at the bottom end of the table since the first weekend of the season.
“My nerves are fine - we’ve been here all season,” said the in-form stopper, looking ahead to the Blues’ visit.
“We haven’t had any spell where we’ve been able to relax, we’ve always been fighting it.
“It was the same last season as well. We’re so used to being in that pressured position that we’ve learned how to deal with it.
“We just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing. We’re giving 100 per cent and in the end I think it’ll be enough.”
The stresses and strains may not be getting to Alnwick but that did not stop him racing back down the tunnel on Friday to see how Wanderers’ rivals went on.
Birmingham’s win against Ipswich Town the following day has added a touch of extra importance to the outcome of tonight’s clash.
The keeper takes solace, however, from the fact it will be on home turf.
Only Fulham, Cardiff and Wolves have taken more points in front of their own fans since the end of October – with the Whites having tasted defeat just twice in their last 14 games.
And Alnwick feels home form can be relied upon to get the team safe.
“Home form has been excellent and a lot of that has been down to the backing we get,” he said.
“The fans through thick and thin have stuck with us, and that’s one thing that really has been apparent since I came here. It would have been so easy earlier in the season to turn on us. The Macron could have been a horrible place to play.
“Leeds have had it. A big crowd is great but when they start getting unhappy it’s hard to play.
“The lads want to push on and get safe now for the fans’ sake.”
Alnwick’s own form of late has seen him mentioned as a potential player of the year in waiting for Wanderers.
He is one of nine keepers to have topped 100 saves in the Championship this season and has held off the challenge of Mark Howard for the majority of the campaign, making 32 league appearances.
But the 31-year-old plays down the praise.
“It’s my job to keep the ball out of the net,” he said. “I’m playing with confidence at the minute but all I want are points on the board.
“You can’t let a defeat become a crisis. It’s such a tough league you’re bound to lose games.”
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Tensions are high as Birmingham City come to the Macron Stadium tonight with both sides knowing a victory would significantly improve their chances of pulling away from the relegation zone, dropping the loser into trouble.
But as the Whites keeper points out, it’s just another day at the office at a club which has been in a scrap at the bottom end of the table since the first weekend of the season.
“My nerves are fine - we’ve been here all season,” said the in-form stopper, looking ahead to the Blues’ visit.
“We haven’t had any spell where we’ve been able to relax, we’ve always been fighting it.
“It was the same last season as well. We’re so used to being in that pressured position that we’ve learned how to deal with it.
“We just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing. We’re giving 100 per cent and in the end I think it’ll be enough.”
The stresses and strains may not be getting to Alnwick but that did not stop him racing back down the tunnel on Friday to see how Wanderers’ rivals went on.
Birmingham’s win against Ipswich Town the following day has added a touch of extra importance to the outcome of tonight’s clash.
The keeper takes solace, however, from the fact it will be on home turf.
Only Fulham, Cardiff and Wolves have taken more points in front of their own fans since the end of October – with the Whites having tasted defeat just twice in their last 14 games.
And Alnwick feels home form can be relied upon to get the team safe.
“Home form has been excellent and a lot of that has been down to the backing we get,” he said.
“The fans through thick and thin have stuck with us, and that’s one thing that really has been apparent since I came here. It would have been so easy earlier in the season to turn on us. The Macron could have been a horrible place to play.
“Leeds have had it. A big crowd is great but when they start getting unhappy it’s hard to play.
“The lads want to push on and get safe now for the fans’ sake.”
Alnwick’s own form of late has seen him mentioned as a potential player of the year in waiting for Wanderers.
He is one of nine keepers to have topped 100 saves in the Championship this season and has held off the challenge of Mark Howard for the majority of the campaign, making 32 league appearances.
But the 31-year-old plays down the praise.
“It’s my job to keep the ball out of the net,” he said. “I’m playing with confidence at the minute but all I want are points on the board.
“You can’t let a defeat become a crisis. It’s such a tough league you’re bound to lose games.”
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