SAM Ramsbottom has revealed that the thought of going back to waiting tables is driving him to keep his position between the sticks at Morton.

The Englishman says that having previously spent time out of the game he is hugely motivated to prove his doubters wrong and keep his place in David Hopkin’s side.

The shotstopper also hopes that he can extend his stay at Cappielow beyond the summer.

He told the Tele: “I’ve spent time out of football before and it’s hard once you’re out the circle, so I know how frustrating that can be.

“I waited tables for six months back home, so I know what working a normal job can be like and I’m thankful every day to be playing full-time football — you’re paid to keep fit.

“You can’t really have a moan or a gripe, especially when you’ve got people like my dad getting up at half four in the morning for an early shift and I’m coming in from training at 2pm and that’s my day done.

“When times are tough like when I lost my place I definitely use that as a motivation to push myself further so that I don’t have to go back to that.

“It’s easy not to get involved in the negative comments, you can control those things.

“I focus on what I can do and hopefully that’s enough to turn a few heads in my direction so people will think ‘we might have given him a bit of stick when he first got here, but look how much he’s improved’ come the end of the season if my performances shine through.

“I’d love to stay past the summer if the gaffer wanted me to stay, but it’s just one of those things – football works in strange ways.”

The custodian hopes that he can put Saturday’s error against Dunfermline behind him and kick on as he eyes another start against Arbroath in just under ten days time.

He added: “I was disappointed to have conceded at the time I did because I was so close to getting my first clean sheet in the league.

“It’s just one of those things, but hopefully I can get one at Arbroath and kick on from there.

“I hope that I can keep my place between the sticks. I was happy with how I played, for the most part. The save I made in the second half was good and my general all-round play was good.

“Obviously I was disappointed to have dropped the ball when I did, so hopefully I can build and keep my performances going, starting with Arbroath away in just over a week’s time.”