Enckelman wants to put blunder behind him and get back on the pitch

PETER ENCKELMAN will long be remembered for his bizarre and costly blunder in the Birmingham derby, but the Aston Villa goalkeeper yesterday insisted he just wants to bury the memory by getting back out on the pitch.

Goalkeeping errors always look bad, and Enckelman’s almost ranks up there with Gary Sprake who, playing for Leeds in 1970s, threw the ball into his own net against Liverpool. Then, the Liverpool fans immediately burst into a rendition of Careless Hands, but it was careless feet as far as Enckelman was concerned. His moment of footballing horror came when he let Olof Mellberg’s throw-in roll under his boot and referee David Elleray ruled it had got a touch on the way into the net.

Enckelman said on Aston Villa’s official website, www.avfc.co.uk: ‘‘It was a freak accident, but I did not touch the ball. I want to get out there. I’m already looking forward to getting out there and working again. First of all on the training field, then on Sunday playing the game against Everton.

‘‘I can understand the fans’ disappointment and I am sorry for my mistake. I’m not out to prove any points, all I’m hoping to do is do my job, give 100% and hopefully come off after 90 minutes with three points in the bag.’’ Explaining the incident, which saw Villa’s hopes of a fight-back collapse and Birmingham eventually win the game 3-0, he added: ‘‘I just wanted to control it quickly and get on with things. We were chasing the game and I wanted to get play going quickly. The next thing I know, the ball’s going underneath my foot and into the goal.

What happened was a freak accident. I could go out and receive 100 throw-ins and that wouldn’t happen again. At the time, all you realise is that it’s gone into the goal. Obviously it should have been a corner, but the referees given it and it was 2-0 then. But I’m convinced I didn’t touch it.’’

Meanwhile, Birmingham City have promised to ban for life the fan who confronted Enckelman in the midlands derby at St Andrews last night.

Dozens of supporters ran onto the playing area after each of The Blues’ three goals, with one goading the Villa goalkeeper and slapping him around the ears after he conceded the bizarre own goal. The FA are investigating all the incidents from the game but Birmingham’s managing director Karren Brady said they had already put in motion plans to track down the person who clashed with Enckelman and ban them for life. And she appealed for true Blues fans to come forward and identify the perpetrator. ‘‘We’ve worked together with the police and we have put his picture in the newspaper today,’’ said Brady. ‘‘We are asking readers and supporters who have seen it to name and shame him.”