Maybury: I Will Put On A Tv Show To Win Deal

Apr 6 2008 By Gordon Waddell

ALAN MAYBURY is out to make himself a star of the big stage AND the small screen this week in a bid to land a new contract.

The full-back's loan at Aberdeen ends in seven weeks with his deal at Leicester folding five weeks later.

But with nothing on the table from either club yet the Irishman wants to put on a show while he still has the chance.

And two live games on the box in the space of six days - tomorrow night against Falkirk and Saturday's Scottish Cup semi-final with Queen of the South - won't do him any harm.

Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood (below) insists he wants to keep the rock-solid 29-year-old at Pittodrie.

But Maybury shrugged: "I'm in the same boat as when I came here.

"Guys who have been here longer are still trying to sort their deals out like Barry Nicholson and Lee Miller.

So I'm not a priority.

"But the main thing is I'm playing instead of kicking my heels in the reserves at Leicester.

"And the more people see me on TV the more I may be have a chance of someone seeing I can do the job.

"Not that you can ever drop your standards. I've seen guys playing in the reserves and not giving it their all then finding out someone was watching in the stands."

Former Hearts star Maybury is also hoping he can overcome his two biggest jinxes in Scottish football.

He said: "Hampden and the Scottish Cup haven't been great to me. The first time I went to the stadium was when I was called up late by Brian Kerr for his first Irish squad against Scotland.

"I hoped I'd get on the pitch but never got off the bench.

"My other visit was when Hearts played Rangers in the CIS Cup semi and we were soundly beaten 1-0.

"The Scottish Cup has also been a bit of a nightmare. At Hearts we were four down inside half an hour against Falkirk and we also lost to Inverness at Tynecastle and went out to Celtic early. So it would be nice to get a little change of luck."

For Calderwood, though, luck shouldn't come into it. And he will be taking Queens as seriously as quarter-final fall guys Celtic.

He said: "Queens have a few lads who maybe feel they have something to prove.

"Stevie Tosh, John Stewart, Neil MacFarlane and Jamie McQuilken have all been here.

"A few of their players are also a bit older and it might be their last chance for something big."