King admits he’s thriving as a Saint

BILLY KING was one of the St Patrick’s Athletic heroes when they beat Bohemians 4-3 on penalties in the FAI Cup final last November. The winger calmly converted from 12 yards as Saints recovered from a 3-2 spot-kick deficit to claim the trophy. ‘We’d been practising penalties in the days leading up to the final,’ he recalled. ‘When I was going up, (James) Talbot threw the ball and it bounced off my head. I was alright. ‘I thought I’d be more nervous. I put it the way I’d be doing in training every day. Thankfully, it went in, bottom corner.’ King missed out on selection but Stevie O’Donnell assured him he’d be needed if things were tight, which they were, and he came on after an hour. ‘Three of the subs who came on took penalties, and all scored,’ added King. O’Donnell departed for Dundalk soon after the final, along with Robbie Benson, whose spotkick clinched the outcome. Of the Cup final starting XI, Vites Jaros, Sam Bone, Lee Desmond, Matty Smith, Alfie Lewis, and Benson, are no longer at the club either but King – in his third season as a Saint – is very much part of things under Tim Clancy. A former Scottish Under-21 international, King played for Hearts, Rangers, Inverness CT, Dundee United, Gillingham and Morton, where he was released at the end of December 2019. ‘I wasn’t enjoying it,’ he said of that time. ‘I signed for Morton, got an injury and wasn’t playing when I met Stevie (O’Donnell) at Edinburgh airport and got the offer from Pat’s. ‘I played with Willo Flood at Dundee United and he said “Go to Ireland, you’ll enjoy it.” ‘I’ve never looked back. I’ve loved every minute being here. ‘Last season, we finished second and we won the Cup. This year, I signed again. I was enjoying my football. Why not? ‘It’s a tough task to break into the top two. Derry and Dundalk are fighting for that. We need to get more consistent.’ Saints are away to Sligo Rovers tonight and King – with 65 appearances for the club that he feels a deep attachment to – will be ready.