December 20 2006

Julian Speroni

Julian Speroni has warned his rivals he is not giving up the number one shirt.

Speroni, 27, who signed from Dundee two years ago, made his first start of the season at Derby on Saturday.

The keeper was put inbetween the posts after Gabor Kiraly went on an emergency loan to Aston Villa, loanee Iain Turner is out injured, while Scott Flinders is out of favour.

Despite conceding in the Eagles' 1-0 defeat at Pride Park, Speroni insists he will deliver the goods and make it hard for boss Peter Taylor to drop him.

"Every player wants to play every single game but I have not been able to do that since I have been here," he told the South London Press.

"I have one more season on my contract after this. I am quite happy to stay here and make a name for myself. I need to do that by playing as many games as I can.

"The manager always has good words for me so he believes in me and hopefully I can now make it hard for him to leave me out."