Alex Palmer says he thrilled to have kept consecutive clean sheets in the Sky Bet Championship but insists he’d happily swap personal accolades for more team victories.
Palmer has prevented Luton Town and Reading from finding the net against the Baggies in the last two matches, with the 26-year-old on hand to make a number of crucial stops at crucial times in Saturday’s triumph against the Royals.
The goalkeeper, who joined Albion at the age of 14, says his sights are set on more senior clean sheets, but stressed winning games and moving up the division as a group far outweighs his own individual targets and ambitions.
Alex said: “It’s a strange one for me because I’ve been here for so long but I imagine the supporters won’t know too much about me.
“It feels like a long time coming, this opportunity to play in the senior side. I’ve waited patiently and I’m just trying to do as well as I can for everyone at the club and everybody who has backed me throughout my career.
“When you speak to goalkeepers, they all want to make saves, but there is so much more to the role now these days, so if I can help out the team in other ways then I’m determined to do so.
“I’d like to think that I can influence the game in other ways such as my communication to the defenders in front of me, as well as trying to command my box.
“In terms of only conceding one goal in three games and keeping two clean sheets, I think huge credit deserves to go to the whole team and especially the defenders in front of me.
“It’s great for me personally and the back line. We know we have the quality at the other end of the pitch which can win us games by grabbing goals as long as we stay solid and secure at the back.
“We’ve managed to do that in the last few games. We’ve got a good defensive structure and all the lads are working hard.
“I’d love to extend my clean sheet run to three, four, even five or six games but the most important thing is getting victories.
“If you were to ask me if I was to start conceding goals but we started winning games more frequently, then I’d take that all day long because the team winning must come first.
“We go into every game with the mindset of desperately trying not to concede goals. The more clean sheets you keep, the better chance you have of winning games and that’s a fact.”
Palmer celebrated Saturday’s success at the Select Car Leasing Stadium by belting out a rendition of 'The Lord’s My Shepherd' with the club’s supporters.
And Alex says it was a moment where his emotions took over.
“Saturday’s win at Reading was really good and I think it was a much-needed one for everyone associated with the club.
“We were able to grind out the victory. The second goal really helped us and thankfully we were able to get the three points.
“Hopefully it’s a game which kick-starts our season. We need to almost approach everything now as a new season where everything starts again.
“In terms of the singing at the end, I’ve known the words for so long. I got caught up in the moment and it turned out to be a special moment.
“I loved Saturday. Everything about the day was great and it’s given me an appetite for many more like it.
“We’ve got another big game coming up against Bristol City on Tuesday and we’re all motivated to make it two wins from two. I’m really looking forward to playing at The Hawthorns again in a league game.”
Watch the full WBA TV video interview above.
