Jon McLaughlin lost count of the number of wannabe goalkeepers he watched on City’s training ground.

It felt like a revolving door at Apperley Bridge as one stopper after another turned up to push their claims.

And all the time, the man who was given the number one shirt could do absolutely nothing about it.

Three months into the season and McLaughlin should finally make his league bow against Rotherham at Valley Parade tomorrow.

After two faultless cup displays, the eloquent keeper has really hit the ground running. But he admits he had to after a debilitating virus wiped out the first quarter of his campaign.

McLaughlin said: “I’d really hoped to cement my place and was looking forward to a good pre-season. That’s the key time to show you’re the worthy man for the job.

“But obviously I wasn’t able to do that. Instead there were loads of trialists coming in every week and then we were signing keepers on loan.

“It was very hard to sit back and watch without being able to fight for your place. So it’s great to be back playing again after such a long while.

“And I’d be lying if I didn’t say there was a lot riding on it for me. We’ve got a big squad and a good goalkeeper (Matt Duke) who’s come in and been playing.

“So you know if you don’t play well, that could be your big opportunity come and gone again.

“The new manager has only seen me since he’s come to this club. I had to show him that I’m definitely a goalkeeper who can play first-team football and not just someone in the reserves every week that is not up to the challenge.

“I want to give him a headache as to who he’s going to pick.”

McLaughlin’s problems went far deeper than just a headache. What was originally diagnosed as a severe bout of food poisoning turned out to be a serious virus that sapped him of any energy and strength.

He lost ten pounds within a week but his troubles did not end with putting that weight back on.

McLaughlin revealed: “I thought we’d got it sussed out after the first bout. I was training again and trying to push myself on.

“All the time I was feeling horrendous but I didn’t want people to think I was being lazy or not trying.

“I felt like I’d been hit for six in every session but I tried not to let that show. Unfortunately the stress of that can have a big influence and things just built up again.

“So instead of thinking it would be a setback for a couple of weeks and I’d be ready for the start of the season, it dragged on until late October before I really felt fit enough to be involved again.”

McLaughlin’s lowest point health-wise coincided with Phil Parkinson taking on the City helm, leaving the keeper with another manager to impress – the fourth different boss he has worked under.

“We’ve had that a few times here and when you’re a team lower down the leagues, people might not have heard of you before,” he said.

“It’s not like big Premier League teams where everybody knows what each player can do.

“That was another factor of getting back and wanting to prove to the manager and new staff that I should be considered as a first-team goalkeeper and not just a back-up.

“Hopefully I’ve been able to do that – but I want to do that more and more and take any chance with both hands.”