YORK City’s new goalkeeper Peter Jameson might be turning professional for the first time at 26, but he has rubbed shoulders with international performers in the past.

Jameson was a “training goalkeeper” at Middlesbrough when the likes of ex-Australia number-one Brad Jones, Wales’ Danny Coyne and Team GB’s London 2012 Olympics net-minder Jason Steele were on the Riverside books.

During that time, he also had his palms stung by the likes of former Dutch under-21 attacker Marvin Emnes and is now looking forward to bringing that experience to bear as a full-time Minsterman, having switched from National League North rivals Blyth Spartans and also tasted semi-professional action with Darlington, South Shields, Sunderland RCA and Consett.

“I was a training keeper at Middlesbrough and was at Gateshead on a non-contract basis when they were in the National League, so I have been involved in the professional game before,” Jameson pointed out. “I was training with Brad Jones, Danny Coyne and Jason Steele at Boro and the goalkeeper-coach was Stephen Pears, so it was great seeing how high their standards were and facing shots from players like Marvin Emnes was also a really, good experience.

“My aim has always been to be a full-time footballer and that would be the case for most young lads interested in the game but, now that I’ve got this chance, the hard work doesn’t stop – it has to keep going.”

After leaving school, Jameson joined his uncle working at Sunderland City Council – first in the enforcement sector and, then, in the grass-cutting department, leading him to joke: “If the groundsman here needs any help, I don’t mind getting my wellies on!”

In fact, Jameson would have enjoyed a better salary had he taken the part-time opportunity to follow former Blyth boss Alun Armstrong to Darlington this summer and continued in his day job.

But, explaining his decision to agree terms with City instead, the one-time Northern League rookie added: “Alun made me a great offer and I think really highly of him.

“He’s done a lot for me as a person and a player and I thank him for that, but I’m ecstatic to be joining such a massive club that sells itself. I loved playing at Bootham Crescent for Blyth because of the atmosphere and am looking forward to starting back now on July 1.

“I had other offers to go full-time and would have been better off financially staying part-time, but opportunities like this don’t come around often, so I grabbed it with both hands.”

Jameson has become Minstermen chief Steve Watson’s third summer recruit from Blyth and, having played for the Croft Park outfit alongside 25-goal, top-scorer Dan Maguire and attacking midfielder Kieran Green during last term’s play-off qualifying campaign, he is looking forward to joining forces again with the duo in 2019/20.

“They are both smashing lads,” Jameson enthused. “Greeny has high energy levels, is great technically and will run through brick walls.

“Dan is unbelievable in the box and, if you give him a yard, he will punish you with his right or left foot. I’m looking forward to working full-time with both of them, and it will help the settling-in process and with diesel too!

“But there are also some really good players already here and I’m sure the other lads will look after us as well. I already know Fergie (David Ferguson), because I went to school with him and, whilst I think I had more brains, he was a better footballer!”

Shedding light on Maguire’s unusual nickname, meanwhile, Jameson revealed: “Everyone knows him as ‘Nipper’ and I think it’s because, when he’s had a few drinks, he likes to have a bit of a nip at people.”

With the Minstermen’s management team stating that teenage keeper Ryan Whitley will start pre-season as first choice between the sticks, Jameson also has no qualms about engaging in a competitive contest to win the right to don the gloves for the campaign curtain-raiser on August 3.

“I’m really looking forward to working with (goalkeeper coach) Andy Collett and Ryan,” he declared. “I’ve heard good things about Ryan and I’m sure, whoever is picked for the first game of the season, the other keeper will be backing him.

“It’s our jobs to push each other and get the best out of each other.”

Jameson caught the eye against his new club in last term’s FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie between the two sides when he saved a Sean Newton penalty for Blyth.

City still won that match thanks to a Jordan Burrow goal and the keeper admits he would have rather repelled any of Altrincham’s shoot-out efforts as the Spartans bowed out of the play-offs 7-6 on spot kicks last month.

“I saved a couple of penalties last season, but I couldn’t save any in the play-offs against Altrincham, which was so disappointing,” he lamented.

The target now is to compensate for that suffering, with Jameson insisting: “This is a Football League club that should be nowhere near where it is without a doubt.

“I know that every single player in this league looks at the fixtures against York as the ones they want to impress in. But my job now is to help the club get back to where it wants to be and, without putting any pressure on anybody, promotion has to be the target.

“It’s a really tough league, but we nearly achieved it at Blyth and, although a good start isn’t always necessary, we’ll be looking to have one and, then, keep the momentum going.”

In preparation for the new campaign, City will travel to one of Jameson’s old clubs – South Shields – where he spent a short spell on loan from Darlington and the one-time Mariners Park custodian feels last season’s Evo-Stik Northern Premier League runners-up will provide a strong warm-up test.

“I really enjoyed it there and got on well with everybody, so it will be really good going back,” he confessed. “The pitch is unbelievable – it’s like a carpet - and they like to get the ball down and play, so I’m sure it will be a tough game in which we can get minutes under the belt.”

With relocation from Bootham Crescent to the new community stadium set to take place at some point next season, Jameson has also stressed the importance of establishing both bases as fortresses during 2019/20, reasoning: “Bootham Crescent is still a really nice stadium with so much history and I’ve been shown around the new ground and it’s unbelievable from what I could see.

“I’m really looking forward to moving there, but we’ve got to make sure that we give the fans lots to shout about here first, because they deserve the chance to give it a good send off, so we have to make both places fortresses.”