IT’S an old footballing adage that you have to be mad to be a goalkeeper – and Rushall Olympic shot-stopper Chris Gemmell wouldn’t disagree.

But there’s mad, as in slightly loopy, and there’s mad, as in losing your marbles.

And while 26-year-old Gemmell is happy to be on the crazy side of the footballing spectrum he is glad to say he is eradicating the sudden clouds of red mist which he admitted had messed up his career.

He still enjoys the banter, the fun and games in the dressing room, and yes, he still flings himself around like an Olympic gymnast without the crash mats.

But the keeper from Great Barr says he had learned to curb his temper – and the result is his most enjoyable – and potentially the most successful – season in his career as Neil Kitching’s Rushall chase the play-offs in the Evo-Stik Division One South.

“I’ve grown up this season, I think I’ve come of age,” said Gemmell, a carpenter by profession.

“Last season and the season before, I was a bit childish, mouthing off, getting wound up and losing my marbles.

“I’ve learned from my mistakes.

“Last season I got sent off and Neil [Kitching] said my temper was holding me back. I had to wise up, I had to block out the tantrums.

“I’ve knuckled down and I feel I’ve played well. It’s been a really good season and hopefully it can get better.”

While Pics boss Kitching’s words of wisdom have finally sunk in, Gemmell says he also owes a big debt to the man who put the spark back into his football following the devastating blow of being released as a teenager from Blues’ academy.

The Villa fan had spent a year with his boyhood heroes on schoolboy forms but then crossed from B6 to B9 to join Blues where he spent four years.