PADDY Kenny says he feels like a big kid again as he prepares to go back to the future with Bury at Gillingham this weekend.

The veteran stopper looks set to start for the Shakers at the Priestfield Stadium on Saturday, playing for his first professional club against the side he made his league debut against back in 1999.

With first-choice keeper Rob Lainton out injured and both Austrian loan signing Daniel Bachmann and Scottish reserve keeper Jack Ruddy on international duty, Bury boss David Flitcroft made an “SOS call” to the 37-year-old last week.

After impressing during training at Carrington, the former Sheffield United keeper, who has been without a club since leaving Ipswich in the summer, signed a short-term deal until January and was on the bench for Saturday’s 4-0 FA Cup win.

But while Saturday’s trip to Gillingham could turn out to be the 637th and final match of Kenny’s career, he says he already has a thirst for more.

“I was at home and didn’t know if that was me done and dusted,” said the Yorkshireman, who first joined Bury from non-league side Bradford Park Avenue back in September 1998.

“As soon as I got the call I got the buzz back straight away and I knew I wanted to carry on.

“Getting back in training just convinced me even more.

“I feel like a big kid again.

“It’s up to me now to get my head down, get fit, work hard and see what happens, but I’m looking forward to it, 100 per cent.”

Kenny has not played a competitive game since last December, when he turned out for Oldham against MK Dons in a 7-0 defeat.

His only four appearances last season came during that loan spell at Boundary Park, which came at the end of a brief stay at Bolton Wanderers, before he went on to Portman Road.

“Fitness wise, I’m getting there slowly but surely,” he admitted.

“I’ve trained here five, six or seven times.

“Regarding the playing, goalkeeping comes a lot with experience.

“I have played a lot of games so hopefully I will be fine.”

Kenny played 150 times for Bury before joining ex-Shakers boss Neil Warnock at Sheffield United in October 2002.

He played the bulk of his career at Bramall Lane, before following Warnock to QPR and then Leeds United.

It all started for him though at Gigg Lane in an eventful 2-1 win against Gillingham.

“Nicky Southall knocked me out in the first minute,” he recalled.

“I remember warming up and being horrendous. Kevin Blackwell cut my warm-up short.

“Then I got knocked out in the first few minutes and I was right as rain after that.”

Flitcroft hopes the experience Kenny has built up in the intervening 16 years, along with his continued passion for the game, will pull him through the next few weeks.

“Sometimes when your hunger goes it is very difficult to regain that,” he said.

“When the light’s out, the light’s out, I see it on so many players.

“He came in and started making saves and throwing himself at things, it was fantastic just watching him putting himself in those positions.

“So I’m delighted that we’ve got him and he’s answered our SOS call.

“We have now got to get him in condition and get him on it because the experience he has got is outstanding.”