TONY HIBBERT is refusing to set himself a goal target for next season – as long as he carries on saving goals at the other end.

The Blues defender has made 273 appearances for the club – and famously scored no goals – but insists he would be happy for that drought to continue if he is still doing his primary job well.

“I’m honestly not bothered about scoring,” he said.

“I’m a defender and when I think about the amount of times I’ve saved a goal, I must have cleared about 100 goalbound shots off the line in my career. No-one ever talks about them!

“Not having scored a goal really doesn’t bother me.”

There have been times, however, when Hibbert has gone close.

And the closest he has come to breaking that deadlock has been, surprisingly, against neighbours Liverpool.

Kevin Ratcliffe, the most successful captain in Everton’s history, only scored twice in his Goodison career – and one of those came in an Anfield derby match.

Hibbert can vividly recall the times he almost followed suit.

“The closest I’ve come was in derby matches,” he added.

“One fell to me on the edge of the penalty area and I didn’t half catch it sweet. It went straight at Pepe Reina but if I’d slightly mishit it, maybe shanked it, it would have flown in either side of him.

“Then there was a header at Goodison against Liverpool. I’d come on as a sub and when I connected I thought ‘this is going in!’

“But it wasn’t to be.

“I’m obviously saving it up for a derby match! I honestly have no idea what I’d do if I do score. People always ask me if I’ve got a celebration lined up and I haven’t. I’d probably just look out for Ossie (Leon Osman) and I think he would probably be more excited than me.”

Team-mate Louis Saha, is no stranger to goal celebrations – and while he is out in Austria with with Hibbert at the Blues pre-season training camp he is still 10 days away from taking part in full training.

But he admits he is relishing the pre-season schedule as he currently undergoes a programme of running and cycling.

Saha’s season ended last March when he injured his ankle against Fulham, but he explained: “I am not doing the full training with the boys just yet but I think I should be able to in about 10 days.

“That will be really good as my injury was quite a serious one – I am just really enjoying being back involved.

“You are always really down the first few days when you get injured but after that the passion comes back and you are like a kid again, you just want to be out kicking the ball. It is that passion that keeps you going and makes you come back.”

He added: “It is perfect coming back from an injury at this time because you can get the same workout as the rest of the boys. That is what gives you the strength and fitness you need to sustain your level in the season.

“Pre-season here is harder than anywhere else I have been but it is not just about having the level where you are ready to play, it is about having the level where you can fight for the team.

“The manager wants to see that and is always testing the players’ ability.”