IT MIGHT be a cliche, but Antony Kay says he really doesn’t mind what position it is as long as he’s on the Town teamsheet.

The former Barnsley and Tranmere player, who turned 28 on Thursday, has played the last three games at centre-back.

He moved from midfield when Jamie McCombe served a one-match ban in the 3-2 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy second-round home win over Peterborough.

Kay did enough to keep his berth as Town smashed Colchester’s unbeaten League I record with a 3-0 win down in Essex a fortnight ago.

And he won the praise of central defensive partner Peter Clarke for his part in Saturday’s impressive 2-0 home win over Southampton.

Intriguingly, Barnsley-born Kay played up front as a boy before breaking into the first team at his hometown club as a midfielder.

“I certainly thought of myself as a midfielder when I was breaking through,” said the man whose debut came at 17 in the 1-0 Championship win over Norwich at Oakwell in August 2000, when Dave Bassett was boss.

“That’s the way it stayed for a few seasons, but when Glyn Hodges took over as manager (in October 2002) he began playing me at centre-back.”

That’s the way it stayed under Gudjon Thordarson, father of Kay’s Town teammate Joey Gudjonsson, Paul Hart and future Town manager Andy Ritchie.

And Galpharm fans may remember his defensive displays as the Reds beat Town in the 2005-06 League I play-offs.

Kay scored in the penalty shoot-out as Barnsley beat Swansea in the play-off final to make the Championship, and had a further season with the Reds, by then bossed by Simon Davey.

His transfer to Tranmere in the summer of 2007, after 197 appearances and 12 goals for Barnsley, brought him under the tutelage of Ronnie Moore.

He remained at centre-back for the 2007-08 campaign, but moved into midfield the season after, captaining the Birkenhead side as they came close to the play-offs.

Kay claimed 12 goals in 08-09, two of them in Tranmere’s 3-1 Prenton Park win over Town, and his performances earned him the club’s player of the season award.

“I think Ronnie could see in training that I liked to get forward,” he recalled. “I had played in the centre of midfield at Barnsley it wasn’t a new role to me.

“I had a good partnership going with Steve Jennings (now playing in Scotland with Motherwell) and I got a few goals, which was great.”

Kay is hoping for 58th Town outing and 351st career appearance at Plymouth today, and is happy to be back in central defence.

“The Peterborough game was the first time I’d played centre-back for quite a while, but it’s a but like riding a bike – you don’t forget,” he smiled.

“I like to try and get the ball down and pass it, but I enjoy the physical side as well, so either midfield or defence suits me.

“I really don’t mind where I play, I just want to be on the pitch, and with the squad we’ve got, you have to be on your toes.”