Zane Banton made his St Albans City debut under Ian Allinson as a 19-year-old during a 1-0 National League South victory over Dartford at Clarence Park on 25th March 2017. His first spell with us was on loan from Luton Town where he had made four First team appearances, all in the Checkatrade Trophy. He also had spells on loan to Concord Rangers, Biggleswade Town, Hemel Hempstead Town and Boreham Wood prior to signing for the Saints.

Zane made his move to St Albans permanent in the summer of 2017 and on 25th February 2025 became the 16th player to complete 300 games for the club, and the first to reach that landmark since Paul Bastock in February 2014.

He enjoyed a 13-game unbeaten start to his career at Clarence Park and scored four times in the process. His first full season with the City, 2017-18, was his most productive in front of goal as bagged 14 in 47 games in all competitions and finished as our third highest scorer that season behind Sam Merson on 24 and Rhys Murrell-Williamson on 15.

The following season ended abruptly for him during a goalless draw at Hardenhuish Park with Chippenham Town when he suffered the agony of a broken leg. The injury cost him a place in the final of the Herts Senior Cup, he had been one of our penalty shoot-out scorers during a semi-final victory over a youthful Watford XI. By the time of his 300th game he had scored with eight out of the ten penalties that he had taken in shoot-outs since joining St Albans, making him our top scorer in these sudden death affairs – two ahead of Shaun Jeffers.

The 2019-20 season was campaign of disappointment for the club with a season-long battle against relegation going hand-in-hand with poor cup results. The arrival of covid terminated the season before it could come to a natural conclusion. The 2020-21 campaign was also affected by covid and closed with just a dozen National League South matches completed.

City lost the first two games of the 2021-22 season but, with a 15-match unbeaten run, turned it into one of the most memorable campaigns in living memory. We looked to be mounting a serious challenge for the league championship until faltering badly after the turn of the year. By that time, though, Zane had already etched his name into City folklore.

We progressed through three Rounds of Qualifying in the F.A. Cup to set up a 1st Round tie with League Two leaders Forest Green Rovers at Clarence Park. With the BBC cameras in attendance and a packed house of 4,100 sensing a slice of history, the Saints duly obliged as Mitchell Weiss, Zane and Jeffers scored the goals that clinched a famous 3-2 win and City’s first F.A. Cup win over Football League opposition for 97 years.

Neighbours Boreham Wood ended the run in the 2nd Round, again in front of the tv cameras, as City’s wait for a place in the 3rd Round proper for the first time continued.

After an indifferent start to the 2022-23 season, City parted company with manager Ian Allinson and the control of the side was passed to Zane’s long-standing partner in midfield Davd Noble. During the end of season run-in Zane scored a vital equalising goal at Chippenham – his first in three visits since receiving his terrible leg injury in that corner of Wiltshire.

The season ended with City reaching the National League South promotion play-offs for the first time in 17 years. After edging past Chelmsford City, 1-0, in the first game St Albans progressed through to the final with Zane amongst our scorers during a penalty shoot-out victory over Dartford in front of 3,213 spectators at Princes Park. The final, though, went badly wrong for the Saints as Oxford City cruised to a 4-0 win with all the scoring done and dusted by half time. Zane ended the season with nine league goals to his credit, his joint highest total in his first eight full seasons with the Saints.

The 2023-24 season started badly for Zane. He picked up an injury just 16 minutes into an opening day win over Weymouth at Clarence Park that left him sidelined until returning, as a substitute, on Boxing Day for the visit of Hemel Hempstead Town to the Park. One week later he announced his return to the starting XI with our opening goal as a two-goal deficit was turned into a 3-2 victory in the reverse fixture with Hemel at Vauxhall Road. A stumble late in the season cost City a shot at the play-offs under manager John Meakes following David Noble’s sudden departure to Wealdstone at the end of January.

Noble returned as City manager for the start of the 2024-25 season and run the rule over a truly calamitous start to the campaign that saw the side entrenched in the relegation zone until beyond Zane’s 300th game towards the end of February.

City’ first match of the 2024-25 season was the final of the Herts Charity Cup that had been held over from the previous season. In this, his 264th game for the club, Zane finally collected some silverware as City defeated Potters Bar Town 2-1 at Clarence Park.