Norwich City academy product Joe Lewis has been described as the “best goalkeeper in Scottish football” after a fine start to the season with Aberdeen.

The 29-year-old made some impressive saves during a 0-0 draw with Hearts at Murrayfield on Saturday to help earn a point and stay second in the Scottish Premiership.

Born in Bury St Edmunds and raised in south Norfolk village Broome, near Bungay, was with the Canaries for over 12 years but didn’t make a senior appearance before being sold to Peterborough for around £400,000 in 2008.

BBC Scotland commentator Rob Maclean said: “There can’t be any doubt about it. Joe Lewis is the best goalkeeper in Scottish football.

“His saves in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Hearts at Murrayfield maintained Aberdeen’s unbeaten start to the league season.

“A couple of big Joe’s stops were stunning. The expressions on the faces of denied Jambos pair Jamie Walker and Isma Goncalves told the story. But it’s his consistency of top-level performance which, for me, makes him the best of the bunch.

“How many major mistakes can you remember Lewis making in the year or so he’s been at Pittodrie? No, they’re not exactly screaming out at me either.”

Lewis was capped at youth level by England from under-16 level up to U21 and did receive a senior call-up in August 2008 for friendlies against USA and Trinidad & Tobago but was an unused substitute in both game.

After spells on loan at Stockport and Morecambe while still a Norwich player, the 6ft 4ins tall keeper went on to make almost 200 appearances for Peterborough before joining Cardiff on a free transfer in 2012.

Just five appearances for the Welsh side followed though and seasons on loan at Blackpool and Fulham eventually saw Lewis join Aberdeen on a free in the summer of 2016.

He made 52 appearances in all competitions last season, including in Europa League qualifiers, as Aberdeen finished second and were beaten in the Scottish FA Cup and League Cup final defeats to Celtic at Hampden Park.

So far this season he has kept three clean sheets in six matches, as life north of the border continues to suit the Norfolk-raised keeper.