Barnsley FC loanee John McAtee on family 'pressure', Wembley and play-off rivals Bolton Wanderers - just down the road from where he is from

From a strong sporting family, the Reds loanee is aiming to become the latest family member to play at Wembley – in the play-off showpiece later this month.

To do that, the Yorkshire outfit must afford themselves a truly outstanding night when they travel to Bolton Wanderers for the League One play-off semi-final second leg, with the Lancashire club holding a convincing 3-1 advantage from the first episode at Oakwell as they seek to secure a spot of revenge for last year’s elimination against the same opponents at the same stage of the competition.

Still, stranger things have happened as far as Barnsley are concerned and you just never know in the play-offs.

McAtee’s father John snr knows a fair bit about Wembley, having stepped out there in a Great Britain under-23 rugby league international against New Zealand in 1993.

McAtee’s grandfather - also called John - played scrum half for Leigh. His three brothers Peter, David and Billy also played professional rugby league.

While league was John Snr’s great passion, his sporting focus is now firmly with football.

McAtee’s great uncle was also the late Alan Ball, a World Cup winner with England at the national stadium in 1966.

His younger brother James was ineligible for last season’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, while on loan at Sheffield United. They played his parent club Manchester City.

The Reds loanee is in the spotlight this evening at a club not too far away from where he was brought up in Walkden, near Salford.

McAtee, who joined Barnsley on a season-long loan from Luton Town last summer, said: “I’m from Salford and it’s about 15 or 20 minutes from Bolton. I think there were one or two lads at my school who did (support Bolton), but I can’t think of many.

"Potentially, there probably is (a lot from Walkden), but personally, I don’t recall knowing many.

"My family live in Worsley, which is just next to Walkden.”

Sign up to our new Sports Editor’s TeamTalk newsletter available this week

On playing for a sporting family, he added: “I have never really felt any sort of pressure towards that. I just want to concentrate on my own career, which I have done since growing up.

"It’s not being selfish, but I am my own person and want to be as good as I can be, regardless of who has done what in my family.

"I did try to stick to rugby league but I wasn’t very good, so I stuck with football. I think I’ve made the right decision.

On his family’s association with Wembley, he commented: “It’s my dad and my nanna’s brother Alan Ball.

"It’s every English footballer’s dream, isn’t it - to play at the national stadium. I am looking forward to it if we do get there.”