Barnsley FC striker John McAtee on family ties and enjoying the good times again after nearly quitting football in his mid-teens

His career has reached new heights in the colours of Barnsley. His season-long loan away from parent club Luton Town has been fulfilling and valuable.

McAtee’s rapid progress was such that could have left Oakwell in the winter window and stepped up to the Championship.

Instead, the 24-year-old elected to stay and hopes the decision will be rewarded by way of promotion in May - something he achieved at Grimsby in 2022 when the Mariners returned to the EFL.

A likeable lad with a sunny disposition and sport in his blood - his younger brother James is on loan at Sheffield United and his father, John Snr, played rugby league for St Helens - it would probably surprise many to know that McAtee briefly ‘fell out of love’ with football in his mid-teens.

Rejected by Manchester United and Burnley, the Salfordian contemplated packing in the game before being handed a chance by Ian Dawes at Shrewsbury Town. It was the break he needed.

McAtee told The Yorkshire Post: "Prior to Shrewsbury, I actually got released at United as a kid. I then went to Burnley for six months and didn’t get a scholarship.

"For about six months, I didn’t even play football and was planning to go to college with my friends and fell out of love with football.

"Then, one of my under-nine coaches at Liverpool was the youth team coach at Shrewsbury and gave me a call and said come and have a game.

"I didn’t even know who Shrewsbury were and my dad had to tell me! I only knew the Premier League teams.

"I went down and scored a few goals and they gave me a scholarship.

"In terms of a ‘bumpy road’, I’ve played in the Evo-Stik, Conference North, Conference, League Two and League One. There have been a few bumpy rides, but it’s stood me in quite good stead, especially now I am getting a bit older and more experienced.

"Luckily for me, since I have been 16, my job has been what I want - to play football. As down as things sometimes get, in the grand scheme of things, you’ve got to realise what you are doing is what you love. There’s not many people who get to say that.

"You’ve just got to smile and get through the hard times and always enjoy the good times."

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While McAtee has had an uplifting season at Oakwell with the best hopefully yet to come as the Reds strive for promotion, it’s been a tougher time of it for his younger sibling at Bramall Lane.

McAtee sympathises with the situation that his brother finds himself in at the relegation-haunted Blades. Not that the pair speak too much about work when they meet.

McAtee, who has netted 11 goals so far this term, continued: “Me and my brother have a good relationship outside of football and I’ll be honest, we don’t really speak too much about football because all day, every day, we’re at football.

"Don’t get me wrong, we do speak sometimes about certain things, but we don’t go into too much detail. It’s more speaking about his well being.

"I know Sheffield (United) aren’t having the best of seasons and I know it’s tough for him being so young and I just try and help him and just say: ‘look, there’s brighter days ahead, just keep your head up’ sort of thing. He does the same for me."

Regular visitors at their boys’ games are proud parents John Snr and Gill.

In his playing days, John Snr previously stepped out at Wembley 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.

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

While league was John Snr’s great passion, his sporting focus has now switched to football.

"My dad thinks he’s Sir Alex (Ferguson) now as he’s watched that many games,” quipped McAtee.

"Even my mum thinks she knows more than me. They are into it and love coming to watch me and my brother and it’s nice that they do enjoy it and I see them most weekends.

"I did try rugby league, but I was no good. My dad dragged me off a pitch one time and said: ‘you are not playing any more’ and I went back to football. It was the right choice."

A promotion winner at the London Stadium with Grimsby, McAtee's story could yet take him back for a return trip to the capital for a play-off final in late May. But first things first.

He said: "The occasion would be brilliant, if we were to do it. But our goal is automatics and it’s still not out of the picture."