Barnsley FC: ‘I don’t support a team, I just go and watch ‘my players’’

Money-orientated and big-headed are two of the generalisations thrown about, certainly when it comes to many emerging talents from the top two divisions in England.

As someone who has worked with several academy ‘stars’ who have made the leap from comparatively humble origins to the Premier League, former Barnsley academy manager and caretaker boss Mark Burton believes that it does an unjust disservice to the overwhelming majority of young players.

Burton – who played a big role in the development of England international John Stones and Everton defender Mason Holgate in their time at Oakwell – starts work as Under-23 assistant coach at Blackburn Rovers next week.

He will assist Mike Sheron, a former Reds forward, at Rovers, whose academy holds a Category One status.

While developing players tactically and technically in order to hopefully preparing them for first-team football is the major big part of Burton’s remit, recruiting and bringing on the right individuals and characters is just as important.

Burton, who spent 10 years with Barnsley before moving to Rotherham United and Notts County, told The Yorkshire Post: “It is all about driving standards and lads have got to appreciate where they are and have that honesty and integrity.

“It is about the all-rounded person and not just the footballer. They are role models these days and have to be.

“They are in the limelight and social media and have to be role models for the younger generation coming up and we have to drive those standards.

“To be fair, in this day and age, the players at this level have got the drive and the standards are there and they understand what is required. It is an easier sell than it used to be.”

Alongside helping to bring through the likes of Stones, Holgate, Jacob Brown and James Bree, a number of Burton’s other ‘lads’ have carved out successful careers in the lower leagues away from the hullabaloo of the all-singing, all-dancing Premier League and rising profile of the Championship.

The fact that all their characters have remained the same is also a source of much pride for the Yorkshireman.

He continued: “They are sound lads. I went to watch Mason when Everton played Chelsea at home (in May).

“I took my son and wife and Mason got us tickets. Stonesy has done in the past.

“I spoke with Danny Rose, George Maris and Rhys Oates recently and they played in the play-off game between Mansfield against Northampton.

“I am as proud of them as I am of the Premier League lads.

“There’s another lad in America who has got a soccer scholarship who was in the same group.

“When I was interviewed at Blackburn, they said ‘Who do you support? and I replied ‘Nobody, really’. I just go and watch ‘my’ players who I have brought through.

“I am a Barnsley lad and want my hometown club to do well, but I just want to watch my players do well really.

“I have always had that mindset.”

Two of Burton’s success stories on the current books at Oakwell include Matty Wolfe and Jack Walton, who are both likely to be part of the club moving forward into 2022-23.

The emergence of Wolfe was one of the few positives in a wretched 2021-22 campaign for Barnsley and Burton has high hopes for the Wakefield-born midfielder, whose progress was rewarded by way of a new two-year deal in April.

Burton commented: “With Wolfie, we had to fight tooth and nail to get him at 16 as he had a lot of injuries and did not really perform at Under-16s.

“But he had massive potential there and he is a future Barnsley captain. Me and Paul Heckingbottom went in and said that.”