Barnsley FC signing David McGoldrick on Reds supporters labelling him as an 'old veteran'
DAVID McGOLDRICK insists he will prove that age is no barrier after signing for Barnsley at the seasoned age of 37.
The forward has enjoyed an 'Indian summer' since leaving Sheffield United in June 2022, excelling at boyhood club Notts County and Derby.
He said: "I went back to my team (Notts) thinking that would be the end of that. But I felt the exact same as I was three, four, five years ago.
"I thought ‘shall I call it a day at the end of that?’ But people you speak to who retired at my age or a little bit older say: ‘play as you as you can as you are a long time retired’.
"I got every award at Notts County and when I left Sheff U, I got the same and I when I left Derby.
"Barnsley fans might be thinking 'we have signed an old veteran’.
"But it’s for me to go and prove it’s not all about age, but what’s in the feet and up there."
Meanwhile, McGoldrick has stressed he will receive no ‘special treatment’ after linking up with his ex-Rams team-mate Conor Hourihane - now his manager at Oakwell despite being almost four years younger.
Both Hourihane and Reds assistant Richard Keogh were also international colleagues with the Republic of Ireland.
He commented: "We have to distance the friendship as there’s no hiding that we are friends.
"But I am a player and he (Hourihane) is my manager and there’s going to be times where he’s going to not want to play me and there’s going to be times when I am going to be wanting to play.
"This is a manager and player role and there is no difference or special treatment. There’s nothing like that."
Despite his senior status, McGoldrick had a number of offers when it was decided that he would not be staying at Notts.
In his two campaigns at Meadow Lane, he showed his considerable prowess and netted 17 goals in 35 appearances last season as the Magpies reached the League Two play-offs.
He continued: "I probably had about four or five offers from the minute the news broke about what happened at Notts.
"Different teams wanted me to come; some broke down, some didn’t and one obviously hasn’t here (at Barnsley).
"I was not in a rush as I wanted to make sure it was the right thing for me. This ticked the boxes for me, but there were a few options."