Barnsley FC spell 'stood me in good stead', says Leeds United midfielder
Leeds United midfielder Joe Rothwell has claimed his short stint on Barnsley’s books “stood him in good stead”.
Barnsley borrowed Rothwell’s services from Manchester United in 2015, tying him to a six-month loan deal.
However, illness curtailed his time at Oakwell and he left with just seven outings under his belt.
Reflecting on his South Yorkshire spell, Rothwell told the More Than A Match podcast: “I ended up going to Barnsley, which was my first ‘proper’ loan. It was at the start of the season.
“I ended up doing about two or three months, [and] got a really bad bout of tonsillitis. I had to go back to get my tonsils taken out and ended up just going back to United after that.
“That didn’t quite work out how I wanted it to in the end. But [it was] another learning experience which has stood me in good stead and probably helped me to where I am today.”
Despite the short nature of his spell at Barnsley, Rothwell was still offered fresh terms by Manchester United at the end of the season.
He turned down the offer, instead seeking first-team football in League One with Oxford United. It was a decision that allowed him to climb the pyramid, as his exploits with the U’s landed him a move to the Championship with Blackburn Rovers.
The cultured midfielder stepped up again in 2022, joining Premier League outfit AFC Bournemouth on a free transfer.
Having clinched promotion from the Championship as a Southampton loanee last season, Rothwell is now looking to emulate the feat as a temporary member of the Leeds squad.
He has been a key figure under Daniel Farke this season, amassing 39 appearances in all competitions.
Although he has endeared himself to the Elland Road faithful, the 30-year-old has remained coy over his future.
Speaking to Leeds Live, he said: “I've not really thought about it [his future]. The full focus now is getting the club back to the Premier League.
“I've said it from day dot really, I've loved my time here and whether that continues, that's not up to me. That’s between the club and my agent, but I'll just concentrate on doing what I've got to do and hopefully help this club get back up to the Premier League.”