Barnsley FC striker Max Watters on being 'thrown in the deep end' at Championship outfit Cardiff City and paying back the faith shown by the League One club

It toughened up him mentally, mainly thanks to loan spells with the Reds and MK Dons.

Watters, who has signed an initial three-year deal following a temporary stint in the second half of 2022-23, was plunged straight into a Championship relegation battle at Cardiff in mid-season after arriving from League Two side Crawley, for £1m in 2021.

Events conspired against him with the manager who signed him in Neil Harris sacked just days after he arrived.

It was the precursor to a difficult stint in the Principality, with Watters indebted to the faith of Barnsley, who maintained their interest this summer.

The one-time Doncaster Rovers player told The Yorkshire Post: "I was thrown in at the deep end (at Cardiff). In the first week, the manager who bought me in was sacked and they brought in a different manager who didn't like the way I played. So I went on loan the next season and did well. I know what I can do and my potential and hopefully I can show that at Barnsley.

"Going on loan gives you experience and toughens you up as a player. Hopefully, I can bring all that experience to Barnsley.

"It doesn't take long to get my career back to where I want it to be. Barnsley have shown faith in me and I have got to pay them back now."

Despite being on loan, Watters became emotionally invested in Barnsley last term and admits that the pain of play-off final defeat was hard to get over. His return to Oakwell provides a chance for redemption.

Watters, who says he will be fit and available for the start of the season despite not being involved with the Cardiff first-team in pre-season, continued: "There is definitely unfinished business, I think every player thinks that.

"It definitely was not a case of forgetting about it and moving on. It was still in the back of my head. I knew if the opportunity was to come back, I'd take it straightaway. Luckily, that's happened.”