Barnsley FC teenager Bayley McCann on his mentor and dad, Grant - 'In off-season he'd pull my duvet off me and make me run early, early in the morning'
"It was written in the stars," said Bayley McCann after his first Barnsley start for on Tuesday night.
For most of a Barnsley persuasion, the club's final Football League Trophy group game of 2024 was a bit of a washout. Of the 1,813 who turned up at Oakwell to watch, 773 were in the away end.
That was because Barnsley had already been knocked out after back-to-back defeats.
But for McCann, Kieren Flavell, making his debut from the start and Callum West from the bench it was very important.
"It didn't really matter that there was nothing on the game, I wanted to stand out and make my mark and I did," said McCann. "The gaffer (Darrell Clarke) said he was happy with me and Blandy (Jonathan Bland). I can't complain."
That was only the half of it because McCann was facing a Doncaster Rovers team managed by his dad, mentor and off-season tormentor, ex-Barnsley midfielder Grant.
"It's one of the best things I've heard about, it was written in the stars to make my full debut against his team," said the 18-year-old Northern Ireland youth international.
"I was more excited than nervous. My dad's watched every game and to play against his team made me more excited and want to play better."
It worked. Normally viewed as a midfielder, Bayley played on the left of a back three and excelled, making a goalline stop to prevent Jordan Gibson putting Rovers in front, then an even better one in the 82nd minute to stop Kyle Hurst making it 3-1, heading a rocket of a shot bound for the top corner away.
"I don't think I've ever hit a ball cleaner than that one," admitted Hurst, who minutes later did get his goal to round off the win.
McCann even had a piledriver shot blocked in the build-up to Barnsley's goal.
For his dad, it was the perfect outcome as Rovers booked their place in the knockout stages.
"Driving in I said to Cliff (Byrne, his assistant) I hoped we won but I hoped he played really well," he said. "I couldn't be more happy."
At the end there were hugs and waves to mum Kelly, brothers Jesse and Frankie in the main stand.
No longer living at home, Bayley is regularly on the phone with Grant, who came through West Ham United's academy to play 39 times for his country, as well as for the likes of Barnsley, Cheltenham Town and Peterborough United. Not this week.
"We barely spoke," said the teenager. "The only thing I called him about was logging into Netflix!
"I was just trying to keep calm and not worry about it, getting into my stride and do the best I could. I did, I had a good performance.
"Having him around as someone to keep me going and push me to my limits every single day was great. In off-season he'd pull me out of my bed, take my duvet off me and make me run early, early in the morning to make sure I'd do it and the rest of the day I could chill out."
The fitness work told in the closing minutes.
"I didn't know he was starting," said Grant. "I guessed he was when he hadn't texted me.
"I didn't really envisage I was going to be managing against him when he was born but I'm really pleased for him.
"I'm really pleased for him because I thought he played very well in the game and on his first start to play against (Joe) Sbarra, (Tom) Nixon, (Ephraim) Yeboah, (Luke) Molyneux, he's played against numerous very good players and saved Barnsley a couple of goals with goalline clearances. It's a really proud moment for us all."
Barnsley not only like to promote youth but base their business model on it. In August 15-year-old Oliver Wilkinson became the youngest player to start a Barnsley match and Vimal Yoganathan got his first senior goals.
But it is not a gift.
"It's tough, there's a lot of pressure to deal with," said Barnsley assistant manager Martin Devaney, whose son Jacob is on a similar journey at Manchester United.
"We want to develop players who come through the academy, give them opportunities at this level and see if they can handle it because a lot of it is mentality.
"Some have (progressed), some haven't. Some have got a really good picture of whether they can handle this level. They've got to keep improving. Every day is a learning day."
So it was vital McCann and co did not just make up the numbers.
"I was happy to make the clearance off the line then made another one in the second half with my head," he said. "A few of the Doncaster boys were saying that was unbelievable. It was a good laugh.
"That first clearance sets my standard and brings out my passion under pressure. It made me want to do more and keep doing it.
"I hope for many more opportunities and I'm really thankful to the gaffer for putting his trust in me and believing in me."
Bayley McCann has always been able to rely on the trust and support of his family, but Tuesday will have swelled the ranks of his personal fan club.