'Chilled out' Barnsley FC player Will Hondermarck on his fiery side

YOUNG Barnsley midfielder Will Hondermarck may profess to being a 'chilled out person' - but sometimes appearances can be deceptive.
Barnsley FC midfielder Will Hondermarck, pictured back in January when he joined Harrogate Town. Picture courtesy of Harrogate Town AFCBarnsley FC midfielder Will Hondermarck, pictured back in January when he joined Harrogate Town. Picture courtesy of Harrogate Town AFC
Barnsley FC midfielder Will Hondermarck, pictured back in January when he joined Harrogate Town. Picture courtesy of Harrogate Town AFC

The 20-year-old, who recently joined the Reds following a trial period, has enjoyed an earlier than expected elevation to the first team and was handed a baptism of fire from the bench in Barnsley's heated draw at Stoke City on September 15.

Hondermarck came on as a late substitute at the bet365 Stadium in what proved to be a controversial finale.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Home right-back Tommy Smith was sent off - and three more red cards arrived for Barnsley assistant head coach Joe Laumann and Stoke coaches Dean Holden and Rory Delap following an ugly mass skirmish involving both benches.

Stoke were fined £10,000 and Barnsley received an £8,000 punishment following the ill-tempered draw, in a game which saw Hondermarck cautioned during his brief cameo on the pitch.

Despite the furore, it was a game which saw Barnsley deliver one of their best results of a tough start to the season on an evening when they showed fight and resolve.

They are qualities which will be needed in the weeks and months ahead as the Reds seek to arrest a torrid opening third of the campaign.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Speaking to the Not The Top 20 podcast, 6ft 1in midfielder Hondermarck, born in France and raised in the Republic of Ireland, said: "I am a very 'chilled out' person and very relaxed. Anybody that knows me does know that I am very, very relaxed.

"But there are just moments in a game when I am zoned in on the game that when something happens and when my team-mates are involved, I will be straight there.

"It is not that I am aggressive and want to fight, but I just want to protect my team-mates and we are all good, safe and fine.

"When you see three Stoke City players on a Barnsley player, you don't really want to be seeing that and you want to be seeing your team-mates there and that you are backing them, making sure they are fine and not getting grabbed by anyone. That was the main thing, not the fight and causing any trouble."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Formerly with Norwich, Hondermarck spent time on loan in Yorkshire last term at Harrogate Town ahead of his switch to Oakwell earlier this season.

Initially earmarked for involvement with the under-23s in the Professional Development League campaign, Hondermarck was promoted to the first team due to injuries and he followed his debut at Stoke with another appearance from the bench in the home draw with Blackburn.

On his bow at Stoke, he added: "I really, really enjoyed it, to be fair. Especially because I was enjoying it with the fans because we have not had fans for a long, long time. My first game back was in Stoke City stadium and it was a deafening environment.

"There were over 15,000 people there and I really relish those moments and enjoy them because of the fans and size of the games. Obviously, I am playing Championship games and they are really big games.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Where you are twenty and trying to get into the Barnsley first team and all of sudden, you are playing a Championship league game that you need to win, it is a big responsibility, but one that every (young) player would love to get."