Former Barnsley defender snapped up by club in seventh tier after 'fight' for signature
Former Barnsley defender Jordan Helliwell has joined non-league outfit Gainsborough Trinity.
A graduate of the Reds academy, Helliwell ascended the youth ranks at Oakwell before making a handful of senior appearances. He was loaned out on three separate occasions, with one of his temporary switches taking him to Esbjerg fB in Denmark.
Barnsley released the 22-year-old last year and he has since plied his trade in the non-league pyramid. He has represented the likes of Brighouse Town and AFC Totton, but has now stepped up to the seventh tier.
After putting pen to paper, Helliwell said: "When I learned of Gainsborough's interest, it was an easy decision. After speaking with Russ [Wilcox, Gainsborough boss], it was clear that the club's goals and vision perfectly aligned with my own ambitions. This felt like the ideal environment for the next chapter of my career.
"For this season, my personal goal is to play as many games as possible while making a contribution to the team's success. Collectively, our objective is to finish as high up the table as possible, with the ultimate aim of achieving promotion. I'm excited about the journey ahead and committed to helping Gainsborough achieve great things.”
Gainsborough compete in the Northern Premier League Premier Division and are led by former York City boss Russ Wilcox.
Wilcox said: "We are delighted to bring Jordan to Gainsborough Trinity. He’s a player I’ve admired for a few years now. We’ve had to fight off competition to get the deal over the line. He will bring quality and versatility to the group.
"He’s young and hungry to play at the highest level he can, which is the type of player we want at our football club. Welcome to Gainsborough Jordan."