Former Shrewsbury Town man Ryan Barnett out to avoid second play-off blow
Former Shrewsbury youngster Ryan Barnett is using Town play-off disappointment as fuel to avoid the same fate tomorrow – against his old manager.
Winger Barnett, who is from Dothill in Telford, is an influential part of the Solihull Moors team that faces Paul Hurst’s Grimsby Town in the National League play-off final at West Ham’s London Stadium (3pm).
The 22-year-old former AFC Telford loan starlet was handed his first professional deal at Shrews by Hurst but will tomorrow look to get one over his ex-boss and No.2 Chris Doig and lead the Moors into the Football League for the first time in their history.
“I think we’ve lost once in 23 in the league, the spirit is high in the camp, it has been all season, we’ve got a great group,” said Solihull’s young player of the season Barnett, who has enjoyed a fine breakthrough season of more than 10 assists and three goals for the Birmingham side.
“We just want the final to come now, the wait is killing us, everyone has excitement and nerves, you want to step over the white line.”
Barnett – as well as Grimsby counterpart John McAtee – were a youthful part of Hurst’s memorable Town class of 2017/18, who reached Wembley twice, in the EFL Trophy and play-off final.
He added: “To compare it I was in and around things for the League One play-off final with Shrewsbury so I saw how much it hurt the players to lose that game.
“I think I’ll just use that as a driver in my head, to make sure that we come out on top and win the game.
“But for me it’s obviously the biggest game I’ll have played in. It’s moved from Wembley to the London Stadium, but it’ll be the biggest stadium I’ve played in.
“You saw the disappointment on the players’ faces (in 2018) and they’re your mates, when you’re with them every day.
“I’ll only use it to try to make sure I give my best in the final so I’m not feeling the same way.”
Barnett will be roared on at the London Stadium by mum Kerry and dad Dave, who has not missed a game this season, as well as younger sister Isabel, 13, who plays for Shrewsbury and AFC Telford.
He spent 13 years in the Shrewsbury academy until being released by Steve Cotterill last summer. Barnett scored twice in 20 senior games, including eight League One appearances.
Former AFC Wimbledon and Notts County boss Neal Ardley’s Solihull are in flying form. A stunning run in the second half of the season saw them finish third in the National League. They saw off Chesterfield last weekend to secure the showpiece final.
By contrast, Hurst’s underdogs Grimsby managed a sixth-placed finish after fine form to end the campaign. Two late shows, against Notts County and – popularly from a Shrewsbury perspective – Wrexham, booked them their place in east London. Defender Luke Waterfall, another former Salop man, was the double goal hero last time out.
Barnett said of facing his old boss: “Paul was the first manager to give me a professional contract, I was one of the first he signed up when he came in.
“I did well in the youth team, Eric Ramsay and Andy Jones put me up to him and Doigy and me and (Ryan) Sears ended up on the bench, so we did OK in training.
“I owe Paul and Doigy quite a lot for showing the confidence in me to give me a contract.
“Hopefully we can beat them! But I’m very respectful towards those two, I have a lot of admiration for them.
“Me, Sears and John McAtee were coming through at that time. When they came in they needed to turn things around, but they still had us young boys in for training.
“They still cared about the academy even while fighting relegation. The training was always sharp, they expected nothing but hard work and desire, and then the second year they went on to the club’s best modern finish.”
