Mark Stallard signs for Barnsley!
By Michael Lynch
January 20 2004
Mark Stallard signed an 18-month contract earlier today and is set to make his debut for Barnsley against Brighton and Hove Albion this coming weekend.
Who was right then? Who was right then? My rumour
was right. But enough cockyness I'm supposed to be providing you with news!
He said: “To be fair the move has come about pretty
quickly and I only really found out from Notts yesterday that they did not want
me on their wage bill and were looking at other options. They have a new manager
in so I was very interested in coming to Oakwell as soon as I knew Barnsley were
after me. I came up, spoke to the people here today and their ambition matches
mine.
“I have had five good years at Notts and hopefully I will do a job here at
Barnsley and help us get promoted. It is always going to be disappointing to
leave there after five years because I made some good friends but the prospect
of playing at Oakwell is exciting. It is a challenge and I have come here to
score goals. I want to push us into the Play Offs and maybe onto automatic
promotion.
“I am ambitious. I want to do well here. I am 29 now and I am coming into the
latter stages of my career so I really want to have a go at it and go further in
my career. I think that I can do that here. Barnsley have given me the chance to
do that and I am more than happy to take it.
“I could have walked from Notts for nothing whenever I wanted because of the
situation there with administration but I do not believe in doing things like
that. I was enjoying my time there and there is always a right and wrong time to
do things. Now is the right time.
“I have been very impressed by what I have seen at Barnsley today. I have
spoken to the manager, director and chairman this afternoon and they have told
me their ambitions for the club. Those ambitions match mine and I have certainly
not come here to just waste a year or so of my career. I want to achieve things
here and I will give 110 per cent to ensure we get out of this division.
“I have signed an 18-month contract with the option for another year so
hopefully things will go well. That gives both sides the chance to see what will
happen over that time.
“I know Craig Ireland well from our time at Notts and played with Steve
Hayward at Derby. I know one or two others from playing against them and I am
looking forward to playing alongside them. There is a good squad here and you
can tell that by the position the team is in. I cannot wait to get in and help
get up to Division One”.
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