Barnsley: New boy Ben Williams keen to repay the faith shown in him by Reds hierarchy

The 18-year-old impressed on trial at Oakwell last season and, after his release from Blackburn, has put pen to paper with Paul Heckingbottom’s Reds.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” Williams, pictured, said.

“It’s been a great decision to come here and now I sit here with a professional deal and just want to thank everyone for having faith in me. I can’t wait to get started, I’m ready to repay that faith and try and force myself into the first team reckoning.”

The left-back, who can also play on the left wing, has been capped by Wales at U17 level.

And Reds U23 head coach Paul Harsley admitted: “It was a real easy decision for the club to bring Ben back in on a permanent basis.

“He showed us in the latter stages of last season what he’s all about, and I look forward to working with him again in the weeks and months ahead.”

Meanwhile, Heckingbottom admits Barnsley would love to keep Josh Scowen at Oakwell.

Scowen, along with Marley Watkins, failed to agree a new deals at Oakwell beyond the end of the last campaign and Watkins since joined Norwich.

Scowen’s deal at Barnsley expires at the end of this month and Heckingbottom said: “We’d love to keep him about, but in reality that might not happen.

“He knows he’s wanted here, he knows how much myself, the staff and the fans think of him.

“He’s in a similar boat to Marley really. He’s played himself into a position where he’s done well and done well in the Championship.

“We’re in a position where we know all the clubs probably pay their players more than us, that’s the nature of this league for us. He’s going to explore that and that’s only natural.”

Scowen has made over 100 appearances for the Reds since joining in January 2015, but a number of clubs have been linked with his signature - including Championship sides Brentford and Fulham, as well as London rivals Queens Park Rangers.