Tongue-in-cheek Heckingbottom recalls 90s Wilson rejection

3 April 2016....... Barnsley v Oxford United Johnstone Paints Trophy Final, Wembley Stadium
Tykes manager Paul Heckingbottom with trophy. Picture by Tony Johnson — 3 April 2016....... Barnsley v Oxford United Johnstone Paints Trophy Final, Wembley Stadium Tykes manager Paul Heckingbottom with trophy. Picture by Tony Johnson

Paul Heckingbottom is out to get one over on a man who rejected the chance to sign him as a player in the 1990s.

The Barnsley caretaker boss recalls, tongue-in-cheek, a time when Danny Wilson was the bearer of bad news.

Heckingbottom, Barnsley born and bred, was a childhood season ticket holder at the town’s football club.

As a teenage footballer, he failed to win a professional deal at Old Trafford, and his hopes of joining the Tykes were then dashed by Wilson.

But the man who masterminded the Tykes’ win at Wembley in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy on Sunday, admits his Chesterfield counterpart is an ‘inspiration’.

Heckingbottom said: “Danny has been an inspiration to me, although I always remind him of when I came here after leaving Manchester United in the 90s looking for a pro deal and he said no.

“Danny was great to work for and a really good bloke with good values.

“To manage in more than 1,000 league games is unbelievable and I can see him going on, on and on.”

The Spireites’ place in the League One relegation dog fight doesn’t mean Heckingbottom is expecting a scrappy display from Saturday’s visitors.

“Chesterfield are fighting for their lives but, if we give them space to play, they will play good football,” he said.

“We need to impose ourselves on them.

“It will be an intense game for lots of reasons but hopefully we take our chances and make it an easy afternoon.”