CALLUM: MY CUPS & DOWNS
Barnet v Brentford Tomorrow, KO 7.45pm, live on BT Sport 2
BARNET’S Callum Reynolds knows all about the ups and downs of football – but he wants to keep his team on the high they’re enjoying in the FA Cup.
His career has seen him at the now-defunct Rushden and Diamonds as a trainee.
His mentor in Northamptonshire, Paul Hart, then picked up the head of the academy job at Portsmouth and took the teenage defender with him.
Reynolds added: “I turned up and there were three Champions League winners in the squad — Andy Cole, Pedro Mendes and Kanu. Sol Campbell had scored in the final, 12 months earlier.
“Lauren had been at Arsenal, Glen Johnson had won the Premier League, Kevin-prince Boateng, who has just just joined Barcelona, went from Portsmouth to AC Milan. Lassana Diarra went to Real Madrid... it was a brilliant time to be there.
“But I fractured my foot and couldn’t get back in at that level. I went from non-league to the Premier League and back down again.
“You always want to prove you can do it at a higher level and this FA Cup run has given me that chance.”
A clean sheet at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United has set up the live TV tie against Brentford.
Reynolds, 29, is honest enough to admit that Barnet have a chance. But the element of surprise has vanished.
He said: “We did well against Sheffield United. I think we deserved it on the balance of play.
“But, had Billy Sharp started, it might have been a different result because the movement of top strikers is so good.”