TYKE CALLUM’S DOING IT FOR SCHOLESY
CALLUM STYLES has fired Barnsley to within three games of the Premier League and been labelled the ‘Bury Baggio’ – but revealed his success has been fuelled by the pain of rejection.
The skilful midfielder joined Burnley as a child and dreamt of making the grade at Turf Moor, only to be shown the door at the age of 16.
The 21-year-old reinvented himself at Bury, emerging as one of the finest young talents in the lower leagues before earning a £500,000 move to Barnsley in August 2018.
Styles said: “Being rejected by Burnley hit me quite hard because I’d been there for eight or nine years. It was all I knew.
“After not getting a scholarship there, I thought my career had ended.
“But, with the help of my family, I picked myself up and it just made me stronger mentally to have that desire to get where I always dreamed of. After a setback, it takes a huge mentality to go again, but I think you’ve just got to forget everything and be determined to prove people wrong. I’ve done that and it’s paying off.”
Tykes boss Valerien Ismael has worked wonders at Oakwell this season and transformed a side who scraped to safety last term into promotion contenders.
Barnsley’s place in the playoffs was confirmed last weekend and Styles added:
“The manager is a passionate born winner, who has instilled his desire in all of us. We’ve shown this season that we can beat anyone.”
Styles hails from Middleton, the same part of Manchester as boyhood idol Paul Scholes, and said: “He went to the same school as me – Cardinal Langley.
“He was highlighted at school as an inspiration, so to potentially play at Old Trafford for Barnsley next season would be unbelievable.”