AIDEN Marsh is ‘very upset’ about being let go by hometown club Barnsley but will ‘use it as fire’ to launch a new chapter in what he hopes is a long professional career.

The striker, who turned 22 on Monday of last week, was informed the next day by head coach Conor Hourihane that he would be released.

Marsh, from Monk Bretton, came through the Reds youth system then played 36 times for the first team.

He is the only Oakwell academy graduate, from Barnsley, to start a league game since 2016.

Marsh told the Chronicle: “It’s probably one of the worst bits of news I have ever had in my life.

“I am very upset about it. I love the club and it’s all I’ve known since I had a season ticket when I was four.

“I am gutted but that’s life.

“You’re going to get ups and downs.

“It’s a rollercoaster. It’s how you bounce back from these moments.

“I will dust myself down and keep moving forward.

“I had a chat with Conor.

“He had come to the conclusion that I wasn’t going to be at Barnsley next season.

“I have to accept it and move forward.

“I did all I could but it’s not worked out. I wish the club all the best.”

Marsh spent the second half of the season on loan in the Scottish second tier with Raith Rovers, scoring three goals but mainly coming off the bench.

He says the news of his release from the Reds was not totally unexpected and is now hoping to replicate the likes of Jordan Clark, from Hoyland, who was let go by Barnsley ten years ago before playing in the Premier League with Luton last season.

Marsh said: “I kind of knew it was coming because I didn’t have any contact with the club while I was in Scotland, so I thought the writing was on the wall.

“I had been coming to terms with it for a little while.

“I knew I had to go to Scotland and do well to get my name out there and prepare for next season.

“I had a lengthy chat with Bobby (Hassell, academy manager) after the news broke. He mentioned that a lot of people get released by clubs and have really good careers so I just have to make sure I am the next one.

“I will use it as fire and make sure whatever I do next I do it right.

“I will use this feeling of rejection and hurt, and turn it into something useful and positive then come back stronger.”

Marsh was on the Barnsley first team bench as a 16-year-old in 2020 then made his debut the following year in a 1-0 home loss to Bournemouth.

He netted on his first league start against Preston after the Reds had been relegated in 2022, then scored three more cup goals.

“I have achieved some things that nobody can take away from me – Academy Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, I scored at Oakwell and played 30-odd times for my football club.

“Obviously there are other things I would have liked to achieve but what I have done, I’ve done in front of all my friends and family.

“I have memories I will take with me through my life.

“There are a lot of positives.

“The highlight would be scoring in the Championship on my full league debut.

“The feeling after that, if I could bottle it and sell it, I would be a multi-millionaire.

“But I enjoyed the whole journey – signing my scholarship and my first professional contract.

“I have met friends for life at the club and I would like to say a big thank you to all the coaches who developed me.

“I will always look out for the Barnsley results.

“There are a couple of young lads from Barnsley in the academy and it would be lovely to see somebody come through and flourish. I am wishing them all the best.”

Marsh often began seasons in the first team squad, making appearances in August, but would then be loaned out to the likes of Scunthorpe and York – while he also suffered some injuries.

“There were a couple of times I felt like I was coming on in games and making an impact, then I seem to have got injured or been sent out on loan and I don’t know if that worked out well for me. But I don’t have any regrets.”

Marsh knows his next move is an important one.

He said: “I am trying to do as much as I can to get a few options and go with what feels right for me.

“All I want to do is play football, it’s been all I have known since I was born.

“I love the game and I want to play as much as I can. I am getting to the age where I have to be playing consistently.

“I believe in my abilities and I think I can go far if someone gets their arm round me and says: ‘just go and play and do your thing’.”