TALISMANIC former Barnsley goalkeeper Luke Steele’s spell as manager at Peterborough Sports may be over but he says some of the Reds’ loanees he had during his time were phenomenal.

The 41-year-old was joint manager of the sixth-tier side from 2023 and 2025 and he says he enjoyed his first managerial job.

During his time he took on a number of Barnsley players including youngsters Jonathan Bland and Bayley McCann – two players who he is full of praise for.

Bland was recalled from his loan spell down south by former manager Darrell Clarke and has gone on to be a regular in Conor Hourihane’s side this season.

Steele told the Chronicle: “He was absolutely brilliant.

“He came into a side that was struggling and he played some positions that weren’t his.

“We had some words about how you have to respect every team you’re in and play wherever you’re told.

“At such a young age he just got it.

“He had the aggression, the passion. He understood those hard yards and I can honestly say that in training he was exactly like he was on the pitch on a Saturday.

“I think he’s a really bright lad and as long as there’s good people around him, he’s got a good future ahead of him.”

Bland has previously said that the former Reds ‘keeper helped him both on and off the field.

Luke added: “I said to him that it’s not all about talking at half-time or after the game. Especially as a young lad you have to prove and earn that right to speak.

“He totally got that. That’s what you want as a coach and a manager.

“To be a successful player you have to be coachable. And he is that in a nutshell.”

Youngster Bayley McCann is another young Reds midfielder Steele has high hopes for.

“I don’t think a lot of people had given him a whole lot of chances at the time he came,” he said.

“I just saw something in him that I really liked.

“I think he’s going to be somebody – probably in the next 18 months or so – that will start to flourish.”