The son of Reds legend Bruce Dyer has been snapped up by Barnsley Academy – after being spotted by another Oakwell hero Dean Gorre.
Josiah Dyer, 8, is set to sign a 12-month deal with the Reds after youth coach Gorre saw him playing in the garden with his own son, who is on the books at Manchester United.
Dyer junior played local football in the South Yorkshire area and was approached by several academies – but chose to follow in his father’s footsteps and sign for Barnsley. Proud dad Bruce, who netted almost 70 times for the Reds, told the Chronicle: “I can’t take any credit for Josiah, it was my friend Dean Gorre who spotted him. We were at his house for dinner and Josiah was having a kick-about with Dean’s lad.
“Dean coaches kids throughout the country and when he saw Josiah he told me I needed to get him into an academy. I’ve never put any pressure on any of my sons to play football and I’d be proud of them whatever they decided to do with their lives. But obviously if Josiah made it then I’d be extremely delighted.”
Bruce says his son has a natural appetite for goals and is looking forward to seeing him in a Barnsley shirt.
“He can nick a goal even when he doesn’t play well and is a natural finisher. I chose Barnsley for him because of my own experience there.
“It’s a great set-up and when I was younger, my friends were at big clubs and I went to the smaller club in Watford and found I got more opportunities and I broke into the first team before any of the others. I’m settled in the Barnsley area and still go to the games and it was a no-brainer to let Josiah start at Oakwell.
“It’s a club I hold very close to my heart and who knows, Josiah might follow in my footsteps.”
