Angus MacDonald is hoping to continue his excellent start at Barnsley against his former club Reading tomorrow.
The centre-back, 23, came through the Reading youth system but was released at the age of 20 in 2013, having never played for the first team. He then spent a season at Salisbury before spending two years at Torquay who sold him to Barnsley last month.
“The game means a little bit more to me but I won’t change anything from the last few games,” said MacDonald.
“I had good and bad times there. It was disappointing when I got released. I was there a long time and I would have liked to have made an appearance.
“I was only around the first team a couple of times but it was a good experience. I am proud to be back in the same division as them. It was a shock that Barnsley signed me and it still hasn’t sunk in.”
Reading’s current manager Jaap Stam was a world famous centre-back for the likes of Manchester United and the Dutch national team. MacDonald said: “You look up to people like him, especially in my position. He was one of the best defenders out there.”
Following the sale of Alfie Mawson to Swansea, MacDonald was put into the first team and has impressed alongside his former England C team-mate Marc Roberts in the wins over Rotherham, Preston and Wolves.
The only goal the Reds have conceded in MacDonald’s three matches was a screamer from Preston’s Aiden McGeady on Saturday. He said: “Obviously it’s hard filling Mawson’s shoes but I have come in and I am just going to keep working hard.
"I couldn’t have asked for a better start. I tried not to think about who I was replacing. I just wanted to do my best for the team. It’s a big step up but I think I have done quite well so far.
“I have known Robbo for a while. We got on when we played for England C and we have a good partnership.”
MacDonald and Roberts are two of several players who have made their way to the Championship via spells in non-league football. He said: “Everyone is hungry, you look at the likes of me, Robbo, Andy (Yiadom), Marley (Watkins) and a few others who have come from non-league. We have been down there and played at the bad stadiums.
"We have gone to Braintree on a Tuesday night but we have been striving to play at places like Molineux like we did this week. I have had my fair share of knockbacks so once you get that chance you have to take it.
"I was on trial at Birmingham, Leicester and a few other places. It was a ‘no’ here and a ‘no’ there and you are thinking ‘am I ever going to get a club?’ I looked at going into other careers but I signed for Torquay and it has gone on from there.”
