ROBBIE Cundy was in the Wembley stands to watch Barnsley win a final, against his club, in 2016 and hopes to return there as a Reds player later this month.
The centre-back was a youth player with his hometown club Oxford United who lost the EFL Trophy final to Barnsley seven years ago.
The Reds are hoping to return to the national stadium for the League One play-off final on May 29 – the day before Cundy’s 26th birthday.
On the 2016 game, he told the Chronicle: “I was there as a first year pro.
“It was good. I was in the stands with a few of the other young players. It’s always good to go to Wembley and it would be lovely to go back there as a player for Barnsley in a few weeks.”
Cundy – who has a League Two promotion medal from his loan spell with Cambridge in the first half of the 2020/21 season – has never played in the play-offs. He said: “I am excited. It’s a weird one but it’s enjoyable. There is no better way of getting up. It is everyone’s ambition to go up a league. I am sure we can do it. But we just have to take it as it comes and try to win each half.”
Cundy has started 17 league games and come off the bench eight times after signing last summer. His start in the 4-4 draw at MK Dons on Saturday was his first since January when he picked up an injury and the Reds signed Bobby Thomas who is now first choice.
“I think I’ve done quite well when I’ve played. I think I was out for eight or nine weeks which is not ideal and it’s held me back. I was unfortunate with the timing of the injury. It was in January so rightly the gaffer has to look at getting someone else. I can’t complain because the boys have been doing well. It’s annoying but I just have to keep going.
“Everyone has a role to play even if you’re not in the squad. You have to train well so the boys can be at their best. You have to support the team. Coming off the bench is a big thing. The gaffer always makes quite a few subs. You have to be ready to make an impact.”
Cundy was used on the right of the back three on Saturday.
“I am used to playing in the middle but I have played on the right the majority of the time for Barnsley. The gaffer likes the outside centre-backs to step in and get more involved which I wasn’t used to but I have got used to it and I enjoy it.”
Before the play-offs, Barnsley host Peterborough in their final league game.
“We just have to go into every game with the same attitude. The gaffer is big on that and wants everything done right every single day. We’re not going to just stroll around in this one. We will try to get the win and get the performance level ready for the play-offs.”
