After making his senior debut in our South Yorkshire derby victory against Rotherham United on Tuesday evening, Jasper Moon is aiming to kick on and establish himself in the first team set-up.
The young defender replaced Alex Mowatt with three minutes remaining at the AESSEAL New York Stadium and played alongside fellow academy graduate Romal Palmer at the heart of midfield.
“I’m buzzing,” he exclaimed, speaking exclusively to iFollow Barnsley. “It’s a really proud moment for me and my family and everyone who has supported me along the way.
“I felt comfortable coming on because I’ve been on the bench a few times now and I’m getting more confident in myself, more confident with the lads and I think it was the right time really.”
Moon was one of four academy graduates on the pitch at full-time alongside Jack Walton, Victor Adeboyejo and the aforementioned Palmer.
Goalkeeper Henry Kendrick was also named amongst the substitutes in an ever-youthful matchday squad, and it would seem that the future is very bright for our up-and-coming prospects.
“It’s good for the whole academy,” insisted Moon. “I’ve been here since my scholar, so I’ve been here since I was 16, and worked my hardest, got all the way up and got on the pitch which is a really proud moment. It just shows the academy that there is a pathway.
“Obviously, there’s people before like Ben Williams, Jacob Brown and all the other lads – there is a big pathway.”
Speaking in his post-match interview, Valérien Ismaël praised Moon’s attitude in training and willingness to learn – asserting the time was right to reward him for his commitment.
The next step now for the 20-year-old is to make his full debut, and he is hopeful of achieving that goal before the end of the season.
“A start would be nice – that’s my aim for 2021,” continued Moon. “With this being the last game of 2020 I think it’s a good ending for me – it’s obviously been a sad year for a lot of people, but it’s a positive ending for me.
“So I’m hoping 2021 will be my year to shine and hopefully get a few starts.”
You can watch Jasper's post-match interview exclusively on iFollow Barnsley.
