Former Shrewsbury Town winger Ryan Barnett: I wanted to become a club legend

Barnett, now 23, signed for Salop at the age of eight and at one stage looked like he was going to nail down a regular starting spot.

However, in 2021 he was released and went on to sign for Solihull Moors. His impressive form then led to a big move to Wrexham earlier this year, and he helped them over the line and win promotion back to the Football League.

The winger, who also had an impressive stints with AFC Telford United, has opened up about Salop and Wrexham on a new episode of the In The Stiffs podcast, presented by former Shrewsbury players Dave Edwards, Sam Aiston and Gavin Cowan.

On his Shrewsbury days, Barnett explained how under Sam Ricketts he look likely to have the chance to earn a first team spot, but that evaporated when Steve Cotterill arrived.

He said: "I should have gone on loan in my second year as a scholar and played men's football every week really.

"I then went to Telford and it was one of the best things I could have done to be honest, being in a men's changing room, getting abuse by fans, getting three points, I needed that.

"Sam Ricketts gave me another year at Shrewsbury and said to prove myself and I started to play more regularly, in all the cups and then I started to start games in the league, then if not starting on the bench.

"Steve Cotterill came in and I wasn't in the squad and I went to see him and knocked on his door, and he said they were winning and he couldn't change it, which I understood, but he didn't give me anything to work on really.

"I'd rather him have said, work on this and that and come back, or I'm not in the plans.

"I still loved Shrewsbury, I was there from 8 to 21 but I was frustrated in the club and myself really, because I'd come so far and I wanted to be a Shrewsbury Town regular, a club legend.

"I went back and knew what was going to happen, I was going to be released and I didn't want to be there really."

While at Salop, Barnett had three separate loan spells at the New Bucks Head, but also spent time at Gloucester City and then Solihull, before making a permanent move to the Moors.

It was in one game his last loan loan spell where things could have been dramatically different for Barnett, and his career could have gone in another direction.

During a clash with Barnet an innocuous incident with former Bucks defender Lee Vaughan almost ended in disaster.

He added: "I had a short loan at Solihull and Lee Vaughan pulled my shoulder and I was facing him and fell to the floor, he went to jump over me and his boot and studs landed on my eye.

"I just remembered a click, and then blood pouring down.

"I went to hospital and the doctors said one or two centimetres to the right I'd have lost my eye. The bone where my eye brow is had pretty much collapsed, but they didn't operate because they said it would be too destructive too my face, so I am glad they didn't."

Barnett recovered and went on to become a fans favourite at Solihull and last season was being linked with a return to an EFL club.

However, in early 2023, Wrexham came calling and after Solihull accepted a bid, Barnett admitted he was handed a deal he simply could not turn down.

He helped the club win promotion back to the EFL last season and has experienced all the Hollywood glamour that owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have brought to the club.

However, he explained on the podcast how he almost got off on the wrong foot with Reynolds.

Barnett added: "I remember the day I signed that evening I went to the hotel and was chilling and I got in the bath. My phone pinged and the number was +1 and it was Ryan Reynolds.

"He said he was glad I signed and lets get out of the National League, but I almost accidentally Facetimed him in the bath.

"I was in a state of nerves and went to save his number and clicked Facetime!

"He flew over a few weeks later and I met him and I met Rob after a game.

"They are normal people as weird as it sounds for all their fame, you forget who they are."