Defender interviewed pre-Morecambe
Adam Barrett says his loan switch to AFC Wimbledon has given him a new lease of life at the age of 34 – and he is determined to help the Dons to a successful season.
for the JPT Ultimate Finish Goal of the Month award, Barrett was quick to remind us that he was once a prolific goalscorer! In 2004/05, Barrett struck 11 goals from midfield to quickly establish himself as a favourite with Southend in his first season at Roots Hall.nominatedDuring an in-depth interview for Dons Player, Barrett (pictured) talked about leaving Gillingham behind, feeling at home with Wimbledon and academy product Ben Harrison’s emergence. And after being
Though the goals have dried up a little since, Barrett’s performances for Wimbledon suggest there’s plenty in the tank yet.
“When you are looking forward to coming in every day it’s a good thing and there’s a lot of positivity around the place here,” said Barrett. “I know we had an indifferent run, but hopefully we can start climbing the table now. We have a strong squad and I believe we’ve got enough to have a successful season. I knew a few of the lads here already, but I’ve been made to feel very welcome. It’s a very good club with a good set-up.
“I captained Gillingham for two years and managed to win the title there. The manager wanted to go down a different route and that’s fair enough. I was happy to stay there and help them as much as possible, but then this opportunity came up and I’m delighted to be here. At this stage of my career I wanted to be playing games and I’m thoroughly enjoying my time with Wimbledon.”
The Dons host another team flying high in League 2 tomorrow with Morecambe providing the opposition and Barrett knows it will be tough. However, he believes that Wimbledon will be a match for anyone this season if they can repeat the spirit that proved too much for Burton on Tuesday.
“I’ve played against Kevin Ellison many times before and he has been fantastic for Morecambe,” added Barrett. “He’s their talisman, but they also have other good players and Morecambe have had a great start to the season. They got beat the other night, but they will come here full of confidence and it should be a cracking game. We had a great result the other night and we will be aiming to build on that.
“We produced the best team performance since I’ve been here against Burton. We had that grit and determination that we showed at Luton and Southend. If we can reach the levels of the other night and find a little bit of consistency then we are going to be a hard team to face. The fans can play their part because in the last two home games they have been tremendous. We gave them something to shout about the other night and they can give us a lift.”
Andy Frampton will be back in the squad tomorrow and Barrett has welcomed the availability of a player he knows so well from their days together at Gillingham. With Ben Harrison having slotted in effectively at left-back, Barrett believes competition for places in defence can only be a good thing for the Dons.
“It is fantastic news that Andy is back,” said Barrett. “It’s up to the manager to decide and we will respect whatever he does. Whether we are playing alongside each other or not we just want the best results for this football club. I played in the same team as Andy and he is a great character to have around the place.
“The competition for places shows the strength we’ve got in the squad. I’ve been really impressed with Ben Harrison. He’s got a real calmness about him. Ben has no fear and he plays like he’s in the park on a Sunday morning. You don’t want people to get carried away because he’s only played two games, but he has done extremely well. I’m sure the manager will nurture Ben and if he keeps progressing then he will have a really bright future.”
The full nine-minute interview with Adam Barrett appeared on Dons Player yesterday.