Just 24 hours after ex Reds striker Michael Boulding notched a goal in a 3-0 pre-season win for Mansfield against Barnsley, the 34 year old striker has made a sensational return to Oakwell, and has offered to play for FREE.
Boulding had a decent stint with the Reds in the 2004-2005 season when he bagged 10 goals in 35 games, but was training with Mansfield after his release from Bradford this summer. His performance and goal against The Reds on Wednesday persuaded manager Mark Robins to give him a chance back in the second tier of English football, where he hasn’t played since a brief loan spell at Cardiff in 2005.
Robins told www.barnsleyfc.co.uk:
"He played against us yesterday in a training match and did very well. Afterwards he phoned me and offered to come back to Oakwell and play for free. In this day and age and, after some of the things I have heard this summer, it is a very refreshing change to have someone offer that although Michael will have to earn whatever he gets here.
"There are a lot of games coming up in pre-season so it gives him the opportunity to stake a claim for a longer stay. I know Michael and he is a player I tried to sign at Rotherham and he deserves this opportunity.
"We are still working hard and pursuing other targets and hopefully more things will start to come together soon".