Trophy winner Ivan Toney eyes Wembley return

He was featuring for loan side Barnsley at Wembley in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final, writes Lewis Cox.

Half a month after his 20th birthday, not bad for a promising forward who had also already secured a potential career-defining move to Newcastle United. He may have started on the bench that day, but Toney was to have his say.

Coming on in the 66th minute, the score was 1-1.

Just two minutes later the Tykes edged ahead with the forward involved in the build-up and come the final whistle Wembley was a sea of red – with Toney leading the celebrations.

The former Northampton Town starlet, who shone at Sixfields to earn a move to the north-east, has already formed a unique bond with the home of football.

Toney and Barnsley returned to London the following month in the League One play-off final, this time he arrived from the bench with nine minutes to play after a 3-1 success was already sealed.

"I won it with Barnsley, it was amazing at Wembley. I've been twice now with the play-offs too but winning the trophy at 20-years-old doesn't really sink in," said the striker, who insists that he got the final touch on Junior Brown's credited match-winner last week against Chesterfield. "But getting a medal is an amazing feeling.

"It was an up and down game, end-to-end stuff but we managed to see it out and win 3-2.

"It's a good achievement, I was delighted with myself as well as the team and hopefully Shrewsbury is the next team I'll win it with."

Another format change to the competition, now named the EFL Trophy and arranged into a four-team group style competition before knockout rounds, has not helped its stock.

Certain supporters claim the competition asks too much of players and fans, with opposition based on the other side of the country when previously rounds were regionalised. But Toney, who has enjoyed the glamour that the competition can bring, insists the end goal should motivate all players.

The striker's loan deal is up shortly after Christmas, so should he help Town progress deep into the competition, he could miss the showpiece.

He said: "Everyone will be thinking 'oh it's a little game' but they have to see the big picture.

"There's a final at the end of it, a trophy to lift and I want to be doing that!

"Obviously everyone knew the end result was to play at Wembley in front of a big crowd on a lovely pitch and everybody wanted to do that so that's why we got there and wanted it more than the others.

"The further that you got you could feel it growing and thinking that fans are all coming to the games. Everyone wants it and is enjoying it, it's something to look forward to.

"That's the funny side of things (loan ending), but I'm sure that if I'm doing well and if they want me here then I'll stay for longer – after having a chat with the manager!"

Toney, like his Salop team-mates, impressed despite defeat in the EFL Cup last week, a clash that took the frontman back nearer to his Newcastle home.

"It would've meant a lot to score against Sunderland," he said.

"We went close to getting on the scoresheet but it wasn't meant to be."