Maidenhead United return for Sam Barratt

Vanarama National League Maidenhead United have re-signed their promotion winning winger Sam Barratt for the 2020/21 season.

Barratt departed EFL League Two Southend United in the summer after two seasons at Roots Hall following the club’s relegation from League One.

Formerly of Woodley United and Bracknell Town, Barratt moved to the Shrimpers in 2018 after 17 goals in 43 starts for Maidenhead.

The Essex side clearly saw enough in him to extend his contract in the summer of 2019. However, a succession of managers, two relegation battles, and an injury that kept him out until January 2020 appears to have cut the Berkshire stars time at the club short.

Barratt’s announcement tweet is worth the effort:

The attacker returns to a very different looking Maidenhead United side, not least a number of ins and outs this summer as Alan Devonshire looks to develop his squad and move away from the relegation battle that was 2019/20.

2020/21 marks the Magpies fourth campaign in the top-tier of non-league football after a promotion and title win in 2016/17 that upset all the odds – a team that Barratt was very much a part of.

Further reading – interviews by Neil Maskell

• Part 1: Boy interrupted: Sam Barratt is getting back to what he does best
• Part 2: Boy interrupted: ‘It’ll take a lot more to curtail Sam Barratt’s progress’

Read the full statement on the Maidenhead United website here.