Barnsley have confirmed the departure of central defender Will Smith, who has joined Harrogate.

The 20-year-old made his debut for the Tykes last season, but that was his only appearance before he made to National League North side Darlington, where he scored one goal in 14 matches.

Smith captained the Barnsley under 23s side last season, but he failed to make an impression in the first team during his time in South Yorkshire.

He becomes Barnsley's fifth departure of the summer, following the release of Lloyd Isgrove and Zeki Fryers, as well as the departures of Adam Jackson and Ryan Hedges, who joined Hibernian and Aberdeen upon the expiry of their contracts.

Harrogate Town finished fifth in the National League last year, and have already added three players in their bid to better that finish. Smith will be their fourth addition, and he is somewhat of a risk given how few games he has played in his albeit short career so far.

Despite that, it should be an excellent opportunity for the youngster to prove himself and he will hope to play a big part for his new club as they look to push for promotion.

The Verdict

This is an unsurprising move given how few chances Smith has been given at Barnsley. It is a shame as he has potential, which is evidence by him captaining the youth side.

His loss will be Harrogate's gain. The National League, despite being physical, can be a great division for young players to learn the game. If he does well Harrogate could easily mount another promotion challenge, and one way or another he could be back in the EFL soon.

So, it will be interesting to see how his career develops over the years.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.