Wing-back Cadden hoping to add to list of promotions after joining Barnsley
NICKY Cadden has already won three promotions in his short career and is targeting a fourth next season with new club Barnsley.
The 25-year-old Scottish left wing-back joined the Reds this week on a two-year contract after leaving Forest Green Rovers whom he helped to the League Two title last season.
Cadden told the Chronicle: “You play the game to get promoted and win trophies and medals. If we can do it again this year it would be amazing.
“I have just come off one promotion and want another at Barnsley but we know it’s a big challenge.”
Barnsley forward Jack Aitchison was on loan at Forest Green last season, while Liam Kitching left the Gloucestershire club for Oakwell last year. Cadden said: “I get along with them both really well. Jack was my room-mate last year and there is the Scottish connection. I kept in touch with Kitch after he left Forest Green. They have helped me bed in a lot.”
Cadden has been converted into the wing-back role. He said: “I was a winger then I moved to left wing-back at Forest Green.
“The way Forest Green played and the way the gaffer wants to play here, it is like being a winger with a wee bit more defending. We should have a lot of the ball this season and hopefully I don’t need to defend as much. I am an old-fashioned wide player, I like to hit the byline and get crosses in the box. I want to get assists and goals.”
Cadden was impressed by Michael
Duff’s Cheltenham when he came up against them in League Two.
“They played the same system we played (3-5-2). They always worked really hard. They drew against us then beat us. They won the league and they were really good.”
Cadden is from a footballing family. His father Steve was a lower league player in Scotland while twin brother Chris plays for Hibernian in the top flight and has two caps for the national team.
“It’s massive. My parents try to watch all our games, sometimes they have two screens at home with our two games on. “My dad is my biggest critic.
“I scored a hat-trick last season and he told me the things I had done wrong. He keeps me grounded.
“My brother is doing really well.
Hopefully we can both have good seasons. We will watch each other’s games on TV and ring each other up and say what we think. We’re really close.”
Cadden was released by Motherwell aged 15 then moved to third tier parttime outfit Airdrieonians for whom he played 40 first team games, while training to be an accountant. He then moved to professional club Livingston and helped them to successive promotions to the Scottish Premiership, in which he made 12 appearances but dropped back into the second tier with Ayr then Greenock Morton. He moved to Forest Green in 2020 and, after making 33 appearances in his first League Two season, played all but two matches as they won the title in the most recent season – scoring six goals and adding 12 assists.