SA keeper rewarded with contract extension in Europe

After helping Irish side Portadown FC to survive relegation, South African goalkeeper Jethren Barr has been rewarded with a three-year contract by the Ireland based club.

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Barr, a former Bidvest Wits, Maritzburg United and South Africa junior national teams player having represented his birth at Under-17 (Amajimbos), Under-20 (Amajita) and Under-23 level, will now be part of the Irish club squad until 2025 playing in the Northern Irish Football League known as the Danske Bank Premiership.

The 26-yearsold shot-stopper first season with the Shamrock Reds saw him display some incredible displays for the side, which saw him earn the team’s Player-of-the-Year award last month after making 39 appearances for the club.

Portadown went on to finish the league in 11th place after 33 games, accumulating 24 points in the process and retained their top flight status in the relegation/promotion play-offs against Annagh United, winning 4-2 on aggregate.

Born in KwaZulu-Natal, Barr says he is happy to have had his contract extended after his first season in Europe and thanked the club’s management for trusting him.

“Since I arrived at Portadown, I was always made very welcome by the club, it’s staff as well as all the fans and I appreciated all of it. For me to stay was an easy decision, I love the club and supporters and can really see it’s a special kind of club and I believe I can help bring Portadown back to where they belong,” Barr was quoted on Portadown’s website.

“Another factor in committing my future to the club is my goalkeeper coach Simon Hunter, he’s full of knowledge and always available to do extra sessions and has helped me improve a lot since arriving. I would like to thank the directors of Portadown for believing in me so much and I’m grateful we could come to an agreement.”

Barr might have extended his stay with Portadown, but the shot-stopper hasn’t made it a secret that he would one day want to see his career go to the next level by playing in bigger leagues in Europe.