BAYLEY McCann says the only time he made contact with his father Grant in the days leading him to their meeting as rivals on Tuesday night was to ask him for the family Netflix login.

The normally close pair were on opposite sides in midweek as Barnsley left-back Bayley, 18, made his first senior start against Doncaster Rovers, who are managed by his dad – a former Reds player.

Bayley told the Chronicle: “It was written in the stars to make my full debut against my dad’s team. It’s one of the best things I’ve heard about.

“We have barely spoken. The only thing I called him about was logging into our Netflix. I was just trying to keep calm and take things in my stride.

“I had a good performance.

“I was more excited than nervous.

“My dad has watched me in every game and playing against his team just made me more excited and want to play better.”

Grant had a long career in the EFL and was an international for Northern Ireland. Bayley, who joined the Reds from his dad’s previous club Peterborough, said: “It’s been really good having him around as someone to keep me going and motivated. He pushed me to my limits every single day. In the off-season, he would take my duvet off me, pull me out of bed and make me run early, early in the morning.”

Bayley cleared two shots off the line in Barnsley’s 3-1 defeat in the EFL Trophy.

“I was happy to make the clearances off the line. A few of the Doncaster boys were saying: ‘that’s unbelievable, I don’t know how you’ve done that.’”

Grant McCann added: “I didn’t really envisage I was going to be managing against him when he was born but I’m really pleased for him. I didn’t know he was starting. I guessed he was when he hadn’t texted me.

“I’m really pleased for him because I thought he played very well in the game and, on his first start, he’s played against numerous very good players and saved Barnsley a couple of goals with goalline clearances.

“It’s a really proud moment for us all.

“Driving in I said to Cliff (Byrne, his assistant coach) I hoped we won but I hoped he played really well.

“I couldn’t be more happy.”