Barrow snap up Heed midfielder Regan Booty

Regan Booty has become the latest Gateshead player to land a move into the EFL after joining League Two club Barrow for an undisclosed fee.

The England C midfielder has been repeatedly linked with a move away from the International Stadium over the last eight months after establishing himself as a key cog in the Gateshead side during his two years in the North East.

Booty joined the Heed from Maidstone United in the summer of 2023 and enjoyed a successful first year on Tyneside as he played an integral role in helping Rob Elliot’s side reach the FA Trophy final for the second successive season.

The midfielder put in what could be considered to be his best performance in a Gateshead shirt as he scored and played a part in an equaliser as the Tynesiders came through a penalty shoot-out to beat National League rivals Solihull Moors under the Wembley.

Interest

After penning a new contract at the International Stadium, Booty continued to shine during the first half of last season – but speculation over his future at the club caused issues and the midfielder was left out of the Gateshead squad for two successive games.

Speaking at the time, Elliot’s successor Carl Magnay spoke of Gateshead ‘not being bullied’ by agents or interested clubs and insisted Booty would not leave the club ‘unless a satisfactory offer was received.

Despite interest from League One, League Two and National League clubs, no such offer was forthcoming and the former Huddersfield Town midfielder saw out the season in the North East as Gateshead failed to secure a play-off place in Non-League’s top tier.

A number of clubs have shown an interest in securing Booty’s signature since the end of the campaign – and it is Barrow that have won the race for his services after agreeing an undisclosed fee with Gateshead and handing the midfielder a three-year contract.

Delighted

Speaking about his move to join The Bluebirds, Booty told the club website: “Yeah, I’m delighted, obviously it’s been going on for quite some time.

“So, I’m really happy it’s all sorted now and obviously the season is coming thick and fast in two weeks, so I’m looking forward to getting started, getting to know all the lads and getting my foot in the door.

“I think it’s always really nice when a manager and a group of staff are so keen to get you in the door, and the way they approached things was just very attractive to me, very professional, and after that, I just thought that’s where I want to be to play my football.”

Experience

Booty’s departure means Gateshead have now lost a number of key players since the end of last season – but new manager Alun Armstrong is adamant he will be able to bring in replacements before the new season gets underway with a home game against Southend United next month.

The former Blyth Spartans and Darlington manager has already completed deals for Hartlepool United full-back David Ferguson and Bradford City defender Callum Johnson – but is now hoping to add further experience to his ranks ahead of his first season in charge.

“We probably need another two or three to come in – and that’s senior players by the way,” he explained.

“We need that experience and we are looking and working hard to bring those players in.  It’s tough, it really is tough and we know we have some very good players that people are interested in and I have to keep one eye on that as well.

“I wish they would leave us alone to be honest – but it’s tough and there may be a time where we have to replace players.  It’s tough but it is what it is and we can’t use that as an excuse.

“I do have my eye on a few players and we will keep working to see if we can do it.  Without a doubt we can do those deals and bring players in if some of our lads head out.

“We need that squad and it’s the key thing for me.  We might not get all of those players we want, but we have a core there, and we have something to build on.”