Giles Barnes banking on a Baggies hero for help

Steve Madeley finds out why Giles Barnes is glad he can count on Baggies hero 'Big Dave' to be his mentor

It is four years and seven months since Darren Moore played his final match for Albion.

But 'Big Dave' could yet play a role in a second Premier League survival - thanks to the presence at The Hawthorns of his footballing protégé.

The ex-Baggies hero and Express & Star columnist took a teenage Giles Barnes under his wing after leaving the Black Country for Derby in 2006.

Now, with Barnes at Albion looking to kick-start an injury-ravaged Premier League career, the winger still counts 36-year-old Moore as a footballing father figure.

"We have a sort of a father-son relationship," reveals Barnes.

"I don't really know how it happened but he took me under his wing when I was really young.

"He hasn't called me recently but I am sure I will getting an earful from him very soon!

"At away games we used to share a room and he would talk me through everything and let me know what the team wanted for me.

"He always encouraged me never to feel under pressure because he knew I was quite young at the time and yet I was quite a focal point for the team.

"He was unbelievable for me to have around at the time because he was such an experienced player.

"He didn't just help me on the pitch, it was off the pitch as well.

"He used to ring me all the time and ask me how I was doing, even if he had just heard the slightest rumour that I had got a kick on my ankle or a knock somewhere.

"He is an amazing person and an amazing influence."

Like any father-and-son relationship, however, Barnes admits the pair had their moments of discord.

Having been paired as room mates by Rams boss Billy Davies, the sometimes brash teenage behaviour of Barnes was at odds with the ultra-professional preparations of senior professional Moore.

But Barnes won his experienced colleague around, thanks to his special knack with gadgets.

And, Barnes jokes, the pair shared a closer taste in music than Moore cared to admit.

"My phone used to go off quite a lot at 2am and he never really used to appreciate that," reveals a sheepish Barnes.

"But he never used to say that much. He was pretty patient and tolerant of me.

"He used to have a little moan about me being on my iPod, but who was it who used to put all of his CDs on his iPod for him?

"He just gave me his iPod when he got it and I gave it him back with 20,000 songs on it.

"He's got good musical tastes as well. He always knew what he liked and then when he heard me with something he used to ask me to come over and put it on for him.

"He would always tease me about me and then when everybody else had gone away he would always call me over and say 'can you put that one on for me Barnesy?'

"At the time he had quite a few things. He had an iPod and a new laptop, he just didn't know where to get the songs from."

Moore and Barnes combined in 2007 to help Derby break Albion hearts in the play-off final at Wembley, Moore standing strong in the Rams defence and Barnes returning from injury as a substitute to lay on the game's only goal.

But a series of injuries left Barnes' Pride Park career in ruins and eventually led to his release.

Again he turned to his mentor for advice, and again Moore came up trumps, urging the youngster to take up the Baggies' offer of a rehabilitation programme with a possible contract to follow.

"I spoke to him before I came here and when I signed and he gave the club rave reviews," Barnes confirms.

"He said it would be really good for me here and he was completely right.

"From the minute I walked through the doors I have felt welcome and I still feel settled now.

"He said it was a really good club to go to and he spoke about how much he loved his time here as well.

"I knew how big he was here before he came to Derby, but he is a hero there now as well, not just on the pitch but off it as well.

"I still speak to him pretty regularly. I know I can ring him at any time and at any place, regardless of whether I haven't spoken to him for a day, a week or a year.

"He would always give me advice if ever I needed it and if I said I wanted to do something and he could help me he would be there. He is a man that touches everyone's heart."