Odejayi: I've proved doubters wrong

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Odejayi emerged as the toast of the Tykes after scoring the winner to send holders Chelsea crashing out of the FA Cup and Barnsley into the semi-finals for the first time in 96 years.

"The fans did get on my back, which was disappointing to hear," reflected the 26-year-old. "Hopefully, this performance will have gone a long way to turning them around."

He added: "I tried to block it out, but sometimes I did hear stuff. I guess the fans are entitled to their opinion.

"But I knew I was big enough and professional enough to deal with it, and I did, and now I'm starting to come out on the other side."

As Odejayi struggled for goals and form, Davey was forced to drop him from the starting line-up, but he never lost faith.

"He did take some stick at the start of the season, but he managed to come through it. He never moaned once," said Davey.

"When I signed him in the summer, I believed in him from the word go. We've always known he is a good player and that he would come good.

"He is raw and he is still improving, but he is an intelligent lad and he wants to learn. I did have to pull him out of the side at one stage, though, but he then proceeded to work extra hard in training.

"I then put him back in, and he's tortured defences at times. From his heart and his head, he's worked his socks off. He took on world-class players in this game, and he has got his reward by scoring the winner to take us to Wembley."