After six loan moves in four seasons, the 22-year-old has finally found a club to love him. Direct and confident, he responded in kind in September with six goals and two assists, including a first-ever EFL hat-trick in the 4-1 win at Swindon.
Barnet manager Rossi Eames said: “Delighted, he’s earnt it from hard work. The goals he’s scored, I think it’s eight goals and four assists so far this season, is exactly what you want when you sign a centre forward.
“I had no doubt that Shaq would do well, but I’m not surprised. He’s been fantastic on the training ground, on the pitch, his work rate is second to none and he’s got an x-factor about him, which is what I want to see in centre-forwards.”
Coulthirst said: “It feels great. Obviously, I’ve scored a few goals and that’s what I love to do, so it’s great to get the recognition for that.
“I’ve been settling in, new club, new surroundings, new people who’ve helped me a lot and I think that’s shown on the pitch.
“Scoring my first hat-trick was great for me, my family and my mum were really happy. “I just want to score as many goals as possible, 20 or 30 and see where that takes the team. Hopefully that will be the promotion places.”
Sky Sports’ EFL pundit Don Goodman said: “It’s always great to see a player who has been on such a journey in his short career, settled and thriving at a club that has given him a home.
“Shaquile is a player who has talent in abundance and needs the experience of getting games under his belt and testing himself every week to progress his career.”
Sky Bet EFL trader Mikey Mumford said: “Since coming through the ranks as a highly-rated winger at Tottenham, Coulthirst has had no fewer than six loan spells with varying degrees of success and his decision to move away from Peterborough on a permanent basis looks a shrewd one after his incredible start to life at The Hive.
“The Barnet frontman, born locally in Hackney, had never bettered five goals during any of his temporary moves but it’s taken him just 11 games to beat that tally in North London, and the fact all those goals came in September surely merits this award.
“He can profit from John Akinde’s absence at Barnet and propel the Bees towards a Play-Off position, which we rate a 9/1 chance at Sky Bet.”
The judging panel for the Sky Bet Player of the Month comprises Sky Sports’ EFL expert Don Goodman; EFL Communications Director Mark Rowan, League Managers’ Association Director Olaf Dixon and Sky Bet EFL trader Mikey Mumford.
