He signed a new one-year deal in January, along with fellow youth team graduate Joey Barton. After scoring past Rochdale and Tranmere Rovers in pre-season friendlies, he was given his Premier League debut on the opening day of the 2002–03 season, as City were beaten 3–0 by Leeds United at Elland Road. He got his first start for the club on 15 September, as City drew 2–2 at home to Blackburn Rovers; he was taken off for Danny Tiatto on 61 minutes. He made his final appearance for the club thirteen days later, as Michael Owen scored a hat-trick in 3–0 home defeat to Liverpool. He was sent out on a one-month loan to Colin Lee's Walsall in March 2003, and played five First Division games for the "Saddlers" before returning to Manchester. He signed a new one-year contract, despite raising concerns over a lack of first team opportunities. He joined Alan Buckley's struggling Third Division Rochdale on a one-month loan at the start of the 2003–04 campaign, having scored against the club in a pre-season friendly. Booked in his first three games, he was sent off 67 minutes into a 2–2 draw with Cambridge United at Spotland. The loan was extended to three months, and on 30 September, he scored at former club Macclesfield, in a 2–1 defeat, as he "danced into the box before gleefully steering the ball into the far corner". He returned to Manchester in November after turning down the opportunity to add to his fifteen appearances for the "Dale", and was sent out on loan to Neale Cooper's Second Division Hartlepool United the following month. He played fifteen games for the "Pools", scoring one goal in a 5–2 thrashing of Port Vale at Vale Park. Barnsley He left Victoria Park in March 2004, and later in the month signed a short-term contract with Paul Hart's Barnsley, also of the Second Division. He played nine games for the "Tykes", to finish the campaign with 39 appearances spread across three different clubs. On 10 August 2004, Shuker scored both of Barnsley's goals in a 2–1 win over Bristol City at Oakwell. He continued to impress, though was sent off in a 2–2 draw with Swindon Town on 23 October, after what the club website described as a "ridiculous refereeing decision". Playing despite sufferering from mumps, he ended the 2004–05 League One campaign with eight goals in 48