DARRELL Clarke will look to get his first ever league win over his friend and predecessor Michael Duff in a ‘very very important’ Yorkshire derby tomorrow when Barnsley visit Huddersfield Town from 12.30pm.
The Terriers are currently 15th in the table, eight places behind the Reds, but would overtake the Oakwell club with victory.
Duff joined Town this season, a year after leaving Barnsley who he took to the League One play-off final in his only season in charge. He moved to Swansea City who sacked him later in the year.
Clarke, who has not beaten Duff in seven league meetings as coaches, told the Chronicle: “I am close to Duffy.
“He’s a good lad. We speak two or three times a season. We will get together and have a pint at some point soon.
“I managed against his Cheltenham team a lot of times and Barnsley as well. He’s somebody I have a lot of time for.”
Duff and his assistant Martin Paterson worked closely at Oakwell with Clarke’s current assistant Martin Devaney. Clarke said: “Pato is a good lad.
“He was very unfortunate to lose his job at Burton.
“Davvers is connected to them. We all know each other well but we will save the pleasantries until after. My staff are winners, and Huddersfield are as well. We will share a drink after the game but until then it’s business.”
Duff said: “Talk about picking a club off their knees and getting clapped off at Wembley in a year. It was probably the first time in 30 years I left something too early. I don’t know what they think of me, it might be good, bad or indifferent – what I think about them is that I absolutely loved my time there.
“I had an apology from the referee (after the play-off final). We should have had a penalty, we shouldn’t have had a man sent off and they shouldn’t have added three minutes on.
“Darrell is a good fella and I know his staff personally. Whatever happens we’ll have a beer afterwards.”
The Reds drew 1-1 at home to Stockport County on Saturday, conceding an injury-time equaliser, then drew 2-2 at home to Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday, with Marc Roberts levelling on 89 minutes.
Huddersfield have lost seven of their last eight games in all competitions, including their last four league matches.
After winning 4-0 at Bolton two weeks ago, they lost at home to Northampton and Blackpool last week then were beaten 2-1 at Reading on Saturday before going down 1-0 at runaway leaders Birmingham City on Tuesday.
Clarke said: “Duffy is the same as myself. He has a good talented squad, but the personnel are changing a lot because we’re looking for solutions to get more consistency. He will get it right, I have no doubt. But he’s searching for answers like myself.”
Huddersfield also have midfielder Herbie Kane, who left the Reds after four years at the end of last season, but is a doubt with a groin problem, and his former Barnsley team-mate Michal Helik who is currently out with a hamstring injury.
Matty Pearson is a third ex-Red in the Huddersfield squad while Barnsley’s Jon Russell played in a Championship play-off final for Huddersfield.
Barnsley are set to wear their pink third kits for the game, while the away end has been totally sold out.
Clarke said: “I can’t thank the supporters enough. I get the frustration at home. We are working hard to get a lot lot better at home. I think we’ve got a fanbase which understands where we sit at the minute but also a manager and staff who are dying to bring success to the club.”
After the league game, the two clubs meet again in Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday from 7.45pm.
Both sides are expected to make several changes from the league fixture.
Clarke said: “They are two very very different games. Saturday has become very very important. But we will play a strong team on Tuesday. We have a break after that game with the Reading game being off.”
The Reds lost their first game of the trophy group 3-2 to Manchester United under 21s in August, having led 2-0 on 82 minutes, while Huddersfield were beaten by Doncaster Rovers.
United then beat Donny on penalties last week, leaving them on five and four points respectively so if either Barnsley or Huddersfield lose in 90 minutes on Tuesday they will be out of the competition with one group game left.
After the trophy match – with the home game against Reading scheduled for October 12 called off due to international call-ups for the Royals – the Reds are due to visit Blackpool and Shrewsbury Town on the final Saturdays of the month either side of a midweek home game with Charlton Athletic. They complete their trophy group games at home to Doncaster on October 29.
