BARNSLEY are now a third of the way through their season – or as close as possible in a 46-game campaign which is not fraction friendly.
They have 26 points from 15 games, one less than under Neill Collins last season and five more than under Michael Duff in 2022.
That shows they have given themselves a strong base from which to finish in the top six for a third straight season.
They had a dip just over a month ago, when they played very poorly for several games, but were always confident a new-look squad and staff would click.
They seem to have done so, to a large extent, over the last month with an unbeaten run of five games which includes three wins as well as draws against Charlton and Cambridge which they feel they should have won.
You would struggle to dip back into last season and find many five-game runs under Collins when his side played as consistently well as Clarke’s men have recently. They generally look a well-organised outfit with varied attacking threats and a lot of character.
Although the draw at Cambridge was disappointing, the reaction from the fans at the game and generally online shows they are satisfied with the direction the team is going in. That rarely seemed to be the case under Collins.
But we will learn a lot more in the next six weeks or so. Almost all of Barnsley’s remaining games in 2024 are against sides expected to join them in the promotion race and, in most cases, clubs whom the Reds have poor records against.
They start off with five fixtures in 14 days, four of which are at home where they are starting to improve their form.
Their next two games are at home to Wigan, who are on poor form and just above the relegation zone, and midweek visitors Reading who are tenth but have a very poor away record.
Both those clubs just don’t lose at Oakwell – the Latics never have, in the league, while the Royals haven’t in 11 games since 1998.
Those records need to end at some point and if Barnsley can get at least four, ideally six, points from those two games they will continue to establish themselves firmly in the top six and build some more positivity in the home crowd.
After that, and an FA Cup game against Bristol Rovers, they make a midweek trip to high-flying Wrexham who are unbeaten at home this season and where the Reds are winless in 16 visits, then they host title favourites Birmingham City who spent about £30million in the summer.
They then make the longest trip of the season to Exeter City – who are currently ninth and have the best defensive record in the division – before hosting surprise strugglers Leyton Orient.
They finish the year with games at Bolton Wanderers, who they have not beaten in 16 league games, and Peterborough United – both of whom, like the Reds, have lost in the play-offs in each of the last two seasons.
If Barnsley are still in the top six after that run, they will have proved themselves as serious contenders and go into the January transfer window in good form as they look to keep star players while strengthening a few areas. The goalkeeper situation will be reviewed again, fringe players may be moved on and replaced, while more competition at left wing-back could be looked at.
