WITH promotion now not even being discussed by the most diehard positivity merchants, what is there for Barnsley to play for this season?

There is always professional pride at stake as well as providing positivity for disgruntled fans.

They simply must improve their abject home record, with four out of six games in April at Oakwell.

Individual players are also playing for their futures, either at Oakwell or elsewhere, but there is a worry that some will become badly demotivated after missing out promotion again – this time without even coming close.

Saturday’s unconvincing draw with lowly Cambridge took the Reds past the 52 points they finished on in the 2002/03 campaign which saw them nearly go out of business and almost drop into the fourth tier.

But that 19th-placed finish might be the only one since the 1970s lower in the football pyramid than they manage this season unless they surpass the mid-table points tallies in the low 60s of the 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2014/15 third tier campaigns.

Half of the remaining games are against sides above them in the table who have, to varying extents, a chance of promotion this season and the other half against sides below them who will probably be either safe from relegation, nearly safe or relegated by the time they play the Reds.

Conor Hourihane – although he needs a win of course – is at least a popular and upbeat presence as interim head coach while the emerging young talents from the academy could give fans a boost and underperforming senior players a wake-up call.

It has been a dismal season in all but a positive ending, with several wins, might cheer some fans up and hint at a brighter future.