Barnsley’s collapse in the final third of last season was widely regarded as damning, and it eventually proved to be their undoing in 2023-24.
It was even more unexpected given what had come before.
At the middle of March, the Reds had vaulted into top-two contention, let alone play-off contention, only for the wheels to come off spectacularly in the spring, with only two wins in their remaining 12 regular-season games.
They barely made it into the top six. The Oakwell side finally found some conviction and belief in the second leg of their play-off semi-final against Bolton Wanderers, but the damage had already been done, and their season was finished.
Brief it may have been, but that second-half effort at Bolton did at least indicate what Barnsley were capable of, as did much of their display against champions Portsmouth a bit earlier in late season – on a night when Pompey earned automatic promotion after two late goals in a 3-2 success. It will have been noted by new head coach Darrell Clarke as he works to galvanize a squad whose confidence has been understandably shaken by the events of late season.
It shown that Barnsley, on their day, can compete with and beat the division’s best.
That is something that the guys he inherits are also very familiar with.
On the Reds’ ability to flex their muscles with the division’s top hitters, winger Barry Cotter said: “Even when we lost games (we demonstrated that).
“We had a few (home) guys in the midst of the Portsmouth game remarking that it was the hardest game we had played here all season, and we were just laughing at them and not engaging in small talk or anything like that.
“We just needed to stay focused with the intensity we play with.
“It’s wonderful to know, but it almost feels like, ‘What do you expect us to do, fold over because of where they were in the table?’ “We are not that type of team and we are ready for any challenge that comes our way and not to show that in future.”
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