Darrell Clarke has had his Barnsley team purring of late, with the Tykes well in the promotion picture at this juncture in the season following a succession of eye-catching displays.
Since joining in the summer, the former Cheltenham Town player has quickly found the perfect recipe within his playing team, putting them in the play-off mix for the third straight season.
After suffering heartbreak in the previous two seasons, the Yorkshire side will be seeking to improve in the current season, with a number of players contributing to their strong performance thus far.
There have been a number of standout performers at Oakwell this season, but we asked Football League World’s Barnsley fan analyst Andy Symcox to select the club’s star player at the moment, as well as how to best describe him.
Adam Phillips’ form leads Barnsley’s excellent start to the League One season.
It’s no surprise that Symcox named Adam Phillips as the man pulling all the strings for Barnsley this season, with the former Morecambe player continuing to excel in his role as a key member of the Tykes’ attacking line.
With his ability to thread a pass to his forward teammates or find the back of the net with unnerving regularity, the 26-year-old has been the driving force behind the majority of his team’s success this season, with club captain Luca Connell also contributing with his tireless performances in the middle of the park. A brace against Crawley Town, as well as goals against Bristol Rovers, Northampton Town, and Stockport County, have highlighted his importance to Clarke and his teammates, and Symcox is sure that the playmaker is Oakwell’s star man right now.
When asked who the best player at the team is right now, the Tykes fan answered, “Barnsley Football.”
The club has a variety of good players at the moment, but I believe Adam Phillips is our finest player right now. “To sum him up in one word, I would say he is the magician, and I say that because he has a powerful shot, and can find a pass that other players don’t even see.”Not only can he recognize uncommon passes, but he executes them flawlessly.”
Barnsley must be concerned about a Preston North End recurrence in January 2025 with Adam Phillips.
Phillips’ reputation continues to grow, and with January just around the corner, there must be a residual worry among the Oakwell
supporters about their star’s future at the club.
According to the Lancashire Post, the attacking midfielder was already the subject of Championship interest in the summer, when Preston North End were connected with a move. Despite having 18 months left on his current contract, a second-tier side could look to Phillips as the man to add creativity in the final third for the remainder of the 2024/25 campaign. The Lilywhites are sure to still be interested a matter of months after their initial approach, despite adding Stefán Teitur Þórðarson in July.
Phillips has shown that he is more than capable of Making the step up to the Championship if necessary, however the Tykes will do everything they can to keep him for their own promotion push this season.
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