Last season, Barnsley finished fourth in League One, securing a place in the playoffs. They defeated Bolton Wanderers over two legs in the semi-finals before losing 0-1 to Sheffield Wednesday in the final. Their three-year stay in the Championship came to an end when they finished last in the league in 2022.
This season, the Tykes are fighting at the bottom of the table once more, currently sitting in seventh place after nine wins, four draws, and five losses. Their recent form has been solid, with two wins, two draws, and one defeat in their last five games. So far this season, Barnsley’s away form has been stronger than their home form, with the Tykes having the third-best away record in the league.
The two sides last met in the 2021/22 season, when Reading won 1-0 at Barnsley in the SCL, with John Swift scoring the winner, before drawing 1-1 at Oakwell.
Neill Collins: Collins took over as manager of Barnsley in July of this year, succeeding Michael Duff, who joined Championship Swansea City. Collins played as a centre-back for clubs such as Dumbarton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Sheffield United. He finished his career with the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the United States.
Collins began his managerial career in Tampa, where he took over in May 2018. After five years in Florida, the Scotsman was named NSL Championship Coach of the Year in 2021. This summer, he returned to England after signing a two-year contract with Barnsley. Collins prefers his teams to be aggressive and forward-thinking.
This summer, Oakwell welcomed 12 new players, with eight signing permanent contracts and four joining on loan. Following a successful loan last season, the Tykes signed forward Max Watters from Cardiff City for an undisclosed fee. They also paid a fee to bring in French defender Mael de Gevigney from Nimes Olympique.
Barnsley also signed free agents goalkeeper Ben Killip, defenders Kacper Lopata, Corey O’Keefe, and Kycper Lofthouse, and forwards Sam Cosgrove and Andy Dallas. On loan for the season are goalkeeper Liam Roberts (Middlesbrough), defenders Jamie McCart (Rotherham United) and Owen Dodgson (Burnley), and forward John McAtee (Luton Town).
Barnsley secured transfer fees for defenders Liam Kitching and Brad Collins, who joined Coventry City, and centre-back Mads Andersen, who joined Premier League Luton Town.
Forward John McAtee is questionable for Saturday’s game after suffering an injury midweek. Midfielder Luca Connell is also questionable, and custodian Liam Roberts will almost certainly miss out due to injury.
Devante Cole: Striker Cole joined Barnsley in 2021 after his contract at Motherwell expired. He began his career in the Manchester City youth system, but his first taste of first-team football came in 2014, when he joined Barnsley on loan.
After a loan spell at MK Dons, he signed a permanent contract with Bradford City. He moved to Fleetwood Town less than five months later, where he stayed for two years and scored 22 goals.
After joining Wigan Athletic, he struggled for first-team opportunities and spent time on loan at Burton Albion and Motherwell. He signed permanent contracts with Doncaster Rovers and Motherwell before joining Barnsley in 2021.
Cole has gone on to score 29 goals for The Tykes since his return, 11 of which have come this season. The 28-year-old has played for England at every age group, from under-16 to under-19.
Devante Cole, the son of former Manchester United striker Andy Cole, is a quick striker with good finishing ability.
Luca Connell: Midfielder Connell joined Barnsley in June of last year after his contract with Celtic expired. He began his career with Bolton Wanderers, where he graduated from the youth team before making 12 appearances for the club.
He signed a permanent contract with Celtic in 2019, but he never played for the club. He spent two loan spells at Queens Park while at Celtic, appearing 42 times and scoring 10 goals.
Connell has made 53 appearances for Barnsley and has 10 assists since joining the club. The 22-year-old has represented Ireland at the under-17, under-18, under-19, and under-21 levels. He is a defensive midfielder who is a good passer of the ball.
