Brighton v Barnsley: Grateful Andy Yiadom not surprised by Reds' start

Barnsley's player Andy Yiadom. Picture: Chris Etchells

But the defender – plying his trade in League Two last year at Barnet – is certainly relishing life playing in the Championship with his new club.

The 24-year-old agreed to move to Oakwell from Barnet in May, before the Reds were promoted in the play-offs.

Yiadom was on holiday and had to watch the game from afar.

“The boys were playing really well in League One at the time of the move and thankfully they went all the way,” he said.

“On the weekend of that final I was away on holiday. So I’m there holidaying while the boys were all at Wembley grafting.

“But obviously I was watching on keenly and they did very well and I’m grateful to be playing in the Championship.”

Barnsley have surprised everyone outside of Oakwell with their fine start to the season under rookie manager Paul Heckingbottom.

They currently sit fourth in the table, on the same points as big-spending Newcastle United.

Barnsley have already beaten QPR, Derby County, Rotherham United, Preston and Wolverhampton, only to suffer a setback last time out at home to Reading.

A slow start saw the Reds trailing to goals from Garath McCleary and John Swift, before Adam Armstrong halved the deficit.

Yiadom hopes they can bounce back today with a tough trip to Brighton.

He said: “We started a little bit slow in our last game and that cost us. We did lose but I think we finished the game strongly.

“We’ll aim to take the lessons learned into the game againt Brighton.

“We want to bounce back and hopefully get a result.

“The whole Championship is tough, they’re all tough games and you’ve got to be on your ‘A’ game, put 100 per cent in.

“We intend to do that on Saturday.

“It’s a great stadium at Brighton and I’ve never played there before. I’m looking forward to it.”