Barnsley FC boss provides update on Adam Phillips and Josh Benson ahead of Blackpool trip - and a pledge regarding fellow midfielder

Phillips, who has found the net on five occasions so far this term, has missed the Reds’ last two league matches with a toe injury.

Meanwhile, injury-hit midfielder Josh Benson will not be involved in the game at Bloomfield Road after coming off in the recent EFL Trophy defeat at Huddersfield Town with a hamstring complaint.

The issue is not a serious one and he should only be on the sidelines for a couple of weeks, Clarke confirmed.

On Phillips, Clarke said: "He has been with us in training and it’s nice to have him back on the grass.

"It’s been a bit of a frustrating injury for him and we will see how things develop for the weekend."

And on Benson, The Reds chief added: "It’s just a couple of weeks out and that’s good news. It’s a slight strain in his hamstring and he should be back pretty soon.”

Meanwhile, Clarke has reiterated that player-coach Conor Hourihane is likely to be used sparingly this season and will only be employed during an injury crisis, with the Reds boss confident with the midfield pool he has at his disposal.

He said: "Conor’s body is not how it used to be. He is focusing more on coaching and doing a great job on the coaching staff. I understand (it) from the fans’ perspective, but Conor’s heart and mind is on the coaching side of things.

"In midfield, we have got competition for places and we want to keep growing. It’s not about easy fixes. Conor is a great lad, but we need to focus on the other midfielders who are in there and getting better performances out of those.

"We know we have got some talented players in midfield and strong competition."