Barnsley FC coach Darrell Clarke sends blunt warning to club's youngsters

Coach Darrell Clarke is unlikely to take any risks at Port Vale, a club he managed and (briefly) played for who are top of League Two under Darren Moore.

And Clarke has been underwhelmed by the 15 under-21 players he has fielded in the Trophy, where the Reds lost all three games. Those who do not get up to his high standards quickly will not be at Oakwell much longer.

"I've been disappointed with performances in the Trophy – you want to see things that will catch your eye and not a lot has, to be honest," he said.

"You'd like to think they've learnt from it because they'll learn the hard way from me if they don't.

"There's a certain standard we should be hitting and when we dip below those standards, the players are the first to know. There's only so many opportunities you can give to players and if they don't hit that consistency level, maybe it's time for them to move on.

"Standards should be every day, every minute of their lives. I say to my players their pro footballers, reach your ceiling.

“A lot of players I've managed over the years talk the talk but they don't walk the walk. They'll fall by the wayside with me.

"Whether you're playing against Port Vale, a League Two team, a Trophy game, you have to be right at it with the standards I expect.

"In three months of competitive games I've seen a lot of games, a lot of under-21 games, and I'm analysing all the time what I think we need and having conversations with the board and Mladen (Sormaz, the sporting director), my boss, to make sure we keep strengthening and move on the dead wood when we need to."

Barnsley's form player of early-season, Adam Phillips, is pushing to feature after an ankle injury.

"Adam Phillips is back in full training, Sam (Cosgrove)'s getting there," said Clarke. "We'll see how it goes with Adam but it's promising."

Jackson Smith is back from his loan at Grimsby Town with a “slight strain" .