Barnsley FC suffer second successive Oakwell postponement with Blackpool game off

It is the club's second successive Oakwell postponement this week after Wednesday's rearranged match with visiting Stoke City was also called off after the Reds informed the English Football League that they would be unable to play the fixture due to a number of positive COVID-19 cases within their squad and several other players being injured.

The original fixture against the Potters on Boxing Day had been postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak among Stoke's players.

Barnsley are now suffering from their own significant issues with the Omicron variant, which had also placed last Saturday's FA Cup tie against Barrow into doubt.

The Reds managed to fulfil that fixture, but their number of absentees extended into the double-figure mark, taking in Covid and injury absences.

According to Football League rules, sides can only request a postponement if they have fewer than 13 senior players and/or no goalkeeper available for a match.

The latest postponement means that Barnsley must fit in another rearranged fixture to their itinerary.

The postponements of the fixtures against Blackpool and Stoke will mean that the South West block of the West Stand will be now open to supporters again for the scheduled home game with Bournemouth on January 29.

Barnsley's last fixture in front of home fans in the league was against West Brom on December 17.

Barnsley - whose last league game was on December 29 at Blackburn Rovers - are due to be next in action at Birmingham City on January 22.

On the postponement, head coach Poya Asbaghi said: "We don't have 14 players available to play the game.

"We have had new (Covid) cases this week. Those from last week are not back yet."