Barnsley FC v Bolton: Fixture list gives sections of Barnsley public the chance to re-engage, thanks to Michael Duff

Michael Duff, a good, honest and talented old-school meets new-school manager, is providing the balm. Word is getting out about Barnsley again.

They sit in fourth place in League One, a position not too many would have envisaged before a ball was kicked in high summer and already have ten more points than they managed in the whole of last season.

The form is good and the club's mojo is returning. Attending games at Oakwell is not just down to blind loyalty; there is hope and in 2023, there should be a sense of occasion and theatre.

Fittingly, Barnsley start the new year against a famous name in Bolton Wanderers, the first of several marquee visitors due in town.

The only other team this term to have brought over 1,000 supporters so far in 2022-23 are Lincoln City and the away end will be populated by a healthy gathering from Red Rose territory.

Sheffield Wednesday, Derby County, Portsmouth, Plymouth Argyle and Ipswich Town follow before the end of March. Events to look forward to as opposed to endure.

Duff, whose side are chasing a sixth straight home win in all competitions, said: "It is probably two-pronged. A few people talk about the atmosphere and things and the relationship is not going to get mended overnight.

"We knew that at the start of the season. There's been some good performances and more wins obviously helps.

"We have got a lot of the big teams still to come here and quite often when the opposition brings a lot more supporters, it creates a better atmosphere as there's always a competition between the two sets of supporters.

"We have played Burton and Cheltenham and MK Dons and they brought 300 or 400 and the big boys bring two, three or four thousand. With that, I think you will find a different atmosphere in the ground anyway. That could add to it as well.

"All we can do is try and win games at home. If the supporters turn up, brilliant.

"The away support is amazing and you get packed into one area of the ground. It is not something I overly concern myself with as long as me and the players do our bit in terms of winning the games, other things follow."

Barnsley are in the process of cementing their place in the play-off positions, but with the likes of Wycombe, Peterborough and Portsmouth knocking around, now is not the time to fall off the saddle or get giddy. For the second year running, the top-six battle will be an intriguing and good one.

Duff continued: "Wycombe had a poorish start and they look like they are going well now and there's some big, big clubs. Look at Bolton versus Derby, a big game between two clubs and Bolton are on an upward trajectory and it was their biggest crowd since being in the Premier League.

"There's lots of clubs with lots of momentum and it is going to be tough. Just because we are there now doesn't mean we are going to be there at the end of the season.

"We've been on a good run and while it's disappointing not to cement ourselves in there with anther two points at Accrington which would have looked a bit healthy.

"As I said at the start of the season, I don't worry about it too much now. It's different; with two games to go, you might start thinking: 'we win this and we're in'. But at the minute, it's win the next half. Try and win the next half and see where it takes us. The lads are going okay with that."

Duff's charges have come a long way, clearly, but if Barnsley are going to give themselves the best chance of finishing in the play-off positions, then some additions will need to be made this month and their stars retained, which is something that Duff is confident about.

He said: "It is a game of moving parts and you don't want to pigeon-hole yourself as it can move quickly. Ideally, we'd like them in early, but we want the right ones in, most importantly.

"I'd rather get the right one in if it takes to the last day, it takes to the last day and I'd rather do that than bring someone in, in the first week for the sake of it for false reasons and saying 'look, we've got someone in for the rest of the season' and it's not the right person. Because it's pointless.

"It's not like we don't talk to agents or other players or other clubs in the season. It's a constant. I spend three hours in the car quite a lot and I am not sat listening to 'Xfm' or Radio One, I am normally ringing people and constantly using your networking connections. "It comes to the fore now, but it's a constant."