Barnsley FC v Bolton Wanderers: Martin Devaney blanks out the noise following testing League One play-off build-up

A cursory glance at social media and a quick log-on onto the club’s messageboards would instantly convey that fact following a muddled, unsatisfactory - some would go further and say chaotic - build-up to two definitive games.

The person whom the club had hoped to be in the Reds dug-out isn’t, with work permit issues scuppering the club’s quest to bring in Dominik Thalhammer as Neill Collins’ permanent replacement following his sacking on April 22.

Form has not exactly helped fans’ mood either, quite the opposite. Barnsley have hobbled into the end-of-season lottery.

But the fact remains that for all the vicissitudes on and off the pitch in 2023-24, they are still two games away from Wembley.

Striker John McAtee took to the ‘X’ platform to point this out on Saturday night. He tweeted: ‘Big couple (of) games coming up we need everyone. Believe.’

The bottom line is that the only thing that would turn around the mood music would be a positive result against visiting Bolton on Friday.

A last-gasp Wanderers’ equaliser in the league game at Oakwell on March 5 ultimately proved the beginning of the end in terms of Barnsley’s bid for automatic promotion. They never recovered.

Now, the club desperately crave a catalyst against the same opponents to revive their season in the nick of time. A game-changer.

Social media might be a bit kinder then, although as far as interim head coach Martin Devaney is concerned, it’s about blocking out the noise.

There’s been plenty of it around Barnsley of late.

Devaney said: “Each individual is different. With social media now, everyone is on it. They (players) might read things, they might not.

"Some won’t care and just concentrate on themselves.

“For me, I don’t need to listen about what goes on outside on social media. I know when I have done well or haven’t.

“In terms of the noise, you do your best as a professional and athlete to stay away from that as a lot of the time it’s negative, isn’t it.

“If I was a player, I’d be concentrating on this game - and what can I do to help the team.

“It’s a case of concentrating and not worrying about the noise. It’s about the fans, club and everyone coming together - our objective is to win a game of football. Coaches and players are professional.

"We’ve got to this point now and have got to make the most of it as we’ve worked hard all season.”

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You might never have known Barnsley are in the play-offs, but they are and it’s an opportunity that many rival clubs will give their right arm for.

They face a Bolton side who they edged out in last season’s semi finals and for his part, Devaney is playing down talk of extra motivation on the Wanderers side or reading too much into the events of May 2023.

He is expecting a couple more tight games, that said and for the former Reds winger, it’s about viewing the tie as an 180-minute exercise or potentially longer and not viewing too much from the first leg in Yorkshire.

Back in 2005-06, Devaney was part of a Barnsley side who lost a semi-final first leg, on home soil, to Huddersfield Town. They turned the tables to win the key second instalment and go through on aggregate to the final.

He added: “The game is not going to be won or lost in the first leg. It’s about staying in the game and concentrating on the first game and then focus on other things after.

"Last year is gone. We have got slightly different players and they have as well.

"The two games we have played this year have been really tight and I expect the same. In the last one, we played well and Bolton had their moments and also played well. I think it’s all set up for an entertaining game.

“It’s a platform for the players to go and express themselves. These are the reasons why you work hard all year - to get yourself in these key positions and get yourselves to Wembley and get these moments.”

No stranger to ‘moments’ is loan forward McAtee, a promotion winner at the London Stadium with Grimsby Town in 2021-22, having helped the Mariners negotiate the National League play-offs and return to the Football League.

Grimsby secured a late win at Notts County before again triumphing 5-4 in the dying stages of an incredible eliminator at Wrexham ahead of beating Solihull Moors in the final, with McAtee scoring in two of them.

He added: “I’ve only had good memories with three late winners in them. I think I’ve rode my luck those times, but hopefully the luck can stay with me this time as well.”

Barnsley could do with a bit of that this evening.