Barnsley FC v Derby: Michael Duff on why glass should be half-full not half-empty for Reds fans

Grittiness, resolve and character being chief among them.

The Reds chief is Belfast-born, but was raised in the North Yorkshire town of Bedale.

As you would expect, he has a healthy respect for all things to do with the county, but there is one perceived facet of some Yorkshire folk which has raised an eyebrow ahead of the start of a seminal period in Barnsley's season.

On Saturday afternoon, Duff's sixth-placed side entertain a 'big-hitter' in Derby and in March, they take on the top three of Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth Argyle and Ipswich, also at Oakwell. They also visit play-off chasing Wycombe.

It is a very demanding run of fixtures, for sure. For Duff, it is tantalising and rich in promise, first.

He commented: "People keep telling us about this run of games and 'it's a tough run'.

"What happens if we win a couple? It seems to be a Yorkshire theme that if it is glass half-empty or half-full, we'll go half-empty.

"What we want is to give the supporters a performance to be proud of, so they keep coming for the rest of the big games.

"Are we going to win or lose the next seven games? I don't think so. The players aren't daft. They know there's an opportunity. At the start of the season, it was a long way away. Now there's 16 games to go and it’s a little bit closer."

Oakwell's best attendance of the season – including around 5,000 Derby fans – should generate a vibrant atmosphere and while Duff accepts that his side's efforts on the pitch must inspire the home crowd, he is quick to stress that the players also need help from the stands. Certainly on today of all days.

He continued: "The players feed off that energy, Sometimes players need supporters; sometimes it's our responsibility to know we need to get bums on seats. (But) everything I do and say is a two-way street.

"For 90 minutes, give everything you have got, like you expect them (players) to give everything they have got. At the end, that's the time to go ‘that's not good enough’ and boo them off the pitch, not after five minutes."