Last season showed Barnsley the reason to take the League Cup seriously, and the thought of another trip to a stadium like Old Trafford is in the back of Jack Shepherd’s mind ahead of facing Fleetwood Town on Wednesday.

But the most important thing is for the defender to get some rhythm after a stop-start opening to 2025-26.

The centre-back was in Conor Hourihane’s first XI of the season, but harshly sent off for two yellow cards after 63 minutes at Plymouth Argyle. He therefore had to sit out Saturday's dramatic League One win over Burton Albion.

The 24-year-old will face the Cod Army keen for a taste of some of what his club-mates got last season.

He was on loan at Bradford City, who had their own League Cup drama, when the Reds beat Sheffield United to set up a third-round trip to Manchester United.

"That's what it's all about, the good away days and playing the bigger teams," said Shepherd, a product of non-league football with the likes of Penistone Church, Athersley Recreation and Pontefract Collieries.

"That's a huge experience. It's a memory that will stay with you forever. Hopefully we can do the same again this year."

First he needs to cement himself in the team as he and they look to build a head of steam.

PRIZE: Beating Sheffield United in last season's League Cup earned Barnsley a trip to Manchester United (Image: Zohaib Alam - MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images)

placeholder image — PRIZE: Beating Sheffield United in last season's League Cup earned Barnsley a trip to Manchester United (Image: Zohaib Alam - MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images)

"It's about momentum and that run of games," he argued. "It's what you get your confidence from and where you grow as a player – that run of games and experience. That's what I want this season.

"It'll be a big game for me on Wednesday and hopefully I can put on a good performance and show that I deserve to play on Saturday.

"Momentum's a massive thing in football.

"When you're winning games, you've got the confidence, especially attacking players – they're the ones that are winning the games.

IMPROVEMENT: Conor Hourihane believes Jack Shepherd's loan at Bradford City has really improved him (Image: Tony Johnson)

"As long as the team's got confidence, which we have got at the minute, just keep going game after game and hopefully keep just ticking them off."

Shepherd, who scored in the shoot-out Bradford lost 9-8 at Grimsby Town on his full City debut, is only taking the positives of his suspension.

"You take it as not being upset about it, but as an opportunity – I've got a week to make myself a better player, so that's what I took it as," he said.

"I just put myself in a mindset if I'm fit and available that I'll be playing every game. No matter if you're playing or not, if you put yourself in the mindset you are, you'll always be ready to play.

"That's what I always do."

Coach Hourihane has seen a real improvement in Shepherd for his year winning promotion on loan at Bradford, just as Vimal Yoganathan did on loan with Oldham Athletic.

"I think it's been an amazing experience for him," he said. "You can put Vimal into that category as well.

"They've come back like new players with the promotions under their belts and they've been big positives for the club over this pre-season.

"Vimal started the first two games and done very, very well as well. Shepherd had an unfortunate little moment at Plymouth that I felt he was unlucky with but he'll be a big asset."