Luke Thomas says ‘little old Barnsley FC’ have earned Championship’s respect

That is the fervent view of winger Luke Thomas, with a by-product of the club’s outstanding feats towards the end of last season in securing safety being that no-one will be treating the Reds lightly in the new campaign.

Barnsley’s first opponents of the season in Nottingham Forest – who head to Oakwell on Saturday in the Carabao Cup just 48 days after being the stadium’s last visitors on July 19 – certainly will not be after their 1-0 defeat.

Gerhard Struber’s side negotiated a daunting finish to the season in remarkable fashion, with their campaign concluding in a dramatic final-day win at form- side Brentford, who would have been promoted automatically if they had triumphed.

It was a result which made the division sit up and take notice and after a short turnaround between seasons, teams will be increasingly aware of Barnsley’s status as one of the Championship’s real achievers in the final months of 2019-20.

Speaking to The Yorkshire Post, Thomas said: “I think we have got a lot of respect from teams in the Championship now and I know even when we go away – and especially at home – teams will not be saying: ‘It is little old Barnsley now.’

“They know they have certainly got a game on their hands.”

A fresh-faced squad showed signs of coming of age in the season’s finale, but as far as Thomas is concerned, there will no vestiges of complacency in the forthcoming season.

Kudos was afforded the former Derby County player on the first day of 2019-20 when he scored the winner in the club’s 1-0 victory over relegated Fulham.

Yet Thomas readily acknowledges to having a mixed campaign personally and admits that he is his own harshest critic.

“Definitely. I know if I have had a good game or should have made that final ball or scored,” continued Thomas.

“I am as honest as I can be on myself when I know I should have done better and I am my harshest critic.

“With the positions I got myself in, sometimes it was not good enough. I think I got myself into scoring chances where I should have been finishing, really.”

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James Mitchinson