Herbie Kane hoping to put injury frustrations behind him and finally announce himself at Barnsley

Barnsley v Charlton AthleticIT was a significant Saturday afternoon in Cambridge last weekend for one Barnsley player in particular.

Herbie Kane completed his first 90 minutes at league level for the club since January 2, 2021 - across East Anglia at Norwich - and it will have been duly noted by his observant head coach Michael Duff.

All told, the Bristolian has completed just four full games in league and cup since coming to the club, with the bulk of his appearances arriving from the substitutes’ bench.

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Injury and fitness issues have previously dogged the former Liverpool midfielder since he joined the Reds for £1.25m fee in October 2020.

Barnsley's Herbie Kane. Picture: Tony JohnsonBarnsley's Herbie Kane. Picture: Tony Johnson
Barnsley's Herbie Kane. Picture: Tony Johnson

It is fair to say that he is yet to truly hit his straps, although he has hardly been blessed with much luck either. The good news is that his mindset remains strong and positive, even accounting for some knock-backs.

A groin injury in pre-season came at the worst possible time, but now fully fit and ready, Kane is now determined to make up for lost time - with some words of encouragement from Duff likely to have also been well received.

Kane, who spent last season on loan at Oxford, said: "It was my first 90 minutes for a while - probably since last season. I want to build on that and carry on.

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"It (injuries) has been frustrating, but one of those things in football. You have just got to get on with it and work hard to get back fit and I have done that.

"Hopefully, touch wood, I can stay fit and carry on playing and training.

"In football, some things don't go your way and you have to just get on with it.

"The right thing for me last year was to go out on loan and that is what I did and I enjoyed it.

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"Now, I am back at Barnsley and I am working hard and enjoying my football here. He (Duff) is a manager I get on well with and enjoy working under. Hopefully, that will continue. I am sure it will. We did well at Oxford last year, but just fell short and hopefully we can go one step further at Barnsley and get in the play-offs and then get promoted."

With a fully-fit Kane back on deck and the recent addition of Adam Phillips - who Kane knows from his time coming through at Anfield - Barnsley's midfield stable is the envy of many across the division.

That said, they will be without Luca Connell for the visit of Charlton to Oakwell.

He was picked for the Ireland Under-21 squad during the international break, but has had to pull out due to a hamstring niggle.

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He is expected to be back shortly and hopefully add to the welcome selection headaches in the middle of the park for the Reds head coach.

Duff said: "Competition in the middle of the park looks really fierce. particularly going from a three in midfield to a two with Herbie coming in and getting his first 90 minutes and Josh Benson being back and Luca being excellent.

"Wolfey (Matty Wolfe) has also come in and done well and Adam Philliips is thrown in there as well.

"There's a few others underneath and in that area we are really strong and it is good problems to have, I'd rather have decisions to make than think 'we are going to have to pick him as we have no-one else.’

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"We have played all season without a left-back so far really and have had to pick Kitch (Liam Kitching) out of position, although he has been fantastic by the way.

"But we don't see that as his number one position.

“Hopefully with a clean bill of health, we can keep working as individual and collective units and keep improving.”