How Barnsley boss Paul Heckingbottom's half-time message fired his Reds to glory

PAUL HECKINGBOTTOM has revealed how delivering the first 'kick up the backside' to the Barnsley players of his fledgling managerial career helped deliver the club's first silverware in a cup final for more than a century.
Paul Heckingbottom has only been in caretaker charge of Barnsley for two months but he has taken them to the brink of the play-offs and yesterday led the club to victory in the Johnstones Paint Trophy final at Wembley.Paul Heckingbottom has only been in caretaker charge of Barnsley for two months but he has taken them to the brink of the play-offs and yesterday led the club to victory in the Johnstones Paint Trophy final at Wembley.
Paul Heckingbottom has only been in caretaker charge of Barnsley for two months but he has taken them to the brink of the play-offs and yesterday led the club to victory in the Johnstones Paint Trophy final at Wembley.

The Reds became the 24th club to be engraved on the Football League Trophy after a three-goal salvo in 23 second-half minutes was enough to see off Oxford United.

In the end, the League One side were worthy winners but there could be no disguising how flat the Yorkshire outfit had been during the first half.

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“Half-time was probably the first time they have needed a kick up the backside from me,” said Heckingbottom, who has been in temporary charge since Lee Johnson left for Bristol City in early February.

Paul Heckingbottom has only been in caretaker charge of Barnsley for two months but he has taken them to the brink of the play-offs and yesterday led the club to victory in the Johnstones Paint Trophy final at Wembley.Paul Heckingbottom has only been in caretaker charge of Barnsley for two months but he has taken them to the brink of the play-offs and yesterday led the club to victory in the Johnstones Paint Trophy final at Wembley.
Paul Heckingbottom has only been in caretaker charge of Barnsley for two months but he has taken them to the brink of the play-offs and yesterday led the club to victory in the Johnstones Paint Trophy final at Wembley.

“They did need it, and they knew they needed it. Probably the only two who escaped criticism were Adam (Hammill) and Sam (Winnall). Everyone else could do a lot better and I told them that.

“It wasn’t anything tactically brilliant or anything like that. Just a mindset we had to change. We needed to flick that switch and get us playing without fear.

“Get back out there and play with aggression, take more chances with or without the ball. It sounds daft but being 1-0 down gives you the licence to do that.

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“A few home truths were said and a few cages rattled in terms of mindset. Sometimes, you have to flick that switch in players.

Paul Heckingbottom has only been in caretaker charge of Barnsley for two months but he has taken them to the brink of the play-offs and yesterday led the club to victory in the Johnstones Paint Trophy final at Wembley.Paul Heckingbottom has only been in caretaker charge of Barnsley for two months but he has taken them to the brink of the play-offs and yesterday led the club to victory in the Johnstones Paint Trophy final at Wembley.
Paul Heckingbottom has only been in caretaker charge of Barnsley for two months but he has taken them to the brink of the play-offs and yesterday led the club to victory in the Johnstones Paint Trophy final at Wembley.

“We know this group has character. They show that every week. But what pleased me most second half was we played better. We played with a belief.”

Watched by the seventh highest final attendance in the competition’s 33-year history, Barnsley’s fightback began when Chey Dunkley put through his own goal under heavy pressure from Winnall.

Ashley Fletcher and Adam Hammill then put the game beyond Oxford, who could only muster a reply through Danny Hylton as League One’s recent dominance of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy continued.

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Not since Luton Town’s triumph in 2009 has a team from the basement division prevailed in the Wembley final.

The 24,000 or so Barnsley fans hailed their heroes at the final whistle, while the celebrations for the players and staff continued last night at a club party. “I have told the players they have to enjoy this, to make the most of it,” added Heckingbottom.

“That is the message after every victory. But winning at Wembley is that little bit special. Personally, I am still buzzing. The adrenalin of this victory is only just starting to wear off.

“I want the club to succeed. There was a point in the second half when I could have jumped in with the fans and celebrated with them.”

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Heckingbottom was part of Johnson’s coaching staff at Oakwell before the latter left for Bristol City in the wake of Barnsley’s Northern final victory on penalties over Fleetwood Town.

The Robins’ head coach, whose side lost 4-0 at Hull City in the Championship the previous afternoon, was in the Royal Box at Wembley as a guest of Reds owner Patrick Cryne.

“I spoke to Johnners before the game,” added Heckingbottom. “We had a bit on the phone and a bit of contact on the texts.

“After our last league game at Port Vale (on Easter Monday), the first message I picked up was from Lee. He keeps in touch and he enjoyed his time here.

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“He chose to go elsewhere but the club invited him along, which I thought was a nice touch. He left after getting us to the final.”

Barnsley may wake up today to a few sore heads following the celebrations of the club’s first final victory since lifting the FA Cup in 1912.

Today, however, the focus will quickly shift back to the league. On a weekend when all their rivals for a play-off place were in action, Barnsley lost ground on the top six.

Four points now separate Heckingbottom’s men from Millwall in the final place, though the Yorkshire outfit do have a game in hand.

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“It is difficult to say what it will do for the league,” added the club’s caretaker head coach.

“When we got to the final, I was asked the same question quite a bit. We had a plan in place to try and stop Wembley being a distraction and it hasn’t been.

“We have seven more massive games to play in the league. We have achieved something by winning this and now we want to push on. If we had not won anything it would have been a disappointment. But now we have something and this is a free one. Let’s go for the play-offs.

“We don’t need any more confidence, not after the run we have been on. Over the last 12 or 13 games, we have been taking two points a game. That is championship form but we need it to continue.”