'Look at Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta, they needed time' - Michael Duff in plea to Barnsley FC fans for patience

Citing Mikel Arteta taking three years to get things right at Arsenal and Pep Guardiola finishing 15 points off top spot in his first season, Duff has stressed that overhauling the Reds’ fortunes is not a two-month job.

Four weeks ago, Barnsley won at Fleetwood to climb into the top six of League One, but since then have picked up one point from a possible 12 and not scored a goal.

“I didn’t think it was ever going to be a case of walking in and everything goes swimmingly,” said Duff of the challenge he left Cheltenham for in the summer. “That doesn’t happen at any football club, particularly one that’s had so much disruption in the last 12 months; boardroom all the way down. The team was a complete rebuild, there’s been a disconnect with supporters, it’s a young team.

“So if you tie all those things together and think that’s going to be put right in a couple of months then there’s absolutely no chance.

“So it’s a case of putting processes and mentalities into place. People forget Pep Guardiola finished 15 points behind Chelsea his first season when he first went in. It doesn’t happen overnight, as much as everyone wants it to.

“I want us to be brilliant every week. I don’t walk out onto the sideline hoping we’re useless and we get booed off the pitch.

“But there’s a body of work that goes in behind that and I’m not one for tossing a coin and just hoping. Look at Arsenal at the minute. For two or three seasons under Arteta - just watch the documentary - it’s chaos every week. But if you trust in what you do, if you believe in it, you can turn it around. And that’s where we’re at. I don’t expect the supporters to understand it. I expect them to boo us off the pitch when we lose to Lincoln but it doesn’t mean I don’t believe in the work I’m doing, and I believe in the players.”

And if it’s 0-0 after an hour against Forest Green? “Hopefully the supporters have seen enough in terms of determination, spirit, quality, that they stay with the players .”