Reds seek atonement after being hit for six

The 4-0 defeat to promotion-favourites Wigan that kicked off the new season aside, it has largely been a positive period for Barnsley, who defied the odds in amassing a record number of points to retain their Championship status last term.

The one abberation came in that survival run-in, when a Reds side growing in confidence came unstuck spectacularly against a Charlton outfit that had little to play for.

Chris Powell’s Addicks came to Oakwell on April 13 and blitzed Barnsley 6-0.

Flitcroft’s men could have given up and gone down there and then, but they responded with great character by winning one and drawing three of their final four games to avoid the drop.

However, ahead of today’s reunion, Flitcroft admitted: “It’s still in the back of my mind.

“It’s in the past. We moved on from that game last season to stay in the league.

“It’s a new season and a new team.

“We just have to make sure we’re composed in the right areas.”

Chris O’Grady, who was an under-worked striker the last time the two met, has since turned his deal from Sheffield Wednesday into a permanent one, and reflects on that Charlton game in a different manner.

“It was a catalyst to spur us on and allowed us to do what we did,” said O’Grady. “We’ll use it as our motivation this time.

“I know they’ve had a bad start like us, but it’s all about us. We’ll go into this like any other game, give them the respect they deserve like any other game.”

O’Grady, like all Barnsley players, is yet to get off the mark this season, with the Reds pointless after two games.

They are in the second round of the Capital One Cup by virtue of knocking out League Two Scunthorpe on penalties after drawing yet another blank in front of goal.

“There’s been focus on our forward play,” said Flitcroft, of the week’s training.

“It’s not back to basics as such but more that the lads know exactly what I want from them when they enter the pitch.

“We’ve analysed the Blackpool game and we feel we had the chances to finish them off.

“We’ll stick to the plan that we’ve got and we’ll be all right.

“We need one or two strikers. One or two of the players we’ve looked at may have been too high profile to come to the club, but was that a waste of time? No. I want to explore every avenue of recruitment for this football club.”