Stand-in Jamie Clapham quick to have positive impact at Barnsley

The Barnsley head coach can most definitely vouch for that after fate and circumstance decreed that he was the man who the baton was passed to following Lee Johnson’s abrupt departure for Bristol City in early February – with he and the Reds having not looked back since.

Just as the stars aligned for Heckingbottom at his hometown club back in the winter, so opportunity now potentially presents itself for his good friend Jamie Clapham.

Just days after leaving his coaching role at Coventry City, the 40-year-old was contacted by Heckingbottom and quickly stepped into the coaching breach at short notice ahead of the Reds’ derby at Leeds United on October 1, following the sacking of first-team coach Tommy Wright two days earlier after he was named in an investigation alleging corruption in football.

One man’s misfortune led to an opportunity for another, with the availability and arrival of Clapham coming at a key juncture for Heckingbottom. Back to that issue of timing again.

In keeping with that very same theme, the current international hiatus has handed Clapham a valuable ‘bedding in’ period with players on the training ground to help him espouse his footballing philosophies alongside Heckingbottom.

The vibes have been good, with the impression made by Clapham being a positive one, according to Heckingbottom, keen to retain his services in the longer term.

Heckingbottom said: “He (Clapham) has definitely steadied the ship for us.

“Timing is everything; I had already spoken to a couple of people and got the ball rolling and then I saw Claps had left Coventry and I rang him and asked his situation.

“I asked: ‘What are you doing at the weekend?’ and he was happy to help out.

“There was no payment or nothing, it was just him wanting to help a mate out.

“We are looking to continue it. It might be for the short-term, but it is like I have just said to him, it might be me and him now (permanently).

“I am happy with that because I know he is a good coach who works his socks off. He will be a big help for me.

“I have spoken to the powers that be about it all. We need to do something in the short term and also have a plan going forward in the long term because every change you make has to be for the benefit of the club.

“It is about getting the right things in place and that is an ongoing thing – regardless of what happens here.

“Patrick (Cryne) in particular knows and trusts that it will not be someone for my benefit, but for the club’s because he knows I care about the club as much as him.

“This bedding in period with myself and Claps has given us an opportunity to work together for a few weeks with no games interrupting it and I am happy with the timing of it.

“It is good for me to have someone to bounce off and his work rate is great.”

After a very respectable haul of 16 points from their opening 11 Championship games – including five wins – the acclimatisation process has hitherto proved pretty seamless for Barnsley on their return to the second tier.

An opening quarter of substance will have emboldened supporters, more especially with the sight of five of their next seven league appointments being at Oakwell – starting with an attractive looking double-header with Fulham and Newcastle United.

Yet the grounded and pragmatic Heckingbottom is tacit enough to acknowledge that, in many respects, the word is now out regarding the prowess of Barnsley, who perhaps benefitted from catching some rival teams unawares at the start of the season.

He added: “Maybe teams underestimated us and did not know too much about our players as not many had been at this level before and were probably surprised by how good they were.

“Whoever we play, I like to think that they walk away knowing what we are about and how we try and play and think we have got some good players.

“We know how hard we have had to work to get these wins so far and now it is very evident to me that teams are paying us a lot more respect in their set-up and how they play and deal with us. We have to raise our game again.

“I am happy with the players and where we are and they should be happy as well.

“But you should never be satisfied. We have to aim even higher and aim to keep getting better because one thing is for sure; if you become complacent and satisfied, you can go backwards.”

Left-back Aidy White is to undergo minor surgery to resolve a muscle problem and is unlikely to return to action until after the next international break.

The former Leeds United and Rotherham United player had been suffering from a glute injury at the top of his hip.