Reds’ mood still positive as they look to pull off escape act
SHOULD BARNSLEY somehow retain their Championship status by late July, it will be up there with the greatest acts of relegation escapology seen in modern times across Yorkshire.
With the Reds being written off by most, Conor Chaplin is under no illusions about the task that faces the Oakwell outfit, who are seven points adrift of safety with nine games remaining.
The fact that five of Barnsley’s remaining fixtures are away from home, including trips to leaders Leeds United and fourth-placed Brentford adds to the degree of difficulty.
But most expect their fate to be decided during three successive games inside a week against relegation rivals in early July at Stoke and Luton and at home to Wigan. They also provide one inkling of hope.
Even accounting for that, few will be publicly heralding Barnsley’s prospects of survival, with Chaplin admitting that he and his team-mates are adopting a bit of a siege mentality.
He said: “A lot of the lads have bought into that and that is the mentality you need. We are bottom of the table and there’s no denying it.
“There has got to be a shift in momentum in these last nine games to make sure there’s three teams beneath us at the end of the season.
“There are teams who come back who won’t have anything to play for. You see it year after year, not just in the Championship, but in all the leagues.
“Teams who are up there can (also) have a bit of a wobble and teams who are above the relegation zone can start looking over their shoulder.
“Football is a crazy game and we are confident and looking forward to those nine games and giving everything we can.”
Barnsley’s status as the youngest squad in the Championship will preclude any notions of not just fear, but also fatigue, according to Chaplin.
The former Portsmouth striker says that he and his teammates all continued to train rigorously during lockdown and that ethic has enabled them to cope seamlessly with intensive work during full training
He added: “I don’t think it’s been too hard as the lads have come back really fit anyway.
“The club did give us a week off, but in lockdown, that is the only thing you can do and a lot of the lads were carrying on with their running.
“It was an optional break to rest the body, but the lads wanted to keep up their fitness. Exercise helps your mood and everything.”