The Tykes secured their Championship survival on the final day of the 2008/09 season with a win at Plymouth Argyle and thus sending Norwich City into League One along with the unfortunate Southampton and woeful Charlton Athletic.
However Barnsley boss Simon Davey hasn't been quick in the transfer market this summer; they have allowed keeper Heinz Muller to leave in a cash sale whilst Kyle Letheren, Marciano van Homoet and Diego Leon all left on a free. York City striker Onome Sodje has joined the Oakwell club on a free transfer.
They played a pre-season friendly against Ferencvaros at Oakwell in July and looked unappetising in there 3-2 victory. Both Keyode Odejai and Sodje scored for the Reds but fear that they will struggle this season.
Davey will no doubt look to his youth academy to find the next talent available; Luke Potter came on for Robert Kozluk at left-back in that win over the Hungarian club and looked a useful outlet, strong in the air and allowed himself to get forward. Jamil Adam in midfield is also another player who they could turn to.
With seven substitutes allowed on the bench this time round in the Championship the South Yorkshire club may struggle to put together a full strengthen squad in what is only a small unit with what comprises of no real quality. Midfielder Hugo Colace and 'Player of the Season' Bobby Hassel should be the catalyst in the team but unless they can find that quality I fear they may struggle to stay out of the bottom three this time around.
Blades-Mad Predicted Finish: 22nd (relegated)
| Betting Odds: | |
| Promotion: | Relegation: |
| 33/1 | 7/4 |
2008-09 Players Statistics
| Player Name | Position | DoB | # | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Muller, Heinz | Goal | 30 May 1978 | 1 | 37 | 0 |
Hassell, Bobby | Defence | 04 Jun 1980 | 2 | 36 (+6) | 0 |
Kozluk, Rob | Defence | 05 Aug 1977 | 3 | 37 (+1) | 0 |
Moore, Darren | Defence | 22 Apr 1974 | 4 | 38 (+1) | 1 |
Colace, Hugo Roberto | Midfield | 06 Jan 1984 | 5 | 31 (+4) | 0 |
Foster, Steve | Defence | 10 Sep 1980 | 6 | 40 | 3 |
Hume, Iain | Forward | 30 Oct 1983 | 7 | 16 | 4 |
Odejayi, Kayode | Forward | 21 Feb 1982 | 9 | 8 (+22) | 1 |
Bogdanovic, Daniel | Forward | 26 Mar 1980 | 10 | 13 (+3) | 5 |
El Haimour, Mounir | Defence | 29 Oct 1980 | 11 | 9 (+8) | 0 |
Ferenczi, Istvan | Forward | 14 Sep 1977 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Anderson Silva, Franca | Midfield | 28 Aug 1982 | 15 | 32 | 2 |
Steele, Luke | Goal | 24 Sep 1984 | 17 | 11 | 0 |
Butterfield, Jacob | Midfield | 10 Jun 1990 | 19 | 0 (+4) | 0 |
Campbell-Ryce, Jamal | Midfield | 06 Apr 1983 | 20 | 40 (+1) | 10 |
Macken, Jon | Forward | 09 Jul 1977 | 21 | 37 (+9) | 9 |
Potter, Luke | Defence | 17 Jul 1989 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
Coulson, Michael | Forward | 04 Apr 1988 | 24 | 0 (+3) | 0 |
Devaney, Martin | Forward | 01 Jun 1980 | 25 | 17 (+10) | 0 |
Heslop, Simon | Midfield | 01 May 1987 | 26 | 0 | 0 |
Adam, Jamil | Forward | 05 Jun 1991 | 30 | 0 (+1) | 0 |
Noble-Lazarus, Reuben | Forward | 16 Aug 1993 | 31 | 0 (+2) | 0 |
* Statistics up to and including 26 May 2009