By Red Army
October 27 2016

      Ahead of the return of Lee Johnson on Saturday, Barnsley head coach Paul Heckingbottom spoke to the official club website about the fixture:  

‘Long! (on the injury list) ‘We’ve got a bit of an illness going round the Club as well so we’re trying to keep them away at the minute from the rest of the squad because we can’t afford to have anyone else missing. It’s one of those things, it happens. Scowen is suspended anyway, then Bradders and Robbo, they’re the three with it at the minute. We’ll just try and keep them away for as long as we can to make sure the others don’t pick up a bug. 

‘“Aidy had an operation last Thursday. We were given a two week time-frame in getting him back in and he’s progressing well.

‘“They’re getting better, Robbo will not be fit. Bradders is getting there, so hopefully he’ll be alright tomorrow. He’s (Conor) our Captain, been playing well this season and even at quiet times in games he has excellent delivery from set-plays. He’ll be a big loss for us, but as we always say it’s an opportunity for someone else to come in and impress.

‘“We could keep the same, bring someone in, change the shape, rotate around a little bit… they are all things we have got to consider. It’s about taking opportunities when they come, we’ve seen it over and over again that when people step into the team their careers can kick-off or they can nail a place down and be in there for a long time. That’s how we need to approach it and sell it to everyone. It’s a big opportunity.

On Brentford:

‘It was good, it’s all about the three points and we always say that but we got the reward for a good performance. The difference was that there was less mistakes and better decision making throughout. We’ve played like that in a number of games, but then been punished for a lapse in concentration and not sensing danger, little things like that and we’ve conceded goals. 

‘We know what league we’re in and that we’re going to be punished a hell of a lot more than last season so we have to be better in everything we do with and without the ball.

On Bristol City:

‘They’re set up to have a real good charge at this league. They’ve invested and with investment comes expectation. They’re up there in the Play-Off places, in good form as well. They had a couple of defeats but returned to winning ways. They’re a strong side with a strong bench, so regardless of the state of the game at any point in that 90 minutes, it’ll be tough. If we’re in front they can make changes, if they’re in front they can tighten it up so it’ll be a really tough game.’