PREVIEW: Barnsley v Luton Town

Barnsley approach the Championship season in fine fettle after rivalling the Hatters for the best Great Escape last term.

Like Luton, the Tykes looked dead and buried once the campaign resumed after lockdown, seven points adrift at the bottom of the table.

A win at QPR injected some real optimism into the Oakwell club though as they took four points from their next two home fixtures.

A 4-0 hammering at Stoke dented confidence, while Barnsley then looked like they were fighting a losing battle, only claiming two points from the next four games, drawing with Wigan and losing to Leeds.

But in the penultimate game of the season against Nottingham Forest, when all seemed lost, and seconds away from going down, Patrick Schmidt scored in stoppage time to hand Gerhard Struber's a 1-0 win and keep their heads above water.

They then went to promotion-chasing Brentford on the final day, where few gave them a chance of staying up, yet another last gasp goal, from Clark Odour, led to a 2-1 win, as they climbed out of the drop zone to send Charlton down instead.

With that experience under their belts, the Tykes are now as large as 11/2 in the odds to go down this term, as Struber agrees with the bookies that the club can push on.

He told the club's official website: “We have big self-confidence in the club right now.

“Our players who had to learn, they grew up last season. So our experience is greater for all of our time together last year.

“We aren’t dreamers, but we are not a relegation side and our eyes will be on greater goals this season.

"We have to take the next step as a a team and a club.

“Last season we learn, this season I am 100% convinced we are a very good Championship team, we believe in ourselves.”

It looks like Struber might be correct in his pre-season prediction too as the Tykes got off to a fine start in the Carabao Cup last weekend, beating Nottingham Forest 1-0 at Oakwell.

The Tykes have kept a large number of the squad together who achieved safety while going some way to improve it over the summer.

Defender Michal Helik joined from Polish top-flight side KS Cracovia for an undisclosed fee this week, along with forward Jacob Brown from Championship rivals Stoke City.

Liverpool midfielder Isaac Christie-Davies arrived on a three year deal, while LASK midfielder Dominik Frieser was snapped up, as was Red Bull Salzburg full-back Kilian Ludewig on a season-long loan deal, the defender having ended last season at Oakwell. plus Coventry keeper Corey Addai.

There were some exits as expected, former Town midfielder Cameron McGeehan joining Belgian Pro League side KV Oostende on a three-year contrat, with defender Toby Sibbick also heading there on loan for the season.

Jordan Green has bent sent to Southend for six months, while Struber also opted to release Jake Greatorex, Kenny Dougall. Sam Fielding, Daniel Pinillos and Mamadou Thiam.

Team news: Luton will be without Dan Potts (foot), while both Eunan O'Kane and Brendan Galloway are still recovering from their long-term injuries.

For Barnsley, left-back Ben Williams is out with a ruptured ACL while midfielder Romal Palmer has recovered from a knee injury but is rated doubtful.

Top scorers: Hatters: James Collins (3). Tykes: Cauley Woodrow (1).

Man in the middle: Jarred Gillett - had 29 games last term, showing 95 yellow cards and two reds.

Officiated the Hatters twice, Town's 1-0 win at Middlesbrough in February and the 3-0 defeat at Stoke in December.

Last season was his first year in the English game after spending the previous four seasons in the Australian A-League.

Natalie Aspinall and Paul Hodskinson are the referee's assistants, with David Webb the fourth official.

In charge: Gerhard Struber, 43-year-old, who spent most of his playing career at SV Austria Salzburg, where he won the Austrian Bundesliga and the Austrian Super Cup.

Retired in 2008, and worked for sales company before quitting to focus on football, having spells at FC Red Bull Salzburg and coach of SV Kuchl.

In 2014, began working full time as U15 coach at the Red Bull Salzburg academy, before becoming coach of FC Liefering in June 2017.

Left in January 2019 to focus on taking his UEFA Pro Licence and was named manager of Wolfsberger AC for the 2019–20 campaign.

Appointed manager of Barnsley in November 2019 on a two year deal, and kept them up, stating it was his 'biggest achievement' in football.

View from the opposition: Boss Gerhard Struber told the club websaite : “Luton showed in the final nine games of last season that they are a top team when they are together, similar to us.

“They work well in transitions, but they are our opponents and we are confident of getting a good result to start our new season.

“It’s a big, long season. 46 games in the league. We must be prepared to give everything.”

Friendly faces: Hold tight, there's a few. Town summer signing Jordan Clark came through the ranks at Barnsley back in March 2011, playing seven times for the Tykes with loan spells at Chesterfield, Scunthorpe and Hyde, before moving to Shrewsbury in July 2014.

Another new addition, James Bree, also started out at Oakwell in January 2014, playing 61 times for the Tykes until Asvon Villa parted company with a 'significant fee' for his services in January 2017.

Had a spell on loan at Ipswich before going to Luton last term, the move becoming permanent earlier this month.

George Moncur was brought in by Barnsley for £500,000 from Colchester in June 2016, playing 78 games over his two and a half years, scoring nine times.

Had a loan stint at Peterborough before Luton snapped up him in January 2019.

Defender Martin Cranie moved to Barnsley on a free transfer in August 2012 from Coventry.

Featured 122 times and managed one goal in three years, heading to Huddersfield on a free in July 2015.

Midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe was loaned to Barnsley from Manchester United for a month in February 2013, playing three times, before returning to Old Trafford.

Matty Pearson moved to Barnsley from Accrington in July 2017, but only spent a season at Oakwell, playing 19 times, heading to the Hatters in June 2018.

Luke Berry also had a season with the Tykes when joining from Cambridge United in July 2014.

He played 37 times, scoring twice, before returning to the U's in July 2015 and then signed for Town in August 2017.

Elliot Lee had a frustrating time at Barnsley, joining from West Ham in June 2016, but made just six sub appearances, heading to Luton in July 2017.

Town first team coach Paul Hart was in charge of Barnsley from March 2004 until March 2005, winning 14 of his 51 games.

For Barnsley, striker Cauley Woodrow made three appearances for Luton after coming through the ranks at Kenilworth Road, joining Fulham in 2011.

He played 66 times and scored 10 goals for the Cottagers, moving to Barnsley in August 2018, and has managed 35 goals in 79 games so far, off the mark against Nottingham Forest last weekend.

Former Luton midfielder Adam Murray was appointed the Tykes' U18s boss last season, then promoted to first team coach.

He moved to Kenilworth Road in August 2010 from Oxford, playing seven times, before leaving in January 2011 for Mansfield.

The Tykes goalkeeping coach is Kevin Pilkington, who joined Luton from Notts County in 2009 on loan and then permanently, playing 33 times.

Left in 2012 to return to the Magpies as goalkeeper coach, departing in 2017, as he joined the coaching staff at Cambridge United, then moving to Barnsley in July last year.

Played for both: Trevor Aylott – striker who began his career as an apprentice with Chelsea in 1976 before moving to Barnsley where he played almost 100 games, scoring over 20 goals.

Left Oakwell in 1982 to join Millwall and then went to Town in March 1983, playing a part in Town staying in Division One on the final day of the season at Manchester City.

Remained at Kenilworth Road the following term, eventually leaving for Crystal Palace after scoring 11 in 35 games.

Went back to Barnsley on loan in 1986, before spells at Bournemouth, Birmingham City, Oxford United, Gillingham, Wycombe and Bromley, retiring in the mid-1990s.

One to watch: Conor Chaplin- 23-year-old attacker started life with Portsmouth in July 2014, spending five years at Fratton Park, scoring 25 goals in 122 games.

Loaned to Coventry in that time, making the move permanent in January 2019, but only stayed six months, joining Barnsley in July.

Proved an important factor of the club staying up last term, scoring 11 goals in 44 Championship appearances.

We've got form: Luton have a good recent record at Oakwell, with just one defeat in their last six trips, picking up four wins and one draw.

However, that masks what has usually been an unhappy venue for the Hatters since matches started with a 2-1 Division Two defeat in 1898.

it took Luton a further six games and 50 years to enjoy a first success, a 2-1 Division Two victory in 1948.

A 2-1 success in 1962 was followed by a run of 12 games without victory, 11 defeats, as they ended that miserable sequence in 2003 with a 3-2 win thanks to Tony Thorpe's double and a Matt Spring strike, leading to Luton's upturn in form.

In total, Luton have managed eight wins, three draws and 20 defeats from their 31 matches, scoring 37 goals, but conceding 66.

Last time out: Luton ran out 3-1 winners at Oakwell last season, picking up previous manager Graeme Jones' first win in charge.

Town raced into a 3-0 lead inside 31 minutes, with Jacob Butterfield, James Collins and Harry Cornick all on target.

Mallik Wilks pulled one back for the hosts in the second period, but Town held on to gain the three points.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, James Bree (Brendan Galloway 89), Luke Bolton, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Andrew Shinnie, Jacob Butterfield, Harry Cornick (Elliot Lee 85), James Collins, Kazenga LuaLua (Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu 81).

Subs not used: James Shea, Lloyd Jones, George Moncur, Izzy Brown.

Referee: Stephen Martin.

Attendance: 13,250