Adam Hammill admits Barnsley fans have not seen the best of him this season but insists he wants to finish his playing career at Oakwell where he is also considering moving into coaching.

The 29-year-old is studying for his UEFA B licence and starting to work with younger players in the Reds youth set-up where his team-mates from his first spell at Oakwell, Bobby Hassell and Martin Devaney, hold key positions. Hammill recently passed 150 games for the Reds, who he inspired to promotion from League One last season before signing a two-year contract.

The winger told the Chronicle: "I would love to finish my career at Barnsley. It's the club I have had the most success at and I have a very special relationship with the fans.  My family are settled in the area and I am doing my UEFA coaching badges at the club.

"The club has given so much to me so I want to give something back by helping the next generation in the academy. I'm not sure if coaching will definitely be the route I go down, and I think I have a lot of years left as a player, but it's something I am looking into."

Hammill was Player of the Year last season but, despite being one of the few Reds players with Championship experience, he has been in and out of the side this season – with 15 of his 34 league appearances coming as a substitute. He has scored three goals this season but none in his last 21 matches while he only has one assist throughout the campaign.

"It's been up and down for me this season and the fans haven't seen me at my best. I have to work on my consistency. But I am fitter than I have ever been and I am just looking to finish this season really well and step up to another level next season. I have a great relationship with this club but I know there is no room for sentiment in football and I am going to have to prove I am worth a new contract at the end of next season."

Hammill is hoping for a positive end to a season which he admits has been disrupted by the departures of players such as Sam Winnall, Conor Hourihane and James Bree. He hopes that the Reds can keep the remainder of their star players and head coach Paul Heckingbottom.

"We have lost key individuals and it has had an impact. Who knows where we would have finished if we had kept them?  But all the lads who have come in have done extremely well and team spirit has stayed really strong.

"With the success we have had, our best players and our manager will be attracting attention. It's down to the board to back the gaffer and the players and show some ambition.

"Our workrate has been there all season but sometimes our quality has let us down because we haven't got that much experience or confidence at this level. If we retain the good points of this season and work on the bad points, there's no reason why we can't be looking at the top six next season.

"The season isn't over for us. We won't take our foot off the gas because we want to finish as high as we can. When I was last at Barnsley, we sometimes played like we were already on holiday once we were safe from relegation. But this manager won't let us do that."