A more detailed preview of Barnsley's game against Huddersfield Town.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Barnsley (4-3-3): Cooper; Watson, Shepherd, Earl, Ogbeta; Phillips, Connell, Kelly; Vickers, McGoldrick, Keillor-Dunn
Huddersfield (4-2-3-1): Goodman; Gooch, Whatmough, Low, Roughan; Ledson, Kane; Harness, Wiles, Roosken; May
TEAM NEWS
Barnsley: Out injured: Georgie Gent, Fabio Jalo, Marc Roberts.
Huddersfield: Out injured: Antony Evans, Marcus McGuane, Mickel Miller.
OPPOSITION VIEW
Steven Chicken, We Are Terriers
There is real renewed belief at Huddersfield after they spent the second half of last season in horrendous form.
The Terriers have had an extremely busy and productive summer transfer window after releasing half their squad.
The new-look team have started superbly under impressive rookie manager Lee Grant, who had spent the last few years as Kieran McKenna’s assistant at Ipswich.
Losing 3-2 at Blackpool is the only time Huddersfield have conceded in the league this season, let alone dropped points, while they have got past both Leicester and Sunderland in the League Cup despite making sweeping changes to the starting line-up.
KEY PLAYER
Alfie May
Huddersfield paid a reported £1.2million to Birmingham for the 32-year-old striker in the summer.
May has 91 League One goals, reaching 20 for Cheltenham twice then Charlton once in successive seasons before adding 16 for the Blues when they got promoted last season.
He has struck twice this season, including the only goal in a tight match against Stevenage on Saturday.
May has never scored in four games at Oakwell but bagged a brace for Charlton against Barnsley two seasons ago then, in April, scored twice again with two assists in a 6-2 win for Birmingham over Hourihane’s Reds.
He is one of a host of highly experienced League One or Championship performers the Terriers brought in this summer, including almost an entirely new defence which has only conceded in one of their five league games so far.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Reds 1, Terriers 2 – February 15, 2025
Barnsley were collapsing under Darrell Clarke when they lost this derby to Michael Duff’s side. Jon Russell opened the scoring early, after a long run, but the hosts conceded twice in three minutes in the second half. Josh Koroma – who nearly joined the Oakwell club this summer – levelled then Ben Wiles’ free-kick from the left wing went all the way in.
Reds 0, Terriers 1 – February 22, 2003
Huddersfield had lost their previous seven games at Oakwell. They were on their way to relegation to the fourth tier but managed to win over Barnsley who would narrowly stay up. Huddersfield’s staff included Mick Wadsworth, from Barnsley, former Reds manager Mel Machin and goalkeeper coach David Watson.
Reds 0, Terriers 1 – May 4, 1987
Barnsley legend Ian Banks returned as captain for the visitors and assisted the goal for Graham Cooper. It was the final home game of the season for the Reds who had been bottom at the turn of the year but finished in mid-table.
Reds 1, Terriers 0 – November 26, 1977
The match-winner in this FA Cup first round tie was Neil Warnock, who would go on to manage Huddersfield twice in the following decades. He planted a powerful header in the 77th minute.
Reds 3, Terriers 3 – April 3, 1920
There was a record crowd for the game against FA Cup finalists Huddersfield Town. The hosts went 3-0 up after half an hour thanks to Fletcher, Newton and Halliwell. But the visitors levelled with three goals in an eight-minute burst while home goalkeeper Downing also saved a penalty.
