Barnsley’s next three league games are all against fellow Yorkshire clubs, starting with a difficult-looking fixture at high-flying Bradford City

BARNSLEY’S autumn series of all-Yorkshire clashes begins with the roughly 30-mile trip to Valley Parade on Saturday.

Games against the Bantams then Rotherham United a week later and Doncaster Rovers on November 8 could be vital in determining the mood around the club and the fanbase as we approach the end of what, on the whole, has been a tough 2025 for the Reds.

If they get a couple, or ideally three, wins against their near neighbours then they will shoot up into the top six and all the optimism of the early weeks of the season will return in spades.

But it could also go the other way if this current run of one draw and four defeats from their last five games in all competitions is followed by poor results and performances against some of their nearest but not-so-dearest rivals in the division.

Bradford, Rotherham and Doncaster are perhaps not the bitterest of enemies who stoke the same feelings within the Reds fans as, for example, Leeds or the Sheffield clubs.

But there will be connections between the fanbases plus all three are comparable clubs who the Reds supporters will hope to be finishing ahead of this season.

It will be an instructive test of the attitude and character of this Reds side.

Although it is still early, and they have a game in hand on most, they will not want the current four-point gap to sixth to get much bigger.

The Yorkshire derby sequence has been extended by the FA Cup draw against York.

REDS WIN DESPERATELY NEEDED

Whoever they are playing, Barnsley just need to win at the moment.

Their performance at Wycombe in their most recent fixture – while still not as good as they are capable of – was better than the previous four, which all brought defeats.

But it was arguably the most frustrating of them all as they infamously conceded twice after 88 minutes to draw 2-2 after leading 2-0.

They have had a fortnight to get over that, recharge batteries with some days off then work hard in training to try to build on the improved attacking threat at Adams Park, mainly due to Reyes Cleary’s inclusion, and cut out the defensive errors and late concessions which are badly hindering them.

If confidence is low, then going into one of the biggest grounds in the division – with an average attendance of more than 20,000 – will be a test, but they will be joined by a sold-out away end who will get behind the Reds if given something to cheer.

Barnsley have already won two Yorkshire derbies this season – beating Rotherham in the EFL Cup and Huddersfield in the league at Oakwell in late August – whereas Bradford have not been as successful against their fellow white rose county clubs.

City’s only defeat in the league so far this season was at Doncaster while they went 2-0 down at lowly Rotherham in their last league game before coming back to draw 2-2.

TOUGH TEST AT IN-FORM BRADFORD

Newly-promoted Bradford are second in the league, the joint top-scorers in the division while they have won every game at Valley Parade so far this season.

Their veteran manager Graham Alexander has come up against Barnsley four times, and is unbeaten against them.

Before the 5-1 EFL Trophy win two years ago, he oversaw 0-0 draws with Scunthorpe and Fleetwood plus a 2-1 win at Oakwell for the Cod Army which got Danny Wilson sacked.

A flavour of what kind of team they are is shown in the stats.

Per game, Bradford have made the most interceptions in the division and the second most tackles, while they are third for fouls, bookings and winning headers.

They are much nearer the other end of the table for the number of passes made or completed and possession percentage.

Will Barnsley try to dominate the ball as they have done against other more direct sides, recently with limited impact? Or can they build on the better pressing and faster counter-attacks they showed at times at Wycombe?