Barnsley are still occupying one of the two automatic promotion spots in League One, but the battle for a place in the Championship is set to go right down to the wire.

The Tykes have played a game more than Sunderland and Portsmouth, both of whom are only one point behind them. If all three slip up, Charlton have forced their way into the reckoning after beating leaders Luton Town this weekend.

It promises to be a thrilling climax to an exciting season, with Daniel Stendel’s side closing in on a return to the Championship, but with four matches and a lot of twists and turns to endure.

Their players have been getting plenty of recognition too, with Ethan Pinnock, Alex Mowatt, Cameron McGeehan and Adam Davies all included in the Team of the Season for League One. That’s going to make them extremely hot property in the summer, but Barnsley must fend off any interest.

The issue is going to arise if the Tykes are not promoted.

Those players, along with Liam Lindsay and Kieffer Moore, are incredible at League One level, but if they’re not rewarded with Championship football then their heads could well be turned.

Any side going up out of League One will have seen first hand their skills and might be tempted to take a punt. Mowatt in particular has evolved into a quality midfielder and has Championship experience from his Leeds days.

Daniel Stendel must keep the side together, either to ensure another title challenge or to give his team a chance of Championship survival.

There’s little point in winning promotion just to lose their top players and come straight back down. Stendel didn’t come to England to yo-yo between the second and third tier.

The recognition these players have received brings them to the wider attention of the football world, but scouts will have known for some time how good they are and what they can achieve.

The trick for the Tykes is to ensure that their ambition matches that of the players, that they can somehow ensure they are positioned to offer them the level of football that they’ve earned this season.

Do that and they could surprise a few in the Championship next season. However, if they fail to go up and lose players, the journey starts all over again.