Barnsley can now start preparing for life in the Championship after their promotion from the third tier was confirmed on Tuesday night.

The Oakwell outfit thought they would need to wait until their weekend fixture with Bristol Rovers to confirm their fate. However, promotion rivals Portsmouth and Sunderland both suffered surprising defeats on Tuesday in order to hand Daniel Stendel's side an early celebration.

Stendel has delivered an impressive debut season as Tykes' boss, with his side losing just six games all season.

Barnsley's defence has been a particular strength in their promotion effort, with their back-line conceding just 37 goals all season which is the lowest total in the league.

Goalkeeper Adam Davies has been instrumental to the success of the defensive unit, with the club captain registering 19 clean sheets in his 41 appearances this season.

However, Davies' contract is set to expire next month and a number of clubs are likely to be in pursuit of the 26-year-old who could become available on a free transfer.

The Welsh international has now spoken out on his future by claiming he will "hopefully" remain on next season, but he was cautious to commit his future to the club.

"Let's just enjoy the moment and see what happens," he added.

Davies, who was named in the PFA League One Team of the Year, joined Barnsley in 2014 and has regularly impressed for the Tykes ever since.

The Verdict

This will be quite a concerning update for Barnsley fans, who might have been hoping for a more certain response from Davies.

He has been pivotal to their success this season, and Stendel will be looking maintain as much of his current squad as possible ahead of next season.

Barnsley must priorities a new deal for Davies, as it could prove to be more important than any signings they make over the summer.