Following their incredible run last season to get to the Championship play-offs, it was hard to know what to expect of Barnsley going into the 2021-22 campaign.

Valerien Ismael departed for West Bromwich Albion, captain Alex Mowatt followed him and there was even backroom upheaval as CEO Dane Murphy left for Nottingham Forest.

They all had to be replaced but new head coach Markus Schopp is finding life tough at Oakwell, having won just one game all season in the league which came very early on against Coventry City.

The Tykes' signings haven't hit the ground running so far and it seems like they are missing the influence and creativity of Mowatt, who is flourishing at The Hawthorns.

 

 

 

 

As expected because of how good things were last season, some Barnsley fans are getting restless at the recent poor results, which has seen three defeats in a row and no victories in eight matches.

Perhaps one of the only players to come out with a bit of credit is skipper Cauley Woodrow, and he's pleaded with fans to stick by the team despite their on-field struggles.

“Last season was a season they missed (being at games) and it was such a shame," Woodrow told the Yorkshire Post.

“We need them to support us as much as they can. "It is easy to support a team when times are going great, but when times are bad, that is when we need them the most and that’s when we need to hear them more than ever.” The Verdict Barnsley fans had it very good last season under Ismael when he guided them into the top six but they weren't able to experience it at the stadium due to the pandemic, with a limited crowd able to witness their semi-final defeat in the play-offs to Swansea. Now they're back at Oakwell though the results aren't exactly going too well, and if a few more bad results occur then there's every chance things could get hostile. Schopp was dealt a tough hand having to follow on from Ismael's work and losing the star man from last season won't have helped, but he's struggling to get a tune out of the team at all. Woodrow is a man that Barnsley fans love though so he will be hoping that they heed his words and show a bit of patience and support in these times of struggle.