Barnsley midfielder Alex Mowatt has been described as a ‘top end Championship player’ by former teammate Stephen Warnock.

Warnock and Mowatt worked together during their time at Leeds United, with the latter progressing through the Elland Road academy at a time when Warnock was a senior professional in West Yorkshire.

Now, Mowatt is at Oakwell with Barnsley, strutting his stuff in League One and looking to help the Tykes make the step back up into the Championship at the first time of asking.

So far this season the 23-year-old has made 28 League One appearances for the Tykes, scoring four goals and registering six assists.

Speaking exclusively with FLW over the weekend, Warnock was full of praise for his former teammate: “The big thing for Alex is that he’s just got to concentrate on his game, he’s got to be professional and organised, he knows what his ability, which we all know.

“He has to keep himself as fit as he can, live the right lifestyle, because he is a top end Championship player.”

Mowatt’s standout season with Leeds came in 2014/15, when Neil Redfearn spent the bulk of the campaign in the Elland Road dugout.

Warnock believes that helped get the best out of Mowatt, something Barnsley are also managing now.

“His best form for Leeds came when Neil Redfearn was manager, someone who knew how to get the best out of him. Obviously he’d come through the youth with him, so he knew him inside and out,” the EFL on Quest pundit continued.

“I think that’s what it takes sometimes, for someone to know how to get the best out of you. At this moment in time, Barnsley are doing that. They’re a good team and I think that when he plays well, more often than not, they get the right result.

“He’s key to them and if they don’t go up, they’ll do well to keep hold of him. He’s a good player.”

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