"It's a better, leaner squad than last year and that's what we wanted," he stressed ahead on the first friendly of the summer tonight at Buxton.

Three of his close-season recruits, Iain Hume, Hugo Roberto Colace and Mounir El Haimour, are set to make their first appearances for Barnsley at the Derbyshire town.

Davey, who is still recovering from a prolapsed disc in his neck, was disappointed at his failure to land free-scoring centre forward Kevin Phillips from West Brom.

Barnsley were pipped at the post by Birmingham for the ex-England striker's signature.

"Kevin Phillips is an out and out goalscorer, the sort of player you'd walk over hot coals to get," Davey declared. "It shows how far that we've come as a club that we were that close to getting him.

"But just because we didn't, doesn't mean that we have to go out tomorrow and get another striker. I'm very happy with the quality we've brought in. I'm happy to go into pre-season with what we have and to see what develops."

Davey confirmed that Wolves' Freddy Eastwood was a name he had considered.

"He has been available all summer, as everyone knows. We looked at him, like we looked at Kevin Lisbie at Colchester," he said.

Davey also revealed that the trio of players he put on the transfer list - Sam Togwell, Istvan Ferenczi and Andy Johnson - would be fully involved in Barnsley's pre-season games.

"Everyone will take part, it's important for fitness," he added.

Simon Heslop has gone with Rochdale on a trip to Spain. Port Vale and Grimsby are also interested in the young midfield player.

Striker Miguel Mostto is expected back at Barnsley next week. He has been given a longer break by Davey because he has been playing for Peruvian club Coronel Bolognesi during the summer.

Kayode Odejayi and Jamal Campbell-Ryce will not play in this weekend's friendly games. They have only just resumed training.

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