Barnsley: Ryan Hedges targets first-team return AND a trophy

The winger was frustrated at being left out of the squad for the last three games as the Reds were relegated under Jose Morais last term.

Morais was sacked minutes after the final-day defeat at Derby County condemned the club to League One football.

All three teams who were relegated from the Championship the previous year - Wigan Athletic, Blackburn Rovers and Rotherham United - went straight back up last season.

And Hedges wants to follow suit by returning to the second tier by winning the league.

He said: “Obviously coming back from the disappointment of last season, we’re all looking to bounce back and hopefully we’ll be challenging for the title and aiming to get promotion.

“It’s nice to have a break away, but we’re all raring to go and getting ready for the new season now.”

Hedges and co returned for pre-season training on Monday and have been put through their paces by the new regime.

The coaching staff of head coach Stendel, assistant Andreas Winkler and first-team coach Christopher Stern had the players doing fitness tests on Monday and ball work on Tuesday in the searing heat at their Oakwell training ground. And the players will be back in to continue their preparations for the new season today after having a well-earned recovery day yesterday.

Despite the heat taking its toll, Welsh international Hedges was delighted the rain stayed away.

He added: “You don’t normally expect this heat – especially in Britain! It’s obviously a nice change from it raining and it’s been tough on the legs, but that’s what pre-season is for.”

“It’s nice to get the balls out after the testing and then straight into the ball work, which is nice to get the rustiness out and get the ball moving again.”