Barnsley: Championship holds no fear for Kenny Dougall

The Reds secured automatic promotion from League One at the first attempt under German coach Daniel Stendel this year, meaning they are back in the second tier after one year away.

They got there with a young team, playing an attractive but hard-working style that gained many plaudits.

The Reds were a poor side last time they were in that league, slipping to a demoralising relegation, but Dougall believes their performances this year will stand them in good stead back in the Championship.

“We’re more than good enough to play in the Championship but next year is a new one and we’ll have to start again from scratch,” the Australian tol d the Star.

“If we can replicate some of the performances that we’ve put in this year - and we’ve played some really good stuff - I think we’ll be fine.”

Co-chairman Paul Conway says their approach to running the club is not going to change now they have got back to their “inherent home”.

The Reds have a model that requires the use of young players and recruits players using data.

And the American says they are going to stick with a winning method.

“The goal at the beginning at the start of the season was automatic promotion and we believe our inherent home is the Championship,” he said.

“So we are back and now it is all about working our way back up the table.

“We manage the club as a balanced club, we work with a balanced budget, we invest all the additional revenue rom the Championship back into the club.

“We have had some success growing it the right way.

“You see some clubs in England going into administration and losing 10-20million pounds, that's just not our model, we use youth, we use the academy, we use data too, we have a wider group of recruits.

“We have the youngest team in the top three divisions in England.

“And when you have a coach like Daniel, the continued development of those players gets better and better, so that is our plan.”