Why Barnsley are striving to justify League One ‘Team of the Year’ plaudits

Midfielder Cameron McGeehan admits Barnsley will look “silly” if they do not win League One promotion this season given their domination of the team of the year.
Barnsley midfielder Cameron McGeehanBarnsley midfielder Cameron McGeehan
Barnsley midfielder Cameron McGeehan

McGeehan was one of four Reds players named in the divisional side of the season alongside Ethan Pinnock, Alex Mowatt and Adam Davies, with Daniel Stendel being named the manager of the season.

Their recognition has come as they have launched an impressive promotion campaign, which looked like ending in an instant return to the Championship until a slight wobble in recent weeks.

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The Reds are still in the automatic promotion places, but will be bumped back down into the play-offs if Sunderland win their games in hand.

McGeehan insists that the acknowledgement of their impressive performances will only carry any weight if they deliver promotion.

“I am very proud, it is nice as a player to get that recognition and to be in there with your team-mates as well,” the midfielder said of his nomination.

“I think there could have been a few more in there as well.

“The gaffer as well, it's great for him, obviously coming over and having the challenges we have had, the players we have lost, the CEO (Gautier Ganaye)we have lost, the coach (Andreas Winkler) we have lost.

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“As a team we have stuck together, so that is credit to the manager, credit to us as a group and the staff that are at the club.

“But it means nothing, we have go to get promoted.

“If we are all in the team of the year and we don't get promoted it will look a bit silly so we have to make sure we give it everything we have got.”

It is fitting that McGeehan and Mowatt were both recognised as their central midfield partnership has been one of the driving forces behind Barnsley's push for promotion.

“We both complement each other well, we are a similar age, we both had similar sort of journeys last year in terms of not playing much and both coming back hungry to prove ourselves and kick on,” McGeehan added.

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“We play differently but we work well together and it is the heart and centre of the team and we have to be on it. It has been great to play with him.”

Meanwhile Reds defender Dimitri Cavare has been nominated for the League One player of the month for March, having helped his side to five successful clean sheets and a goal against Accrington.