Latest News
Tykes boss ready for 'real test'
Written by Tom Easterby
Paul Heckingbottom says his Barnsley side couldn’t have been handed a tougher game to end their first season back in the Championship as they prepare to face already-promoted Newcastle United on Sunday.
The Tykes travel to Tyneside for the final match of the campaign at St. James’ Park (12pm kick-off) assured of safety in the division, and the potential to finish as high as 12th.
But the Magpies could yet finish the afternoon as champions, depending on their result against Heckingbottom’s men and Brighton & Hove Albion’s result at Aston Villa.
And the former Sunderland and Darlington defender says the fixture will be a “real test” for his team, who were beaten 2-0 by Rafa Benitez’s side in the reverse fixture back in October.
"It's going to be a great occasion. It's great for us to be a part of it,” Heckingbottom said. “It will be the biggest crowd in the Championship this season I would have thought, and they're playing for the title.
"It's great. It's going to be a real test for us. There's probably no tougher game for us to go into.
"They were everyone's favourites, biggest squad, most money, great manager and they've got one game left to try and win the league.
"We're not going to get a tougher game than that.”
Heckingbottom added: "We have to be ready for it. We have to try and use it as a learning curve, it'll be a good marker regards our players and where they're at at the end of this season.
"We've done lots of preparation, lots of work on how to approach the game and the atmosphere too.
"It's going to be a big occasion and it's games like this that the fans will have been relishing too. We've sold out haven't we?
"We can't wait for Sunday.”
"It's going to be a real test for us. There's probably no tougher game for us to go into."