In the build-up to fixture release day we are taking a look at each of the Sky Bet Championship newcomers. First up, promoted Barnsley.
Nickname: The Tykes
Stadium: Oakwell (23,287)
Manager: Daniel Stendel
Recent history
Barnsley sealed an immediate return to the Sky Bet Championship last season by finishing second in League One on 91 points. The Tykes conceded just 39 goals, the least of all the teams in the division, while scoring 80.
The club spent eight campaigns in the second tier from 2006 to 2014 before being relegated, but after just two seasons they managed promotion via the play-offs in 2016.
The Tykes then endured another couple of seasons in the Championship, before a relegation, followed by this season’s instant bounce back.
Current squad
No less than five Barnsley players were named in the PFA League One team of the season. Goalkeeper Adam Davies, defenders Dimitri Cavare and Ethan Pinnock, midfielder Alex Mowatt and striker Kieffer Moore all made the line-up.
Despite Moore being the only Tykes attacker in the team, Cauley Woodrow managed to hit as many goals as his strike partner, firing in 19 last term.
Previous meetings
Albion have faced Barnsley 66 times but their last competitive meeting was in May 2010.
The Baggies were celebrating promotion against the Tykes with the result irrelevant to the outcome of the season. Hugo Colace put Barnsley ahead just before the hour mark, but Graham Dorrans levelled in stoppage time to ensure Albion weren’t beaten on the final day.
Albion had met Barnsley at The Hawthorns on the final day of the season three years prior, this time before the Play-Off semi-final victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Baggies raced to a 7-0 victory, with Kevin Phillips grabbing a hat-trick, Nathan Ellington scoring a brace and Robert Koren and Zoltan Gera also registering on the scoresheet.
Albion have won four of their last five home games against Barnsley, drawing the other one.
Head to head:
| Albion | Draws | Barnsley | |
| League | 23 | 21 | 18 |
| FA Cup | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Total | 23 | 22 | 21 |
