Barnsley FC striker James Norwood on his Reds worry and why last season now means nothing for League One club

Looking at the current strength of the team as a whole, the experienced forward has a concern, as it stands, regarding the other end of the pitch as the Reds prepare for the new season. Namely the defence.

It is a worry shared by many of a Reds persuasion with the club without the services of two of their big players from last season in talismanic captain Mads Andersen and influential loanee Bobby Thomas and in need of reinforcement in that area.

The third member of the Reds’ key defensive triumvirate last term in Liam Kitching is also a name which is likely to be featuring on the radar of other clubs.

Norwood said: "The back three for us were integral last year and we had so much belief in our defensive capabilities.

“You would struggle to find a back three that are as good as them at this level. I think all three of them are too good to be at this level.

"Losing two of them is testament to how good they were last season. Mads, for me, was the hardest player to play against at this level. It's no shock and I am over the moon that he got a chance in the Premier League.

“We will struggle to replace them, but do our best.”

Despite Barnsley’s bitter finish to last season in heart-breaking and controversial fashion at Wembley, Norwood - as an experienced professional - recognises that it’s now all about turning the page.

As well as the Oakwell outfit did overall, the 2022-23 campaign is history and the division stands still for no-one.

Norwood continued: "It's never unfinished business, it's football. It's just a reset and starting again and that's all we've got to do.

"As well as we have played last year doesn't mean we will get anything for free this year. A lot of clubs have made a lot of signings.

"We have kept our core together for the most part, but for us it's recognising that last year means nothing and we have to go again and implement our style of play and the way we want to do things and go from the start.

"I think there's been a lot of investment in clubs in this league. You look at the Burton Albion's and team like that who are bringing in a lot of good players.

"It will be competitive for sure, Derby are having a right go and Oxford are recruiting well and being backed well, Charlton as well.

"There's clubs we are going to watch out for. They are investing to bring players in that other clubs can't."

Norwood expects Barnsley's ethos not to change too much following Michael Duff's departure and the arrival of Neill Collins and believes that there has been joined-up thinking in the recruitment of the Scot, who espouses a similar front-foot and intense pressing playing style to his predecessor.

He added: "There will be little nuances he wants to change, but other than that, they have done well to bring in a manager who wants to play a very similar style.

"He has good players to pick from and hopefully we add a few more bodies into the group to support them. We need that, at the moment.

"The midfield and attack are pretty much the same, it will be interesting to see how we go from here."