Barnsley boss insists his team have good chance to beat Fulham at Oakwell

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Head Coach Paul Heckingbottom is impressed with how far his team have come since promotion to the Championship this season.

Barnsley manager Paul Heckingbottom has told the club’s official website that his side have settled well into the Championship and that he fancies the Tykes chances against Fulham this weekend.

Promoted to the Championship via last season’s play-off success, Barnsley have now played 11 matches and currently sit 10th in the league after a very positive start to the season, including wins over Wolverhampton and QPR.

Heckingbottom told the club’s official site: “We know what we’re up against, big teams with big players, but we’ve shown when we perform we can win those games.

“That’s the mentality we have to have, we know it’ll be tough and difficult but we are constantly pushing and trying to improve.”

Despite winning five of their first seven matches, Barnsley have now not won a game since their 4-0 drubbing of Wolves in early September.

But Heckingbottom, who made 49 appearances for the club as a player between 2006 and 2008, is impressed with how far his side has come.

“The next challenge as players and for us is to prepare them well because again, I have to check myself when I speak to the players because they have come a million miles.

“While I am trying to speak to them and get them to improve, at the same time I have to recognise how far they have all come and the improvement they have shown,” Heckingbottom added.

Barnsley will resume after the international break with a clash against Fulham at Oakwell and their head coach is hoping they can get back on track.

The 39-year-old finished: “Fulham are good on the eye. They’ve got good options where they can change a game which is what everyone wants, to have depth like that. They’ve got dangerous players everywhere.

“At home we’ve done great. We know if we approach it right and give a good performance we’ve got a good chance.”

Barnsley have lost one match at home, against Reading, and with Fulham not having won a game since August, the Tykes will be hoping to continue this form when the teams meet on Saturday.