Barnsley host Stevenage

The January transfer window comes to end on Monday 2nd February and Davis Keillor-Dunn and Reyes Cleary have been subject of some transfer speculation which has intensified recently. 

Hourihane said: “I wouldn’t say fresh bids, but there is obviously interest. We have very talented players in the building so there will always be some interest towards them. There is no hiding that both had interest in the last few days.” 

The Barnsley Head Coach also said that the club have a plan in place to replace anyone who does leave. 

In terms of new additions, Hourihane said he was still looking for more forwards, specifically a forward with pace, but any new incomings are likely to happen after Saturday’s game against Stevenage. 

Reports of Barnsley interest in Wexford left-back Jack Crawford were dismissed as incorrect by Hourihane. 

On Reyes Cleary coming off against Cardiff in the first half, Hourihane said: “We think he’s OK. It was just an initial precaution. He didn’t feel great, his workload has been really heavy in the last couple of months. I don’t think it’s anything serious and he should be fine. 

Striker David McGoldrick missed Tuesday’s game with a knock, and Hourihane said he will be in the squad if he makes it through Thursday and Friday on the grass without any issues. 

It feels like the next two home games against Stevenage and Northampton will help paint the picture for the rest of Barnsley’s season. 

Barnsley sit just three points above the bottom four after wins for neighbours Doncaster and Rotherham in midweek.

A failure to pick up points in the next two will see The Reds dragged into a real scrap at the bottom, whilst wins would see Barnsley move up the division. 

Barnsley have been on poor form for a while now after a great start to the season, and it will require a big effort from everyone at the club to push it back in the right direction. 

As for opponents Stevenage, their 1-0 win at home to Peterborough on Tuesday ended a run of eight games without a win. 

They started the season very well and looked in the mix for the top two. 

However, their recent winless run has seen them fall to 7th, but they are still in the running for the playoffs. 

The Boro have the fifth best away record in the league and will look to strike at Oakwell after three home games in a row which brought five points. 

Stevenage have the best defence in League One, and they are a very difficult team to breakdown whilst also having a significant counter attacking threat. 

Key players include dominant defenders Carl Piergianni and Charlie Goode who are excel aerially.  

Top scorer Jamie Ried has eight goals this campaign, whilst midfielder Harvey White also has three goals and four assists. 

Manager Alex Revell has managed Stevenage in two different spells, having been appointed on 16 February 2020 and sacked in November 2021. 

He rejoined Stevenage in early January 2022 as a coach for the youth academy, and after then joining the first-team staff, was appointed interim manager after the departure of Steve Evans to Rotherham before being given the job on a permanent basis. 

It has been a real rise for Stevenage in recent years, after finishing bottom of League Two in the COVID impacted 2020-21 season and only surviving due to points deductions for Macclesfield Town. 

They were promoted to League One in 2022/23 after finishing 2nd under Steve Evans and finished 9th and 14th in the following seasons in the third tier.

Last season, Stevenage beat Barnsley twice, 3-0 at the Lamex Stadium in September 2024 and 1-0 at Oakwell in February 2025. 

The two sides have only ever met four times, with Barnsley winning one and losing three.