Barnsley FC boss Michael Duff issues warning ahead of Port Vale and Cambridge United games

And few will understand the mindset of the Reds' next two opponents in Port Vale and Cambridge United better than Michael Duff.

The head coach has words of warning for his Barnsley side, whose last three matches in league and EFL Cup at Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich Town and Leeds United have attracted a combined attendance of not far shy of 90,000 spectators.

Rather more moribund fixtures against Vale and the U's now lie in wait and for Duff, it is all a question of attitude.

He talks from experience. Last season, the boot was on the other foot when he was in charge of an unfancied Cheltenham side who were assigned with upsetting the odds on a regular basis against the division's bigger clubs.

He now managed one, of course, in the shape of Barnsley.

He said: "That's the hardest part of football. It is easy to get up for Leeds away and look at our crowds for the last three games.

"As a footballer, they are games that are not hard to get up for.

"I don't mean it disrespectfully as I have just come from exactly where Port Vale have just been and I do not think I am being disrespectful to Darrell (Clarke - Port Vale boss) in saying that I think his focus will be to stay in this league.

"They will want to do more than that. But first and foremost, it's to stay in the league.

"We want to make sure that we are in the top half of that league and not the bottom half. But you look at Cambridge and how they have kicked on and we play them soon.

"I have had only one year at this level, but I have 'burnt' a few teams and been on the other end where we got beaten 5-0 two or three times last season where sometimes, there's just a gulf in class. But we need to make sure we don't fall down on mentality or attitude.

"Because the moment you think football owes you something or you are too good for this, football kicks you where it hurts."

Despite their weekend game being postponed, Barnsley did not waste their Saturday with a full-scale in-house practice match taking place to help boost the fitness of their new signings in particular.

One of them in loan defender Tom Edwards might just expect a few jeers from the away contingent if he takes the field on Tuesday following his loan move from Vale's Potteries rivals Stoke City.

Stafford-born Edwards said: "It is a massive game for me personally and I am hoping to get the win against them. I have never had the chance to play against them before. I have been at Stoke since the age of eight."

Meanwhile, Duff has revealed that striker Aaron Leya Iseka rejected a move to two or three other continental clubs in the summer window before leaving Oakwell on Thursday.

The Belgian forward has linked up with Turkish outfit Adanaspor on a one-year loan deal.

Barnsley last night confirmed the signing of left-sided defender Ziyad Larkeche on loan from Premier League side Fulham after receiving confirmation from the English Football League.

The Reds agreed a deal right at the end of business on transfer deadline day on September 1, but faced a race against time to get the move approved with the authorities.

It had been thought that all the relevant paperwork did not go through in time, with Barnsley gradually resigned to the move not getting the green light.

Young striker Aiden Marsh, meanwhile, has joined Scunthorpe on loan until January.

Last six games: Barnsley WLLDLW; Port Vale DLWLWD.

Referee: T Parsons (Lancashire).

Last time: Barnsley 1 Port Vale 2, November 14, 2015; League One.