Neill Collins hopes for fringe benefits as he seeks Barnsley FC balance

The Football League Trophy is traditionally a platform for fringe players, even more important given it is nearly a month already since the Reds were knocked out of the League Cup.

So the likes of Theo Chapman, Aiden Marsh, Kyran Lofthouse and new signing Jamie McCart – loaned from Rotherham United – will probably be hoping to get some minutes at home to Grimsby Town in the first game in this season’s competition.

The dedicated few who attend these matches might be rewarded with a glimpse of 17-year-old Portugal-born striker Fabio Jalo, reportedly subject of a six-figure bid from Serie A last month.

"We need to have good players that don't start all the time," said Collins, who is hopeful of getting Corey O'Keefe back after the international break, the rest of which his side will sit out because of Portsmouth call-ups. "That's the principle of strength in depth."

Having only taken the job in pre-season, every day Collins is learning more about his squad – and vice-versa.

"I've got to believe in what we're doing and I've got to see it," he said. "There are definitely things I want to do which are slightly different but the principles of how the club want to play are the same.

"It's just managing the group and building relationships with the players, that takes time.

"All this right now is about trying to get the right balance because we need to win games but we want to try to build for the bigger picture. It's a constant balance."