Lewin Nyatanga is hoping to continue his ever-present record in the Barnsley side throughout the season, starting with a visit to his former club Peterborough United tomorrow.
The 26-year-old defender has already played more games for the Reds this term than he managed in the whole of the last campaign which saw Barnsley relegated from the Championship and the Welsh international struggle with injury and be sidelined by David Flitcroft.
He played more regularly in the second half of the season under Danny Wilson who has put faith in him in League One with only top-scorer Conor Hourihane also playing every minute of every match so far.
“My goal at the start of the season was to play every minute so I am delighted,” Nyatanga told the Chronicle.
“I just want to keep my 100 per cent record going as long as I can. Hopefully I will play all season.”
Nyatanga’s immediate focus is on tomorrow’s hosts Peterborough for whom he played three games in a month-long loan spell from Bristol City in 2010. He said: “It was a short time but they are a fantastic club with brilliant fans. I really enjoyed myself there. Hopefully it will be a good game and hopefully we win again. They are going well but we feel confident against anyone. We have had some good results in the last week so we will go to Peterborough with a lot of confidence and look to build on that result.”
Nyatanga – who had three loan spells with the Reds while a teenager at hometown club Derby – has played 79 times for Barnsley. He has ten career goals – including two for the Reds and one against them in a 5-3 Bristol win last year – and was initially credited with adding to that tally against Bradford on Sunday before it was given as an own goal.“I didn’t touch it but I ran off like I did. I thought I might as well celebrate.
“It’s just important that I am in those areas. I am getting closer and closer. I had a header cleared off the line against Yeovil. I have a target number of goals for this season which I will keep to myself. Nyatanga also got an assist for Sam Winnall’s goal and says he is enjoying playing at left-back. I played all my youth career at left-back and I only moved to centre-back when I was 18. I don't mind where I play.”
