David Flitcroft has paid tribute to former club Barnsley before the Reds visit his Bury side for a Boxing Day clash on Saturday.
Flitcroft was assistant to Keith Hill at Oakwell before taking over and leading a fantastic run to final day survival – including a six-match winning run – in the Championship in 2013. But he was sacked later that year after winning just two of 17 league games in his second season. He took over at Bury less than two weeks later and led them to promotion last season while they are now tenth in League One, 12 points clear of the Reds.
"Barnsley are a club that gave me a chance as a manager," said Flitcroft.
"Patrick (Cryne) the owner trusted me to lead the club away from the trap door of the Championship so I'll forever hold it as a place where I got on the management map."
Reds head coach Lee Johnson said: "I believe David Flitcroft was the key man in what is known as the 'great escape'. He's done very well with Bury and I'm sure he will have a point to prove against us. They are a very strong, direct team."
Bury won six league games in a row earlier this season but have been more inconsistent since then and suffered a 4-1 loss at Southend United on Friday.
Flitcroft has brought to Bury several of the players he worked with at Oakwell. Striker Danny Rose, 22, has six goals this season and 17 in total for the Shakers who bought him in August last year from his hometown club Barnsley where he came through the academy and played 18 first team matches.
Kelvin Etuhu, who played 51 games for Barnsley between 2012 and last year, missed a large chunk of this season through injury but is now back in the midfield.
Attacking midfielder Jacob Mellis – who got ten goals in 89 games during two spells with the Reds – has failed to net in 21 appearances since joining the Shakers in the summer. He was praised by Flitcroft for his performance after coming on at half-time at Southend on his return from a month out with injury.
Daniel Nardiello – now 33 and part of the Barnsley side that won promotion to the Championship in 2006 – has struggled with a back problem and has only featured once this season, a win over Chester-field in the last home game.
