Alex Mowatt is determined to build on his promising pre-season form and remain at Oakwell for the 2018/19 season which he hopes will end in promotion.
The 23-year-old arrived at Oakwell in January last year from Leeds United and was sent off on his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers. He has made seven starts and six substitute appearances for the Reds and was loaned out last season to League One Oxford United, Barnsley's opening day opponents at Oakwell on August 4.
Mowatt, who has one year left on his contract, told the Chronicle: "I want to stay at Barnsley this season and hopefully have a good season. I don't want to go out on loan. It's been frustrating so far for me at Barnsley but I just want to get in the team here and stay in it. The way we want to play will work well in League One, which is a much tougher league than people think. There are some really good teams in League One now but we have to play to our strengths and hopefully that will work for us. Promotion has to be the aim."
Mowatt has played regularly in the pre-season games, with several assists and chances created in the three friendlies before this week's trip to Hungary. He said: "I think I am doing well. I have created a few chances. It's about getting match fitness for me at the moment. The pre-season games are a lot tougher than people think but it is about getting match fitness and performing well. You just want to get the minutes in. It was a very hot day in Salford (a 1-0 win on Saturday) so it was tough but it was nice to get another win."
Mowatt's 128 Championship games make him, by 47 matches, the most experienced current Red at that level but his career has stagnated since being a first team regular at Leeds for whom he once netted nine goals from midfield in a season aged 19. But he knows his pedigree will not make him an automatic first choice central midfielder in a squad which has plenty other players in that position such as Cameron McGeehan, George Moncur and Brad Potts.
He said: "There are a lot of players in my position but these pre-season games are there to show the gaffer what you can do so, hopefully, I can impress and get in the starting line-up."
