Barnsley will stay up because their players are more committed and united than the players at the other clubs in the Championship relegation battle, according to Reds boss David Flitcroft.
The manager says injured players, of which there are many at Oakwell at the moment, are begging him to have injections in order to play in the final games and that they are willing to risk their futures to keep the club up. He told the Chronicle: "It's ridiculous what I am seeing behind the scenes and I don't think it's happening at another club.
"At the other clubs who are in that relegation dogfight, you will not have players who are as committed as my players. You get players who fold and give up. I have been there and seen it.
"In every dressing room in the Championship, apart from maybe at Cardiff and Hull, I can guarantee that you have fractions and cliques in the squad and some people who don't believe in the message. But we haven't got that here.
"It's really synchronised. Every single person at the football club is now on the same page and the fans have given us an exceptional amount of hope and momentum."
After the 6-0 loss to Charlton on Saturday, Kelvin Etuhu, Rob Edwards, Jim McNulty and Rory Delap all came into the manager's office to ask Flitcroft for injections so they could play against Derby. The manager decided not to risk aggravating the problems and losing those players for the rest of the season. Etuhu and Edwards, who has not played for the Reds since April 9 last year, are in contention to play at Nottingham Forest tomorrow while Delap and McNulty could return for the home game against Hull City the following week.
Flitcroft said: "We have got players who are making it known that they will do anything to be a part of the last three games. That gives you hope. Earlier on in the season they wouldn't want to risk an injury that might get them out for two or three months. But now they just want to play.
"They might end up making the injuries worse and not getting another club in the summer but they are willing to take that risk for the cause. I love that they want to play but we have got a duty of care and I have to got to use my head."
