Barnsley are hoping for one of their biggest attendances in the last decade for tomorrow's derby with Leeds United, which Paul Heckingbottom says has come at a good time after a difficult start to January.
The third-placed Whites visit Oakwell for a Sky-televised Yorkshire derby from 5.30pm. With Leeds set to bring about 6,000 supporters, the crowd is likely to be similar to the 18,597 who attended the home game against Newcastle United in October – which was the biggest turnout for more than six years.
Heckingbottom said: "I would have thought Leeds will fill the away end and we will get our biggest home backing of the season. It will be more or less a full house. All the players are looking forward to it."
January has been a tough month for the Reds, with key players Sam Winnall and Sam Morsy leaving the club as well as chief executive Linton Brown. On the pitch, they have been knocked out of the FA Cup by League Two Blackpool and lost their last league match at Fulham.
Heckingbottom said: "It's an ideal game after the last few weeks we have had. I am energised and looking forward to it. We've got two big Yorkshire derbies coming up against Leeds and Rotherham which will be great for everyone at the club and the fans.
"For me personally, Leeds was the big one when I was growing up. And that's the same for a lot of Barnsley fans. With the teams being in the top ten of the Championship, it adds a bit extra."
Since collecting just four points from their first six games of the Championship season, Leeds have picked up 44 from their next 20 matches, winning 14, drawing two and losing four. They are now third, eight points clear of the sides outside the play-off places and another two clear of tenth-placed Barnsley.
Of their last seven matches in all competitions, Leeds have won six and drawn one. Like Barnsley, they have six away wins in the league this season including four in their last six league matches on the road. They are six points off the automatic promotion places.
Leeds' chief executive, head coach and top-scorer all used to be at Barnsley. Chief executive Ben Mansford swapped Oakwell for Elland Road in the summer to work with Garry Monk, who played 21 matches for the Reds in 2003/04. Striker Chris Wood, who failed to net in seven games on loan to Barnsley in 2009/10, has 17 goals in 29 games this season with 14 in the Championship – making him the fourth top-scorer.
Leeds will be without their star centre-back, suspended Swedish international Pontus Jansson, while his Barnsley counterpart Marc Roberts is expecting to play after being taken off due to a problem with his hip on Tuesday night.
The Whites have only won two of their last eight games in Barnsley, losing five. Tomorrow's clash is a chance for Barnsley to add to the recent list of good memories against their bitter rivals which include Chris Dagnall's 2013 double, a Ricardo Vaz Te hat-trick on the last day of 2011 and a 5-2 demolition in 2010.
They will also look to avenge the 1-0 defeat last time the Whites visited Oakwell and helped send them down, ending a run of four straight losses there, as well as the 2-1 defeat at Elland Road on October 1.
Heckingbottom said: "We caught them when they had turned the corner and changed the way they played. They are the form team and they have good players and a good team ethic. It's going to be tough for us."
Heckingbottom insists Barnsley playing 120 minutes in the FA Cup in midweek, whereas Leeds have not played since last Friday, will not matter. He said: "The game will take care of itself in terms of energy and atmosphere. We will be fine. We might have to consider it in terms of the subs we make because we want to finish the game as strong as we start. "But the adrenaline and the live cameras will make sure everyone is right."
