Back-up goalkeeper Nick Townsend knows his future after January is unclear but until then he will push number one Adam Davies as much as possible.
The 24-year-old has played ten matches for the Reds, who he joined in 2015, but none since October of that year as Davies has started the last 112 matches. Davies has made a couple of errors in recent weeks but Townsend is not expecting that to continue.
Nick told the Chronicle: "Me and Davo always push each other as much as we can. I want to keep him on his toes and challenge him but he's the number one. He has been our most consistent player for years and I don't think making mistakes will affect him. He's a strong-minded lad and he's been looking great in training."
Head coach Paul Heckingbottom tried – and failed – to sign another goalkeeper in the summer, so that Townsend could move on either on loan or permanently, and has already said he could try again in January.
Townsend said: "I will have to sit down with the club and talk about my future before January because I need to be playing regularly. But, until then, I will keep my head down, train hard and make sure I am ready if needed."
Townsend's last Reds match saw the ball slip through his legs for a bizarre goal in a 2-0 loss at Scunthorpe.
"I have learned a lot from that Scunthorpe game and I would love to get another chance and prove a few people wrong. Obviously I didn't think I would have to wait two years to get another chance but you can either let it affect you or move on and learn from it. It's made me mentally stronger."
Townsend played first team football for the first time in two years last month during a loan at non-league Solihull Moors before returning to Oakwell last week.
"Solihull are part-time and don't train as much so it has been nice to get back to training regularly. It was good to get games under my belt and I got everything out of the loan that I wanted to."
Tomorrow Barnsley face Derby County, whose manager Gary Rowett used to be in charge of Townsend's first club Birmingham City, with the duo spending almost a year together at St Andrew's.
"Gary Rowett was good to work under and he reminds me a bit of Hecky. He trains the team really well, gets them well-drilled and makes sure everyone knows their role."
